Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 1:48

We live in very difficult times and with much fear of uncertainty in our society. For the past few months, we have been fighting the great battle of the Covid-19 virus and we mourn the loss of more than 100, 000 lives in the United States.

Our prayers goes to all the families and friends who have lost a loved one and who are crying inconsolably. Let us use this time as an opportunity to remind them God’s grace and love. Let us share the message that in Christ we find comfort, love, and above all the only certainness we have is that God is in control of all things.

Our prayers also goes to the family and friends of George Floyd who recently lost his life at the hands of the Minneapolis police. Let us pray for the community that has been affected and seeks comfort in this time of confusion. The lack of compassion, use of excessive force and racism are actions that repeat so often in history, most frequently within the minority community. It is deeply disturbed to watch the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered in the street, this kind of cruelty is terrible, and it needs to stop.

In our culture, when one person has a certain advantage over another – be it from race, gender, class, age, or even having attended a better school than the other person - it is assumed that he/she will take advantage of that benefit. What happened to Mr. Floyd it was inhuman and it is clear an act of racism driven by the abuse of power and hate. We cannot stand in silence to this kind of violence; the church is against of such conduct no matter from whom it comes.

Billy Graham once wrote in his book, World Aflame: “In Christ the middle wall of partition has been broken down. There is no Jew, no Gentile—no black, white, yellow, or red. We could be one great brotherhood in Jesus Christ. However, until we come to recognize Him as the Prince of Peace and receive His love in our hearts, the racial tensions will increase, racial demands will become more militant, and a great deal of blood will be shed. The race problem could become another flame out of control!”

For the past weeks, we have seen increase acts of racial demands and flames out of control across of our nation for the injustice against to people of color. Any attempts to address racism will require having civil conversations between the Caucasian community and people of color community willing to listen each other and being uncomfortable in acknowledging the ways one has power and privilege, even if a particular person does not have it in all ways (he/she is disadvantaged by class, is older, or is a woman.) Moreover, most importantly, it requires speaking up and “spending” the privilege they do have in solidarity with people of color. “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility” (Eph. 2:14).

People of color cannot do it alone, nor can white people. Addressing the systems and structures behind racism and white privilege requires a deeply committed partnership between people of different backgrounds and experiences. Too often people of color – who experience its negative effects of racism and white privilege every day – are left to name the dynamics of race, even though they have the least power to do anything about it. White people can get involved by listening deeply to people of color; both about their experiences (without expecting others to be like them) and about what is helpful.

Through a series of actions, the Classis of California has shown a desire to address the effects of both racism and white privilege. It has made clear that its best future – the one God has planned for it – is one in which the effects of racism and white privilege have a diminishing effect on our ministry and one day will eradicated. As Classis, we are making an effort to become freer from racism; we all need to move beyond being opposed to racism. We need to be intentional and improve our capability to recognize, address, and indeed reform, any privilege that divides us.

It is important to say that Classis of California has taken the leadership in to address the dynamics of race by including a multicultural office in the servant team, which seek to minister more effectively in a multicultural, multiethnic and multiracial world. This action is evidence that steps have been taken and that changes are possible.

I would like to invite each multicultural church to have this conversation with your multiethnic members and listen how they feel about racism and be sensitive to their experiences and ask them how can your church can help them and walk with them in solidarity. Write your outcome and share it with other members of your church and other churches. Let us speak up and listen to what our multiethnic brothers and communities are saying and feel. Let us use this an opportunity to show our communities that the Church, your church is leading in removing racism and you love them. If you would like to take a step forward, call and interview our multiethnic brothers and sisters in the Classis of California and intentionally get involve with them. If you need contact information, please send me an email to diversitycalclassis@gmail.com