Black Lives Matter To Jesus

by Martin Brooks

Black lives matter. Until they matter equally with every other life, in practice and policy, Peace Catalyst will continue to work for structural change. The tragic deaths of Breonna Taylor, David McAtee, Ahmaud Arbery, and George Floyd should compel all of us to work for equality and justice in our world, and they should also prompt inner reflection. How did we get to this point in history? Why have we been silent for so long? What is clear is that while many people are being hurt and even killed, others are becoming defensive and dismissing culpability.  

At Peace Catalyst International we follow the teachings and example of Jesus by standing with and advocating for marginalized communities. We acknowledge that black minorities have been harmed by, among others, the white evangelical community, from which Peace Catalyst was birthed. We are committed to changing that legacy. We seek to be allies of people of color, and we also realize we have not fully understood or embraced our own biases. We commit to further listening, learning, and acting on behalf of people of all races and marginalized communities.  

To the best of our ability, we will stand with our black neighbors and all people of color. We recommit to using our power and privilege to seek justice and equality for all. We affirm that black lives matter. We will call out systemic and specific injustices in ways that build equitable partnerships and make allies of those who were once in opposition. We will denounce excuses used by the powerful to justify the marginalization of others. We commit to supporting systemic reforms that advance the dignity and status of all people.  

To our Evangelical Churches and friends, I urge you to join us in humble self-reflection, lament, and activism. Barna Research Group published this report in 2016 measuring how the Evangelical church responded to issues of race:   

“Our research confirms the fear that the church (or the people in it) may be part of the problem in the hard work of racial reconciliation,” says Brooke Hempell, vice president of research at Barna Group. “If you’re a white, evangelical Republican, you are less likely to think race is a problem, but more likely to think you are a victim of reverse racism. You are also less convinced that people of color are socially disadvantaged.” 

and,

“More than any other segment of the population, white evangelical Christians demonstrate a blindness to the struggle of their African American brothers and sisters,” Hempell continues, “This is a dangerous reality for the modern church. Jesus and his disciples actively sought to affirm and restore the marginalized and obliterate divisions between groups of people. Yet, our churches and ministries are still some of the most ethnically segregated institutions in the country.”

An awakening is occurring in 2020. Some Evangelicals are joining with our black neighbors to protest systemic racism. Peace Catalyst welcomes this development as evidence of the Holy Spirit at work in the hearts of men and women. 

When Jesus came to his hometown of Nazareth, he shared what it was that he came to do.  

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19).

This “year of the Lord’s favor” referenced the year of jubilee when the oppressed were set free and economic structures were recalibrated to favor the disadvantaged. Jesus then concluded, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” 

For the remainder of Jesus’s life he set the oppressed free, both literally and metaphorically. Later in the same chapter, and throughout his life, Jesus was radically inclusive. He took his disciples to Samaritan villages and to see Gentile pig farmers. He ate with “sinners” and cleared the merchants from the temple courts so “all nations” could have easy access to God. Jesus even prayed, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Simply put, Peace Catalyst believes equality and mutual thriving is central to the gospel of the kingdom. This good news was the teaching and practice of Jesus, and it is our calling. As his ambassadors, we too advocate for the marginalized. We have been given the ministry of reconciliation of all things. 

By God’s grace, we are at a tipping point, a recalibration both within society and within the Church. Our prayer is for systemic change. In order for God to truly reign with justice on earth as He does in heaven, all people need to be viewed as equal with equal opportunities. Our prayer is that God will give us soft hearts and eyes that see the pain we have caused and the wisdom to embrace God’s path forward. We pray God will compel the hearts of His people to “mourn with those who mourn” (Romans 12:15) and to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed” (Proverbs 31:8).

Systemic racism and specific acts of racist aggression hurt us all. The black community, indigenous communities, and all people of color bear the constant weight of these aggressions. The same tactics of marginalizing and scapegoating are used against religious minorities. God calls us to be better than this. With God’s help, Peace Catalyst commits to standing with the oppressed because we believe this is our calling and the calling of the Church. We invite everyone to join us in this vision.

Martin Brooks
Interim President
Peace Catalyst International