The death of George Floyd in June 2020 reignited the battle of race and justice that is so old and yet still so fierce in our country.
The LCMS Northern Illinois District is committed to Scripture’s teachings that all people are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27), that governing authorities are established by God for our protection (Romans 13), and that each one of us is our brother’s keeper (Genesis 4:9). These teachings are not new. We pray that the Holy Spirit would lead us to obey them in our day.
The following is an abridged version of an address given by Rev. Elstner Lewis in a regional pastor meeting. It has been edited for length and clarity. (For a video of the address, visit nidlcms. org/unity-and-diversity-in-the-body.) It is shared here that the perspective of a fellow brother in Christ might edify and enlighten all believers in the Northern Illinois District as they follow Christ, loving and serving their neighbor in their vocation.
I have grown up in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. I have been a Lutheran since I was eight years old. I am currently the pastor of Saint Philip Lutheran Church in the Chicago south side community of Woodlawn. Saint Philip is the historical church in that it is the mother church of LCMS African American Lutherans in Chicago. It was founded in 1924, and I am the sixth pastor to serve in the pulpit.
I cannot understand the lack of love toward another person simply because of race. However, as we know, as we look through spiritual eyes, I can truly see it for what it is. It is a sin problem.
The one thing we must not do is be silent. From my youngest son, these were his ideas. I’d like to share these with you. And by the way, both of my sons have grown up in the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod.
First of all, don’t remain silent. It is our responsibility to call out racist behavior within our churches, which, by the way, is caused by fear and anger. Teach our young people, both yours and ours, about loving other people.
Listen to what you are seeing, what you’re hearing, with an open heart, an open will. Especially listen to our young people, those in your congregation. Listen to your neighbors. Listen to your family members. Listen, because God is speaking to us.
Pray without ceasing and help where you can. Let us ask ourselves, what can we do about what we have seen and heard? What can we do where we are with the people whom God has called us to love? Because we all have sins, we all have to confess. Those in your community and those in our African American community. We are our brother’s keeper. So, brothers, pray, listen to God, and do what He says.
This is not an “us versus them” thing. It is a sin thing. Let us all remember that we are our brother’s keeper and that all of us are responsible to God for the things that we do and the things we fail to do. We all have our work cut out for us.
So finally, in the midst of this trial and testing, let us show Jesus to the world by the way we live. Train this young generation, because some of us will be with the Lord, but these young people, they need to know Jesus and know that we’re one nation under God with liberty and justice for all.
