Archive: Vision for Renewal

Time For a New Coalition

By Joe Harris

As Good News celebrates its 25th year of service to the United Methodist Church it marks a time of reflection and forward-thinking about its relationship to the African-American community.

Good News has at times been viewed by some in cautious and suspicious terms. It has been perceived that Good News has advocated policies that were counter-productive to African-American concerns. Because of this perceived lack of awareness, many people of color have taken a hands-off approach toward Good News. Conversely, too many have not taken the time to look beneath the rhetoric, the stereotyping, the labeling, to discover the Good News attitude toward black Americans and other people of color in United Methodism.

Too often we have dismissed this group as being just a bunch of non-thinking, right-wing southern white males who have little or no concern regarding the poor, racism, sexism or the environment.

As one who has taken the time to look beyond the labels and stereotypes, I have found that there have been those in Good News who lacked sensitivity and promoted policies and pronouncements that were at times counter-productive. But I also found that like most organizations, Good News is composed of a wide variety of people: Democrats, Republicans, clergy and laity, from north, south, east and west, male and females, African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, social liberals, social conservatives. In reality, Good News looks much like most United Methodist committees.

The one difference may be in its concern when United Methodism strays from scriptural Christianity and its historic Wesleyan roots. Yet all these different kinds of United Methodists want to see the church respond to the issues of contemporary society without compromising the church’s historic mission. At the same time, they are calling United Methodists to an evangelical faith that is characterized by faithfulness, service, mission and ministry to one another and the world.

That is why people of color, if they will take the time to look beyond the stereotypes, labeling and the rhetoric, will find that they might have more in common with Good News than difference. Like many of our great black churches, Good News emphasizes strong biblical preaching, a solid commitment to personal conversion to Jesus Christ, concern and active participation in programs to reach the poor, and involvement in drug and alcohol ministries of prevention and intervention. In fact, Good News probably has more in common with the goals, aspirations and historic mission of the black church, than differences we could note.

A creative coalition of African-Americans and Good News leaders could only help in creating greater understanding and perhaps a model for what can happen when people of different races, experiences and backgrounds come together for the good of the kingdom of God. A skeptical world is waiting to see the people of God live out reconciliation, mutuality and mission together, rather than hold it up as an ideal.

The question remains, will we run toward or away from one another. God has given Good News a unique role to play in the church. It has no desire to be exclusive in that role, but wants to be inclusive. My prayer is that in the next 25 years African-Americans and others will join together with Good News in seeking God’s best for the people called Methodists.

Joe Harris is the district superintendent of the Ardmore district in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He is also on the executive committee of the Good News board of directors.

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