We are ALL wrong! – Taking Responsibility for Racial Reconciliation

DALLAS - March 20, 2015 - PRLog -- “We are ALL wrong” – words spoken by Dr. Jeff Warren, senior pastor of Park Cities Baptist Church at the second annual Movement Day Greater Dallas (http://www.movementdaygreaterdallas.com/) (MDGD) this past January while sharing the platform with Senior Pastor Bryan Carter, Concord Church Dallas. In addressing some 2000 conference attendees on the subject of unity and racial reconciliation, these two Dallas megachurch pastors are proving to their congregations and their community that they are going to actually do something to end racial division in the city and feel that the religious community must share the primary responsibility in leading that change.

"Bryan and I believe that the church should be leading the way in racial reconciliation because we, as believers, find our identity in something much deeper than our skin color, ethnicity or race. Our core identity is found in Christ - His love, His Gospel, and His forgiveness. This cuts across all racial boundaries. There's no distinction between black or white, male or female, rich or poor; we are all one in Him," states Warren.

With 25 miles separating these two churches and after several years of coexistence within the same city, these two leaders finally connected at the first MDGD held in January 2014. Whether it is taking steps to develop their relationship between each other over lunch, mingling their congregations in shared activities, or bringing other leaders together to address racial division in the city, pastors Carter and Warren have intentionally practiced their own preaching and are setting an example for others to follow.

Having already participated in several joint efforts, the two men are planning to “swap pulpits” this March and take their worship teams with them in an effort to lead their congregations in better understanding each other. Men from each church will also meet at the Concord campus on March 21 for breakfast and bible study.

This past year, Carter was invited to preach at Park Cities and Warren joined Habitat for Humanity board member Carter on a Pastors’ Build in South Dallas. The 5000 member Concord Church hosted APrayed4City (http://www.ap4c.org), a prayer service for the city of Dallas comprised of members from both churches as well as other churches in the city.

Perhaps of greater significance, following the events in Ferguson, MO this past year, the two men began to consider the question, “What if ‘Ferguson’ happened here in Dallas? What would happen if black pastors and white pastors were already in relationship with one another if it did occur?” In response, they each invited 10 pastors from their sectors of the city (north and south) to begin the process of building relationships with each other and discuss next steps. Multiple meetings have been held since that time to further the dialogue between the two groups. The group plans on bringing more pastors to the table and developing a curriculum on racial reconciliation for use in area churches.

In light of the most recent events, Carter reinforces the role that the faith community must play. “I believe the racial events at the University of Oklahoma and their connections to Dallas reveal all the more the urgency for people of faith to work toward racial reconciliation.  Pastor Jeff, myself and other local pastors have been meeting for the last two months discussing ways to build bridges in our city.  Racial relations can only be improved through honest dialogue and open hearts, and we have a great deal of work and healing to do. Every time one of these tragic events occurs, it is a call to action for the church to get busy being the people of God he has called us to be.  The gospel is the greatest means of true reconciliation.”

Watch the MDGD session this past January on racial reconciliation

MDGD 2015 - Jeff Warren and Bryan Carter (https://youtu.be/p5o3ElWRYZE)



For more information visit www.MovementDayGreaterDallas.com

Movement Day Greater Dallas (http://www.movementdaygreaterdallas.com/) is a collaborative leadership initiative of The New York City Leadership Center (http://www.nycleadership.com/) founded by Dr. Mac Pier. As the first replication of Movement Day (http://www.movementday.com/) 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.