b'BOCN ARCHIVES - 2016Racial ReconciliationBy Pastor Al R. Combs, CCAI Therefore, against the rising spirit of Indifference,II. I personally commit to treat my fellow broth-Alienation,andHostilityinourland,WEwillers and sisters who are not of my race or ethnicity, embrace the SUPREMACY of God\'s LOVE. regardless of color, with love and respect as my sis-Against the rising spirit of Indifference, Alienation,WE MUST take new steps personally and corpo- ters and brothers in the human family.andHostilityinourland,wewillembracetheratelytowardRacialReconciliation,expressedvis- III. I admit that there is no single solution to racism Supremacy of God\'s love to take new steps person- ibly in our Community and in ourin our society.However, I pray and allyandcorporatelytowardRacialreconciliation,Church. am open to tough love and radical expressedvisiblyinourcommunityandinourrepentance with deep sensitivity to church. Al R. combs,LetusbanisheveryBelittlingthe Holy Spirit as my Liberator. John Piper andUnlovingThoughtsfrom He has made from ONE BLOOD EVERY Nationour Minds.IV. With complete boldness and of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has Let us put every word or tone ofcourageoushonesty,Imutually determined their pre-appointed times and the bound- Ridicule or Disdain out of ourconfess that racism is sin and as a aries of their dwellings, Mouths. blight in our society must be con- The Apostle Paul (Acts 17:26) demned. Letusgooutofourwayto M ay14thofthisyear,theLorddirectedusshow Personal, Affectionate andV.Icommitmyselfnotonlyto tohostaConferencetoexploreanswers/ OnenesswithPeoplesofallpray but also to work for genuine solutionstotheracialdividethatcontinuesinEthnic Backgrounds. and visible manifestations of racial OURCity/State/Nation.Wehadrepresentatives/ unity.participants from the: Native AMERICAN, European Let us be Intentional: the SALT VI. Lastly, I hereby commit myself AMERICAN, African AMERICAN and Spanish/Latinoand the LIGHT of our Hostilenot only to the task of denouncing AMERICANCommunities.ThegoalwastogetandFearfulSocietywithcou- racism in word and creed, but also EVERY Ethnic group in OUR Community to join inrageousactsofInter-EthnicalAl R. Combsto live by action and deed.the Conversation, and, hopefully commit/pledge toKindness and Respect.take intentional steps toward Racial Reconciliation.Let us look to Christ and be - Forgiven, Cleansed,VII.Icommitmyselftoleaving Healed and Empowered to LOVE! my comfort zones, respecting the full humanity of Below are a few excerpts from the Conference: all,livewithanopennesstoauthenticliberation WHY?????BECAUSERACIALRECONCILIATIONwhichisaproductofDivineCreation,untilthe Color and Ethnicity have their place, but not asIS UP TO US!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! shackles fall and all bondage ceases.the MAIN GLORY and WONDER of our identity asRacial Reconciliation Manifesto ThisConferencewasnotsimplyaPhotoOp HUMAN BEINGS.The PRIMARY GLORY of who weorMediaEvent,butratherajourneytoward are is what UNITES us in our GOD-LIKE HUMANITY,Challengedbytherealityofourracialdivision,Reconciliation of the various Ethnic groups.Cause, not what Differentiates us in our Ethnicity. we have been drawn by the Holy Spirit to Aurora,God has made from ONE BLOOD EVERY Nation of Colorado,May14,inthemen to dwell on all the face of the earth.yearofourLord,2016A Time for Everythinginordertosupportthe Great Commission and toThere is a time for everything, and a season for develop together "A Racialevery activity under the heavens: a time to be born Reconciliation Strategy forandatimetodie,atimetoplantandatimeto Color and Ethnicity have their place, but21st Century.We desireuproot, a time to kill and a time to HEAL, a time to tocovenanttogetherwithtear down and a time to BUILD, a time to weep and a not as the MAIN GLORY and WONDERothers of like minds in thetime to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, ongoing task of racial rec- a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a of our identity as HUMAN BEINGS.Theonciliationbycommittingtime to embrace and a time to refrain from embrac-ourselvestothefollowinging, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to PRIMARY GLORY of who we are is whatagenda: keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and I. I pledge in concert witha time to MEND, a time to be silent and a time to UNITES us in our GOD-LIKE HUMANITY,mybrothersandsistersspeak, a time to LOVE and a time to hate, a time for ofmanyhuestoopposewar and a time for PEACE. Ecclesiastes 3:1-8New not what Differentiates us in ourracisminallitsvariousInternational Version (NIV) NOWisthetimeto manifestationswithinandMyFellowHomosapiens, HEAL, to Build, to MEND, to LOVE and a time Ethnicity.without the Body of Christof PEACE. andtobevigilantinthe strugglewithallmyGod- Jehovah-SHALOMgiven might.bocnews.com6 JULY 2022 BOCNEWS.com'