A gathering of Chattanooga area pastors Tuesday night was intended to be the first conversation for them about issues of racism in the church and community. But, for many involved, the faces present and topics were nothing new.
Around 20 pastors participated in the roundtable discussion at Brainerd Baptist Church, part of an effort by the Governor’s Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives to mobilize local faith communities to build relationships and address racial injustice.
James Lowe, pastor of Bethel World Outreach Church in Brentwood, Tennessee, said the statewide tour presented an opportunity for pastors to get their voices heard in Nashville, as well as meet others in their area dedicated to the issue. Lowe began leading the discussions after the death of George Floyd in May and the nationwide protest movement that filled streets in hundreds of cities, including in Chattanooga.
Now is the time to have hard conversations and work toward solutions, Lowe said. He asked the participants to be vulnerable and listen to people who may have views different than their own.
“My healing did not come just from people who look like me,” Lowe told the crowd.