OneRace Movement

Standing for Righteousness and Justice in the Face of Racial Violence

By Naima Thompson

 

OneRace was born out of a group of pastors praying and fasting as a result of a stream of violence and the murders of black men at the hands of police officers.  The Movement seeks to see reconciliation and revival occur in the southeast. OnceRace believes in the necessity of knowing the story, owning the story, and then making the effort towards changing the story. 

 

“While we are obviously not ‘One Race’, ” said Pastor Dan Crain, Director of Groups and Mobilization for the Movement, “It is God’s heart for mankind to unite as one.” 

 

On June 19, 2020, OneRaceMovement  will  host the March On Atlanta at Centennial Olympic Park where people from across the region will unite with one voice to speak out, petition God, and our civic leaders for change. 

 

In conjunction with the March on Atlanta, on June 1, 2020,  pastors stood in solidarity, releasing the following statement on Righteousness and Justice, calling an end to racial violence.

 

In 1963, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his I Have A Dream speech, “Let freedom ring from the Stone Mountain of Georgia.”

 

In 2018, during the week of the 55th anniversary of Dr. King’s Dream speech,  OneRace Stone Mountain emerged. United in worship, prayer, confession, and repentance, 24,000 people from various ethnic backgrounds came together for an all day worship service to embody King’s Dream. 

 

Though Crain joined OneRace in January 2020, he has carried God’s burden for racial reconciliation for over ten years.  “This conversation on reconciliation begins in the heart of God. It begins when we draw close to him and he captures our hearts, in many ways for the other [ethnic group].” 

 

Crain said it is important for us to understand the vision of Revelation 7, where the scripture speaks of every tribe, tongue, and nation gathering around the throne of Christ. 

 

“[In heaven] We will all be together–black, white, red, yellow, brown. We have to ask ourselves, ‘Do we want to live in that reality now’? Because of the defeat of sin on the cross, and the resurrection of Christ…we are called to live out Revelation 7 here on Earth as a glimpse of what’s to come [in eternity].” 

 

Crain said that in one of Jesus’ last prayers, he petitioned the Father that all those who will believe in Him would be one, just as Him and the Father are one.  “There is so much unity between the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”, continued Crain. “And through the Salvation of Christ, we are brought into that unity.  If we are in proper unity with God, we can be in true unity with others.”

 

In discussing slavery and the Church, he said repentance, honesty, and truth-telling are vital.  Crain said Isaiah 58 grips his heart where the prophet talked about how true fasting will loose the chains of injustice and set the oppressed free. 

As it relates to racial injustice and the Church, Crain said one of his favorite books is The Color of Compromise: The Truth about the American Church’s Complicity in Racism.  Through this book, author and historian Jemar Tisby, takes us back to the root of racial injustice within American Christiany.  

 

“The reality is that the theology that came out of Europe and out of the West was dysfunctional theology”, said Crain.  He said this theology is actually rooted in a Greek philosophy called platonic dualism where one thinks your spirit matters more than your body.  

 

“This theology was carried over into America. And when you combine that thought process with white supremacy, terrible things are going to happen. [Slavery] is fruit of the white church and white evangelical theology.” 

 

He said for him, when discussing slavery and racism, it is important that he acknowledges that this theology (Platonic dulaism) is wrong and misses the heart of God. 

 

“Let’s go back to the true scriptures and what The Gospel and the Kingdom of God was before it came through Europe.”  

 

He said we must understand what The Gospel looked like when it spread into North Africa and returned to its roots. 

 

“Salvation is very much both spiritual and physical, and The Gospel is a liberating Gospel.  This is what Evangelical theology misses out on. Christ suffered that he may be with us, and lead us into freedom.”

 

You can find Crain and the journeys of many others who know the story, own the story, and are currently changing the story on OneRace’s Blog. 

 

 Click here for more information on how you can join the OneRace Movement and register for The March on Atlanta.