George Floyd

[joshuabgood]

What are the underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, power structures, et al that have relegated our churches to being white ethnic enclaves?

Location, location, location.

In my small town, there is (to the best of my knowledge) one black family. They are involved in the local charismatic-style church, which means the rest of the churches in town, including mine, are non-black enclaves whether we consciously choose to be or not. Actually I think viewing us as an exclave, a Kingdom outpost, would be more appropriate.

Should my congregation spend time navelgazing about our "underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, and power structures" or should we focus on welcoming and discipling whomever God brings us, regardless of their pigmentation? Should we round up a busload of blacks from their ethnic enclave 30 miles away and neglect ministry opportunities among the non-blacks in our back yard?

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter? If you don't mind me asking, what town/hamlet/county is your kingdom outpost associated with?

[Josh]

What are the underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, power structures, et al that have relegated our churches to being white ethnic enclaves?

Location, location, location.

In my small town, there is (to the best of my knowledge) one black family. They are involved in the local charismatic-style church, which means the rest of the churches in town, including mine, are non-black enclaves whether we consciously choose to be or not. Actually I think viewing us as an exclave, a Kingdom outpost, would be more appropriate.

Should my congregation spend time navelgazing about our "underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, and power structures" or should we focus on welcoming and discipling whomever God brings us, regardless of their pigmentation? Should we round up a busload of blacks from their ethnic enclave 30 miles away and neglect ministry opportunities among the non-blacks in our back yard?

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter? If you don't mind me asking, what town/hamlet/county is your kingdom outpost associated with?

Generally anywhere that is affordable and has affordable farmland and home ownership is possible.

People of colour who’ve joined our church tend to move away from wherever they’re from. A few ended up in Belleville. They wanted less crime and a healthier environment for their children.

[Judas Maccabeus]

What are the underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, power structures, et al that have relegated our churches to being white ethnic enclaves?

Location, location, location.

In my small town, there is (to the best of my knowledge) one black family. They are involved in the local charismatic-style church, which means the rest of the churches in town, including mine, are non-black enclaves whether we consciously choose to be or not. Actually I think viewing us as an exclave, a Kingdom outpost, would be more appropriate.

Should my congregation spend time navelgazing about our "underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, and power structures" or should we focus on welcoming and discipling whomever God brings us, regardless of their pigmentation? Should we round up a busload of blacks from their ethnic enclave 30 miles away and neglect ministry opportunities among the non-blacks in our back yard?

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter? If you don't mind me asking, what town/hamlet/county is your kingdom outpost associated with?

Seems to me to be inexpensive farmable land. High cost cities seem to be less attractive. It is hard to have a one income family in high cost areas. Passing the children off to daycare is a non starter, as well it should be. We got a house way smaller than you would expect, so wife could stay with children.

I am from Baltimore, hon. So I guess you could say, when it comes to urban issues, I know of what I speak.

J.M.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Location, location, location.

In my small town, there is (to the best of my knowledge) one black family. They are involved in the local charismatic-style church, which means the rest of the churches in town, including mine, are non-black enclaves whether we consciously choose to be or not. Actually I think viewing us as an exclave, a Kingdom outpost, would be more appropriate.

Should my congregation spend time navelgazing about our "underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, and power structures" or should we focus on welcoming and discipling whomever God brings us, regardless of their pigmentation? Should we round up a busload of blacks from their ethnic enclave 30 miles away and neglect ministry opportunities among the non-blacks in our back yard?

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter? If you don't mind me asking, what town/hamlet/county is your kingdom outpost associated with?

Generally anywhere that is affordable and has affordable farmland and home ownership is possible.

People of colour who’ve joined our church tend to move away from wherever they’re from. A few ended up in Belleville. They wanted less crime and a healthier environment for their children.

Many urban areas are a difficult place to raise children. If I did what I did some 30 years ago now, I would be brought up on charges by CPS. You appear to be expected to constantly supervise them. We won’t even talk about them doing chores. Great way to teach independence and responsibility.

J.M.

[Ken]

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter? If you don't mind me asking, what town/hamlet/county is your kingdom outpost associated with?

Generally anywhere that is affordable and has affordable farmland and home ownership is possible.

People of colour who’ve joined our church tend to move away from wherever they’re from. A few ended up in Belleville. They wanted less crime and a healthier environment for their children.

Many urban areas are a difficult place to raise children. If I did what I did some 30 years ago now, I would be brought up on charges by CPS. You appear to be expected to constantly supervise them. We won’t even talk about them doing chores. Great way to teach independence and responsibility.

J.M.

Over the past 25 years I've raised our kids in both very rural and urban settings. I'm not sure any place is easy to raise kids. I've seen rural kids get in just as much trouble and with just as much frequency as urban kids. I think having a supportive community is more important than anything else. Which is difficult to find anywhere.

I will say that getting away from an unhealthy community is extremely important, whether it is urban or rural. When I taught in Waco TX I advised my black students to get as far away from home as possible. Whether it was to another city or rural area. Especially the future college scholarship athletes of whom I had a lot. Make a clean break and move completely out of state if someone is offering you a scholarship to play football. Waco will still be there to come back home to some day. If you stay home and play for Baylor all the same local hoods will do their very best to suck up all your oxygen and suck you back into their world. Saw it happen many times. I had one student who went on to be an all-American at Baylor but never got away from his local hoodlum friends and threw away his chances in the NFL by getting arrested too many times. I talked one student into going as far away as Oregon State where he was a two-sport athlete in baseball and football and is now in the San Diego Padres farm system.

[Wade]

What are the underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, power structures, et al that have relegated our churches to being white ethnic enclaves?

Location, location, location.

In my small town, there is (to the best of my knowledge) one black family. They are involved in the local charismatic-style church, which means the rest of the churches in town, including mine, are non-black enclaves whether we consciously choose to be or not. Actually I think viewing us as an exclave, a Kingdom outpost, would be more appropriate.

Should my congregation spend time navelgazing about our "underlying assumptions, beliefs, cultural practices, and power structures" or should we focus on welcoming and discipling whomever God brings us, regardless of their pigmentation? Should we round up a busload of blacks from their ethnic enclave 30 miles away and neglect ministry opportunities among the non-blacks in our back yard?

Geography is part of the CA system that could (perhaps should) be analyzed. Any conversation on race, equity, integration, et al, includes geography, to be sure. Why do CA's settle where they settle? How do their kingdom values, or demographic considerations, play into where they buy homes or their vacation homes - for that matter?

Maybe I can share my answers?

The local CA church settled here because of the love of Christ and wanting to reach out to others. They wanted to church plant, they visited many communities within 4hrs drive of where they were(it is very different out here with so few CA churches for hours at a time in distance from one another), they invested much time in prayer seeking the Lord for years, they considered moving a number of times but nothing worked itself out, then a contact from Mennonet suggested a seeker to go visit them. The seeker family drove five hours to visit and before meeting anyone - the seekers were in a parking lot and a man walked up to the seeker and said he had a picture of the seeker family in his bible and he was praying for them. It was the contact from Mennonet's son - what are the chances? The family was invited to spend the night but they already had a hotel room and so settled to go over for breakfast that Easter morning. Little did the family know that this man was also going to give the sermon that day - however breakfast was like old friends talking as the seekers were very welcomed. After service many people recognized the seekers name from the MN contact. Then the seekers visited a few more times and then the CA's started sending 2 families in intervals of about 6 weeks to have simple Sunday services in the seekers home. They continued to pray, the seeker asked for fellowship and they prayerfully eventually unanimously agreed and felt lead to move of which a number of families have within 2 years of the first visit.

Most families bought just outside the city rather than 30 minutes out where the seeker is. None of them bought farm land, more like 1 to 5 acres average. I'm not aware of any CA's that have or support having vacation homes...

Most had good stable businesses and they just sold out and moved to start over.

And like I've stated before to you JBG the minister is not the slightest bit racist and also was very close to not ever moving back to North America.

Edited to add a number of CA churches were planted near Native Indian communities in BC and this group in particualr spent most it's time as it was looking for God's will in a community 4 hours away from the sending church where there is a very high percentage of population of Native Indians.

[Ken]

Most families bought just outside the city rather than 30 minutes out where the seeker is. None of them bought farm land, more like 1 to 5 acres average. I'm not aware of any CA's that have or support having vacation homes....

There are plenty of CA families in PA who have hunting cabins in the mountains. That is a thing in Belleville. My family included. But they probably aren't anywhere fancy enough to be considered "vacation homes" There is an Amish family who has one and grows blueberries on their land that you have to cross to get to my uncle's cabin and the family woodlot.