God’s Word about our Commitment to Justice, Mercy, and Faithfulness!
Inclusion Vision Statement:
Here at North Atlanta Church of Christ we believe that God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, has purposed us for the noble task of witnessing to our community and the world through our diversity and inclusion. In John 17, Jesus prayed that we would achieve complete oneness in our differences. As we grow in this oneness, we become credible witnesses to the work of God in Christ to reconcile the world to himself. For us, this means we are striving to create an environment in which EVERYONE is genuinely loved, accepted, and engaged in serving, learning, and growing in our journey to be more like Christ.
In this environment, people may bring to the table their unique experiences, preferences, and strengths without sacrificing or minimizing core aspects of their identity, background, or perspective to belong. We seek to do this in the spirit of “grace and truth” with the cultural competency that Jesus himself modeled for us. We believe by the power and activity of the Holy Spirit we will foster a transformative environment of justice and inclusion.
There is an old saying that says, “you find what you are looking for.” Paul in his instruction to Timothy says, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” [2 Timothy 3:16, 17] Our prayer is that these passages of scripture will be helpful in your journey to know more about what God wants for our lives and how we can defeat the sin of racism.
Some helpful suggestions:
- Read from different translations
- As you encounter the “familiar”, look for the “new.”
- Remember that we interpret through our experiences.
- Read, study and discuss with others as well as by yourself.
