By Michelle Carroll Wednesday started strangely. Before I even got to my church office, our Senior Pastor was calling to tell me that we’d just learned the Attorney General’s announcement of the Breonna Taylor investigation results had been moved from Louisville to the Kentucky Historical Society, which is about two blocks from the church. “Oh, … Continue reading
Category Archives: Racial Reconciliation
Emmanuel McCall Racial Equity Fund tops initial fundraising goal
Because of you, the Emmanuel McCall Racial Equity Fund tops the initial fundraising goal before August 20 deadline! Since the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and the CBF Foundation launched a fund on Juneteenth to support the current and long-term racial justice and inclusion work of the Fellowship, you have given or committed more than $126,000 in support of … Continue reading
CBF and National Baptist leaders meet, plan for long-term recovery in Lake Charles
September 4, 2020By Aaron Weaver DECATUR, Ga. — CBF Disaster Response and state/regional leaders gathered in Lake Charles, La., to assess damage wrought by Hurricane Laura and plan for long-term recovery efforts in collaboration with the National Baptist Convention of America International, Inc. (NBCA) and its President, Dr. Samuel Tolbert, Jr. Tolbert hosted Cooperative Baptist … Continue reading
The log in my own eye
By Laura Stephens-Reed I vividly remember (20 years ago now!) walking from the parking deck to my seminary classroom building when I saw an undergrad, talking on her phone, stride boldly into a crosswalk. An oncoming car screeched to a stop to avoid hitting her. The student never turned her head. I began to notice … Continue reading
Black Lives Matter in Rural Churches Too
By Chris Hughes Elkin, North Carolina, is a town not known for its civil rights activism. The tiny textile town tucked into the Piedmont foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains is more famous for the many vineyards that dot the gentle slopes between Winston-Salem and Boone. With a population of around 4,000 people, it is … Continue reading
Lewis and Vivian: Giving thanks and following their lead
By Paul Baxley In a single day, we saw the death of two giants. Today, all of us who follow Jesus should offer prayers of gratitude for the Rev. C.T. Vivian and Congressman John Lewis and their extraordinary lives of faith. We should certainly surround their families in prayer and rejoice in the promise of … Continue reading
The White Church and Complicity in Racism: A Conversation with Malcolm Foley
By Andy Hale I’m not sure if the magnitude of this moment in America’s history has registered for many people. For many, they just don’t get it. Far too many white Americans do not believe there is a racism issue in America. The evidence of this comes in subtle ways, such as the response to … Continue reading
CBF celebrates Juneteenth by launching fund to support racial equity work
June 19, 2020 By Jeff Huett DECATUR, Ga.—On the annual day of celebration of emancipation from slavery in United States, the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship in partnership with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Foundation, is launching a fund and a campaign to support the current and long-term racial justice and inclusion work of the Fellowship. The fund … Continue reading
America in Crisis: White Silence, Black Suffering, Protest and Transformation; BSK Offers 6-Week Workshop
What is going on right now? Where do we go from here? The United States is in a moment of chaos. Communities are divided along racial lines, and there is disagreement and division everywhere. Protests against racially targeted arrests and killings, police brutality, and racist public policy are rapidly increasing across the nation. Many are … Continue reading
For the sake of our souls
By Elket Rodríguez The voice speaking through my phone carried me to the side of a brother in the faith. He is Cuban, black and seeking U.S. citizenship. He called to ask a sad question that reflects our times: “How can I protect myself from police intervention?” His question provoked tears as I reflected on … Continue reading