“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil.”
~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer
As the Pastors and Elders of Grace Redeemer Church, we feel compelled to respond to the recent events that are sweeping our country, and to not be silent in the face of evil. We recognize that some in our faith community have expressed a growing conviction that we have too often been silent on issues such as this, especially if they don’t directly affect us personally. Yet we are reminded in Scripture, over and over again, that God’s people are called to proactively, intentionally address evil and injustice.
We grieve with our black brothers and sisters, and we affirm the value of every person, as all are created in the image of God. We recognize that all human societies are marked by various injustices that oppress some for the benefit of others, including our own, and we know that God hates injustice, opposes it, and condemns it, and He calls his people to “do good; seek justice, correct oppression” (Isaiah 1:17). Only the reconciling power of the gospel makes this possible, and we long to lean more fully into that calling.
Merely expressing regret and sorrow is not enough if not coupled with action. We want to love better, and we realize that we need to learn how to love better. Our leadership will be prayerfully discussing and exploring these issues, and we encourage everyone to join us for corporate worship this Sunday, June 7*, when the sermon will be a conversation on race between Pastor Peter Wang and David Noel, our Youth Director. (*The recorded livestream conversation can be viewed below.)
In the meantime, we encourage everyone, as the Lord leads, to:
- Confess and lament: the sins of our nation, as well as any sin in our own hearts.
- Pray for injustice to end: that God’s kingdom will come on earth as it is in heaven, transforming individuals, families, and our society through the power of the gospel until that coming day when Christ returns and makes all things new.
- Pray for our leaders at every level of our country: for wisdom, compassion, and reconciling unity.
- Pray for renewal and revival: among God’s people, that increasing fruit of the Spirit in us would spill over to bless others, and that the church will experience, model, and lead God-honoring change.