It’s been a while since I posted on my blog. Many wonderful opportunities have come my way.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Attended a BMCR annual meeting in St. Louis, MO
- I attended an FTE retreat for vocational discrement
- I am working on Imagine No Malaria with the Northern Illinois Conference (NIC)
- Attended a Global Ministries for the NIC
I had the opportunity to go to Black Methodist for Church Renewal in late March. They held their meeting 47th meeting in St. Louis, MO. This meeting brought clergy and lay leaders of African and African-American together to discuss the concerns of African-American and African within the denomination, have workshops, make decisions on leadership for BMCR and so forth. It was a wonderful opportunity to network and meet other African-American and African within the denomination.
I was mainly there to table and promote Generation Transformation and young adults missionary. As a missionary, we need more people of color within mission serve that are not at the receiving end but the ones who go out and serve. The ones galvanizing communities to live in the abundant life Christ sought for all of us. Any mainline protestant denomination needs to work on bringing more people of color within the church and creating spaces where people of color are at the table. Racism still exists and unfortunately despite being The Church, the church does not go unaffected. It’s still a social institution influenced by cultural, social, political and historical realities and acts in light of it.
I think my missionary role plays a key significant into the history of mission work when you’re able to see people of color serving. Not to mention of direct African descent. When we’re able to see black missionaries, black District Superintendents, and even black bishops, and where we’re able to see the African-American and African at all levels of church structure and polity, I believe it helps us live into the Church Christ calls us to be.
One of the major themes in my more than a year and half of service is about creating narratives. Creating narratives, specifically black narratives that seem to challenge and counter-interact our traditional beliefs. When you enter a new space, and instead of seeing a white missionary, you’re able to see a black missionary from Africa serving in Asia or South America, or Australia or wherever have you.
It connects in the scope of a black liberation theology and re-imagines our ideas of mission, service, race, and God. This challenge is paramount if we seek to understand the mystery of the Gospel, but not for our own hubris but rather for the glory of God.
We’re not able to do this by ourselves, but with God all is possible. If I can tell you another thing from this 2-year service, it’s not about me or you, but about God. At the end of the day, are we propelling the mission and the work of God or do we stand in the way? If you’re in the way, I recommend you step aside because God’s work will be done regardless.
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