By Jon Roberts – Littleton, Colorado . . . “Standing up, listening up, and looking up” were the focus of an open dialogue on grace and race held by two Littleton Church pastors on Facebook Live, June 3.

“Standing up for injustice—listening up to the experiences minority groups have endured,” said Chris Morris, associate pastor, and “looking up, a reference to researching and reading. We want to provide practical ways for you to be able to act.”

“We have an opportunity,” said Andy Nash, lead pastor. “It is one thing to love, to be good people, to be friends. But there is a time to speak.”

Nash said the purpose of the dialog was to “to encourage and model honest conversation that leads to hope and healing. Our focus is to call people to draw on the love in their hearts and stand up for others, as Christ did.” The dialogue was viewed by nearly 1,000 people.

Morris shared there were times when he experienced racism as a little boy in school and during a field trip in college. He said it is important to “just listen to people, without interrupting them, to let them open their hearts.”

What’s next for the Adventist Church in America? “We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal,” Morris said. “We can’t let this go unanswered. We (pastoral leaders) must do a better job preaching about social justice and the gospel. The minor prophets were all about social justice. Dignity is all about the gospel. If we don’t start speaking up, I fear we won’t have a voice in our communities much longer.”

“This spring,” added Nash, “we have been studying the story of Esther. She had a choice to make about whether or not to stand up for others. We’re living in a similar circumstance. And something feels different this time—I’m hopeful this can be a turning point in the way we love each other and stand up for each other.”

The open dialogue happened during America’s eighth night of protest for equal rights and justice following the brutal murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 31.

To view the entire conversation please click here.

Jon Roberts is communication/media assistant for RMC; photo supplied by Littleton Facebook Page