Vision, Diversity & Collaboration

DALLAS - Jan. 19, 2015 - PRLog -- Some may only see Martin Luther King, Jr. as a voice of racial reconciliation. However, King spoke often to the power of the gospel and the Church in achieving societal improvement. Movement Day Greater Dallas (MDGD) second annual congress on January 22, the same week as Martin Luther King Day, will encompass a diverse cultural and ethnic constituency of Christian leaders from business, education, healthcare, nonprofits, government, and the church.

MDGD is not just a social movement; it is also a spiritual one, just as the civil rights movement had at its core a spiritual foundation that many in 2015 seem to have forgotten. It strives to promote a unity that overcomes hate, violence, and injustice. The goal of MDGD is city transformation through Christian communities working together, and as a result, bringing reconciliation and healing across all cultural and ethnic boundaries through a collective gospel movement in the city.

In Beyond Vietnam 1967 Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “When I speak of love I am not speaking of some sentimental and weak response. I am not speaking of that force which is just emotional bosh. I am speaking of that force which all of the great religions have seen as the supreme unifying principle of life. Love is somehow the key that unlocks the door which leads to ultimate reality."

“In the same way, the principles of unity in action being prioritized by MDGD are in absolute harmony with this quote. We know that this kind of love trumps all of the challenges facing our cities today. We are not attempting to be ‘nice’. We are not trying to be socially correct. We are moving to have transforming impact through God’s kind of love and works,” states Jon Edmonds, Executive Director of Movement Day Greater Dallas.

Founder of Movement Day and The New York City Leadership Center, Mac Pier comments, “Part of the legacy of Dr. King is teaching us the profound truth that being radically loved by someone radically different is the most powerful expression of the gospel. Dr. King embodied the value of being a voice for the voiceless and celebrating the radical act of God to become like one of us in order to communicate His love for us. MDGD is a sign of hope to the cities of the world just as Dr. King’s legacy is an enduring sign of hope to the world.”

Buckner International, a lead partner for MDGD, is actively involved. “The vision of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King gave us hope for a better nation, the possibility for a greater union, and a pathway toward a better future for all Americans. He envisioned a nation shaped by a mosaic of cultural diversity and uncommon unity. Remembering his life and work reminds us we still have work to do, changes to make, and a new future to create. MDGD is an effort for Dallas area leaders to accelerate the development of the kind of future Dr. King envisioned,” comments President and CEO of Buckner International, Albert L. Reyes.

One Dallas marketplace leader cited Dr. King as saying, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy”. Gregg Whiteman, president of Gregory Whiteman Investments, Inc. added, “MDGD addresses such challenging issues as human trafficking and poverty as well as sensitive issues like racism. This is the best opportunity to unite us all and help eradicate these problems.”

“Dr. King dedicated his life to God, peace, and non-violent social change. He was focused on the enhancement of society and MDGD exemplifies the spirit and principles for which Dr. King stood. As one of the keynote speakers for MDGD, I want to keep the spirit alive and invite all to join the movement!” says Dr. K. Shelette Stewart,Associate Director at SMU Cox Executive Education.

In celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. King, we also celebrate what a unified church, a church standing in agreement with God’s word, can accomplish. “If it were not for the church answering the call, the civil rights movement would have been reduced to nothing more than an event. By God’s design, Dr. King was the vessel that God chose to champion His will concerning equality in America. And, by God’s design, the unified church was the vehicle that God chose to establish His will concerning equality. MDGD represents a unified church moving from expression to establishment, for the furtherance of the gospel, and the establishment of God’s kingdom here on earth,” states Area Executive Director of Prison Fellowship,Mercury V. Bynum II.

Movement Day Greater Dallas is a collaborative leadership initiative of The New York City Leadership Center founded by Dr. Mac Pier. As the first replication of Movement Day in New York City, MDGD is a model for expanding gospel movements in cities around the world. Our mission is to accelerate city transformation through Christian communities working together in the Greater Dallas area.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Movement Day Greater Dallas

Thursday, January 22, 2015

Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center

www.MovementDayGreaterDallas.com