Silence On Race Is No Longer an Option For Generation Z
It is well-documented that Generation Z is the most racially and ethnically diverse generation to be born. They are also a generation that is passionate about social justice and have a deep concern for marginalized and oppressed people.
At the same time, we are living in an increasingly polarized world when it comes to racism and racial justice. However, members of Generation Z have grown up hearing the names Trayvon Martin, Eric Gardner, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Philando Castille, Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor.
In order for your church to connect with Generation Z, racial justice has to be more than a convenient catchphrase or a sermon series during Black History Month. It will need to be at the very heartbeat of your congregation’s mission and values, and silence on the topic is no longer an option. But learning how to address this heated and divisive subject can feel overwhelming. Here are a few ways that you can begin talking about race in your church now:
Start reading and doing your research. If racial justice is a new conversation for you or your church, the best place to start is by picking up a book. Begin a reading group or book club and learn from those who have already done the hard work of navigating these difficult waters. A few books that have been helpful for me personally are Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson, I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown, The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone, and America’s Original Sin by Jim Wallis. There are many books you can choose, but start reading with an open heart and mind. You might want to look especially for books by persons of color in your own denomination or faith tradition.
Amplify the voices of people of color. Be intentional about who is writing, speaking, leading, and representing your congregation. Does your board or leadership team look like the demographics of your surrounding community? Do you have persons of color on your stage or leading key elements of worship? Do people from your congregation ever see a person of color behind the pulpit? If you are a majority white congregation, see if you can partner with a multicultural or predominantly black congregation in your community. Invite a person of color into your pulpit and then compensate them fairly for their time and service. Even better, invite a member of Generation Z who is also a person of color to speak into this issue at your church.
Don’t stop at saying, “I’m sorry.” Start making reparations. Confession is a great place to begin and saying “I’m sorry” to the black community is a good turning point as white Christians recognize how they have benefited from unjust systems and white privilege. But don’t stop there; it is only the beginning. Confession must also lead to repentance and true change. As Pastor Lenny Duncan writes in Dear Church: A Love Letter From a Black Preacher To the Whitest Denomination In the US, “The first step toward reparations is to dismantle white supremacy. This is the church’s mission in the twenty-first century” (44). How can the church boldly stand up to the systemic powers of racism and make them right? How can followers of Jesus start making the world now look more like the Kingdom of God?
In talking about racial injustice in your church, you don’t have to be perfect or get things right the first time. Part of the fear of not addressing issues of race in majority white churches is that in doing so you may cause offense or further harm. But if you approach the subject with humility and with the posture of a learner, it will be far better than staying silent or saying nothing at all. Be open to feedback, be willing to be corrected by persons of color, have humility, listen and learn from your mistakes, move on from them, and do better next time.
Discussing race in your church may get uncomfortable or make people feel uneasy, but the point isn’t to feel good. Ultimately, your goal is justice for all, and Generation Z will appreciate you naming the elephant in the room, calling out injustice and broken systems, and working to bring the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.