Over the last two weeks, the team at Nazarene Compassionate Ministries has struggled to process yet another death of a black man in the United States at the hands of those who took an oath to protect and serve him. The murder of George Floyd reminded us again that, as much as we want to believe otherwise, we are not all treated or seen equally in the United States, and this is not a new reality. The additional murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery show clearly to us again today that our black brothers and sisters live under constant threat from surveillance, injustice, violence, and oppression. It seems that in misguided efforts to be “colorblind,” we are often instead blind to the realities in which black brothers and sisters live.

At NCM, we have dedicated our work to supporting local Nazarene churches in their efforts to serve the most vulnerable around the world. This most often means supporting congregations as they clothe, feed, shelter, and educate those in need in their communities. We also expect and hope that Nazarene churches are living and standing in solidarity with those who are oppressed and experiencing injustice. We confess here now that we have not done this well enough, specifically in the United States.

“We ask forgiveness for where we have failed to recognize and where we have not actively spoken against the rampant racism present in our world ...”

As we wrestled with what to say and how to respond to George Floyd’s murder, we recognize that we have not vocally and actively denounced the action, language, or apathy that perpetuates the dehumanization of black bodies. We ask forgiveness for where we have failed to recognize and where we have not actively spoken against the rampant racism present in our world, the effects that it has had in our local communities, and the presence it maintains in our churches and structure even where it may be implicit. We have a responsibility as followers of Jesus to act where injustice and oppression prevail in the church, and we see that we have not done enough work to reach out to those who are black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in our church community. 

We know we can promote the work of people of color. We can support their struggle against injustice. We can highlight the great and immediate need to address systemic racism within our church body and within the fabric of our communities and nation. We endeavor to do better.

Going forward, NCM commits to:

• Engaging in action and support. While our social media voice and these statements and prayers are important immediately, they are hollow if we do not commit to longer-term engagement and systemic change.
• Actively promoting, supporting, and funding local community programs implemented by our churches that address systemic racial injustices rather than developing NCM-initiated areas of focus. We will actively seek to amplify existing voices long committed to change.
• Seeking input from BIPOC pastors and leaders, as well as outside voices, to formalize patterns of behavior and action for us to ensure that racial justice is a core motivating principle for all our work, as well as our organization and its structure.
• Honoring these actions globally, as we recognize racism is present in all societies. Our emphasis on the United States now is clear and warranted, but our churches and members confront the same issues all over the world.

“Until we affirm that every black life matters as much as our own, we will never truly have shalom.”

We affirm the message of the prophets, embodied in the life of Jesus and incarnated in his ministry: that shalom, peace, is available for us. But true peace—justice and wholeness—only occurs when it is available to all people. Until we affirm that every black life matters as much as our own, we will never truly have shalom. May the Lord give us eyes to see.

Images: Jeremy Sipes