Freedom Center's Statement on Racial Reconciliation
The Word of God declares that “He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth” (Acts 17:26).
Mankind is made in the image and likeness of God (Genesis 1:27) and therefore, racism in any form is a grave sin against both God and man. Racism stands vehemently against this truth by attempting to subjugate, suppress and destroy His image in humankind. Like all sin, racism is destructive, divisive, and ultimately demonic. It is never benign, respectable, or acceptable.
Because we live in a fallen world, racism is part of the human condition. Death, strife, and turmoil follow in its path. History proves that where racism is sanctioned by those in government, grave suffering follows. In the United States, we have seen its impact historically through systemic slavery, segregation, and subjugation of minority peoples. In modern days, though many laws have changed, many negative effects remain. Civil unrest from racial tensions has again risen to a fever pitch. Prejudice and bias can be found in many sectors of society, and we lament that it has even been found in the Church.
Freedom Center stands against all forms and expressions of racism. Racism has no place in our lives, families, churches, government, or nation. Each culture and ethnicity is made in God’s image, all stemming from Adam and Eve, and therefore bearing inestimable, God-given value.
We believe all people are made in the image and likeness of God. In all of creation, there is only one entity - the human race - that is created in the image of God. As image bearers of the divine, each human being is endowed with inestimable worth and value. Therefore, we reject and renounce any ideology that promotes any culture or gender as superior to another.
We will stand against racism in every form, never again allowing it to gain a foothold within our spheres of influence. We will publicly and privately declare that all people are made in the image and likeness of God, through preaching and practice, affirming the dignity and value of every person regardless of culture or gender. We believe that cultural reconciliation is inherent to the gospel of Jesus Christ, and it is only through the gospel that reconciliation between cultures is possible. There is no power other than the power of the cross of Christ that is able to destroy historic cultural divisions and bring unity and peace. Therefore, we reject and renounce any “supposed gospel” that divides people across cultures, genders or Christian denominations.
We will faithfully proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ, which espouses the values of righteousness and
justice, the reconciliation of God and man, and the reconciliation of man, one to another.
We believe that our identity as brothers and sisters united together in Christ across cultures, genders, and denominations, as expressed in the Word of God, supersedes any public, private, or personal ideology, race, gender, religion, political affiliation, culture, or creed. Therefore, we reject and renounce any philosophy that exalts any human affiliation above our shared oneness and identity in Christ. We identify ourselves as members together of the body of Christ and ambassadors of the kingdom of
God above any cultural, social, political, or economic identification or affiliation.
We believe the Church of Jesus Christ must take responsibility to lead in the effort to see unity exalted and racism destroyed in this generation so that the other spheres of culture and subsequent generations may stand in the blessing of reconciliation. Therefore, we reject and renounce passive acceptance of social norms that lend toward disunity and division.
We actively engage in works of redemptive justice that espouse and affirm our belief that the gospel of
Jesus Christ is designed to impact the spheres of our society.
We believe it is God’s will as expressed throughout the scriptures that unity across cultures, genders, and denominations is to be a hallmark of the Christian faith. This unity when embraced and expressed by the Church of Jesus Christ will be a testimony to the world of the authentic, transformational power of the gospel. Therefore, we reject and renounce complicity with disunity, knowing that the witness of the gospel of Jesus Christ is at stake.
We will engage and be active in efforts to promote cultural unity and spiritual revival in our families, cities, and nation.
We covenant to stand firm against all racial division until racism and segregation are completely eradicated in the Church of Jesus Christ.
Our Declaration
It is the responsibility of the Church to lead in eliminating racism, prejudice, and division in our society.
As believers in Christ, we take our stand against racism in all its forms and declare that it has no place in our lives. We repent of racism and break all agreement with it.
We command an end to the authority of the spirits of racism and religion that have influenced our churches, politics, economics, civic organizations, our city, our state, and nation.
By the authority of Jesus Christ, we declare that all other spiritual authority is broken and the authority of the Kingdom of God is established. We declare the strongholds of racism and religion have come down never to be established again.
God is raising up a new generation of believers who will no longer comply with any form of racial prejudice, cultural disunity, or divisive religion, but will live compelled by the love of God expressing the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Cultural reconciliation is established today. Christian unity is established today. Both the righteousness and justice of God are established today.
Today, a new day of racial reconciliation and revival has dawned, throughout our churches, our city, our state, and the nation.
Much of the wording of this document was taken from the Atlanta Covenant. For their work in articulating a biblical stance against racism, we are grateful.