A protestant challenge for my church

Practicing the ministry of presence in the public square

The year 2020 is a pivotal moment in world history. Two major reasons stand out to me: few people, and certainly none in my lifetime, have ever experienced a global pandemic and, consequently, attention to global issues in neighbouring countries as well as our own is greater. Take, for example, the Black Lives Matter movement. Protests have sparked robust, and overdue, conversations about racial discrimination.

For the past two years, I have served as Senior Pastor of the Oasis Christian Centre in Vancouver, Washington, USA. It has been one of the highlights of my ministry—a wonderful church, an incredible pastoral team, with strong leadership. But these characteristics were tested when a large Black Lives Matter protest began in our neighbouring city of Portland, Oregon, and we joined the march.

I found the atmosphere electric and the experience confronting, sobering and encouraging. I needed to see and be among thousands of people gathering to call out injustice. I didn’t give into the fear of what might happen or of how I would be perceived as I marched, chanted “No justice, no peace,” and took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds—a symbol of the length of time police officer Derek Chauvin knelt on the neck of George Floyd. It helped that administrators of my local Seventh-day Adventist Church conference, including the president, marched, too.

I’ve read widely and contributed to many conversations about racism during my time in the US. So, what’s transpired since I marched is disappointingly unsurprising. The ongoing tension simmers as white supremacy more noticeably permeates the fabric of society. Unless fully confronted and dismantled, the system will continue to oppress black communities.

While I acknowledge the plethora of opinions about Black Lives Matter and the complexity of the issue, I do not hesitate as a follower of Jesus to say showing solidarity with hurting people is very much part of being a citizen of the kingdom of God. To see my church show up in the public square and practice the ministry of presence made me feel proud to be a Seventh-day Adventist minister. I pray we lean into “withness” more.

Will we remember this time in history as when churches stood and spoke up on issues that matter? Churches often spend too much time on issues that have little or no bearing on what’s happening in our communities. While the expectation of church members is to convert the world to Christianity and spend eternity in heaven, their earthly energy and presence is missing.

My hope for the Adventist Church is that we do not lose our prophetic voice to escapism and futuristic focus. Yes, I believe one day the earth will be made new, but what if the work of God in a world made new begins with us, right here, right now.

This is a reckoning moment for churches, in the way they perceive community and practice mission. This is an opportunity to perhaps change structure and improve effectiveness. This is about bringing heaven to earth.