The Selah Project

Hey church family! As we close out this month in celebration of Black History, it’s important to understand that Black History Month is meant to celebrate the accomplishments of blacks in the areas of science, literature, politics, art, technology, engineering, theology, etc. and it’s NOT meant for highlighting the historic oppression and dehumanization of blacks from American Chattel slavery nor the Civil Rights movement. Oppression should be preached about and studied all year. In the context of church, let February be a time where we teach about the incredible accomplishments of black men and women of faith in American history such as William Seymour and Reverend Jarena Lee.

As a general rule: Christians shed light on oppression year-round. We celebrate folks that are often overlooked in our history in February as a reminder to see our history through alternate lenses.

Remember which Kingdom we represent, family.

Phil 4:8

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Thomas Jefferson’s writing seemed to change tone during his latter years of life. Perhaps after considering his lifetime of personal involvement enslaving more than 600 men, women, children and infants, he began to both fear the outcome of his own salvation, along with God’s likely judgment of the United States for its sins. It’s almost is if he knew that we would face today as a result of our history.

This year, we tremble as consider how our God of Grace and Mercy is also a God of Justice.

Over the course of recent events shedding light on racism, many of our Christian siblings have begun to ask questions like:

How do I support my diverse church family?
What can I do to end racism?
Am I complicit?
What’s the role of the church?

Sometimes, our questions lead us to anti-racist literature that stresses allyship - and this is really a great thing to learn!

However, one thing we do stress in our workshops is how Jesus calls His body to be much more than allys to those who are being oppressed. We are called to become ONE as He is ONE with the Father. We are all adopted into the same family - a family given the ministry of reconciliation. This means that, if my siblings are being oppressed, whether spiritually or physically, I have a responsibility to them.

The most notable difference between an anti-racist ALLY and GOD’S FAMILY is that an ally is AGAINST what you are AGAINST and/or FOR what you are FOR. As soon as your common enemy or common goal is dissolved, so is the relationship.

As members of ONE body, we are called to be FOR each other by bearing one another’s burdens. This means that even if we don’t agree:

I love you
I mourn with you.
I rejoice with you.
I co-labor with you.
I pursue peace with you.
I fellowship with you.
I honor you.
I reconcile with you.
I welcome.
I value you.
I uplift you.

Remember, allyship is temporal, but the family Of God is eternal. Don’t grow weary of well-doing, saints!