Update from the Racial Justice Task Force

The Task Force completed its goal of preparing an extensive set of recommendations last week and presented them to our elders on June 21st. I want to thank the participants in the team: Marten Hoekstra (chair), Christian Becker, Victor Clemente, Jacqueline Johnson, Kate Paik, Kate Paek, Christopher Stewart, Paul Yoo, David Bisgrove. We collectively invested several hundred hours researching, reading, discussing, evaluating and finalizing the proposals on behalf of our congregation. This was a monumental undertaking by your fellow congregants that was done carefully and thoughtfully.

The elders discussed the recommendations and are now spending the next month deeply studying and prayerfully evaluating the theological paper. Once that is approved later in the summer, the other recommendations can be crafted and launched. The final theological position can be published and taught after it is approved.

In a culture that pushes Christians toward secularized polar extremes, it is vital that we are able to disciple our congregation to think, act and promote a biblical way of life in our racialized world. The aim of these recommendations is to ground Redeemer West Side with a biblically based theology of racial justice. The theological perspective will form the basis of whatever classes, groups, active ministries and adaptations that we can make as a church that seeks to bear one another’s burdens and love our neighbors.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. — Galatians 5:22-23