June 5, 2020
“God’s dream is that you and I and all of us will realize that we are family, that we are made for togetherness, for goodness, and for compassion.” ~ Desmond Tutu
As leaders of CBM, a global mission organization, we acknowledge the sin of anti-Black racism and all forms of racial discrimination. Privilege, violence and injustice have marked our own country’s history, that of our nearest neighbour, the United States, and many countries around the world.
Created in God’s image, we were made for unity – with the triune God, with one another, and within ourselves. Yet, due to our own failed humanity, we are both hurting and hurtful people. We are deeply broken.
We are called by God throughout Scripture to be both doers of justice and peacemakers. Micah 6:8 reminds us to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called Children of God.” (Matt. 6:9) We have failed so often to be the people God calls us to be. May God have mercy on us and forgive us for when we have neglected our divine mandate to speak out in solidarity with the oppressed and seek justice wherever it has not been done.
Today, with humble hearts, we commit ourselves to listen, learn, work in unity, and denounce and dismantle racism. Brothers and sisters who live with and suffer from the systemic racism embedded in our society, forgive us, we ask. For too long, the Church, either by design or neglect, has stayed too silent.
As George Floyd’s words, “I can’t breathe” echo in all our ears at this time, we ask God the Spirit to breathe new life into his Church so that we can become life-givers in a world of brokenness. May we, as people of faith, lead the way in learning what it means to seek genuine racial reconciliation and work toward a future as one united family.