More Ideas for Ending Racism at Church
6. Examine your literature.
If your curriculum’s art doesn’t represent children of all colors, adapt it. If this segregated approach extends into the content, consider moving to a new curriculum. Ask these questions when examining your resources: Do they emphasize God’s inclusive love for all people? Are heroes in the modern-day stories diverse? Are there examples from everyday life from more than one culture?
7. Use multicultural activities.
Include diversity in every part of your time with kids. Ask parents to provide snacks from their culture. Regularly use different types of music for creative movement or during rest times. Infuse craft time with multicultural crafts. Invite diversity into your class through the activities you choose.
8. Love is every person’s most basic need.
Whatever you do with kids and families, start and end with love. Ask yourself how you would feel while standing in their shoes. Would you feel welcome, seen, included, loved, and appreciated within the walls of your ministry?
“The first step is to help everyone understand God’s love and its power. Our love for Jesus is to be demonstrated by the way we love each other,” says John M. Perkins, founder of The John Perkins Center for reconciliation, leadership, training, and community development.
9. Treat people equally.
“Another way we can help overcome racism is to treat everyone with evenhandedness,” said Perkins. “A young teenager [who is from an ethnic minority] battled feelings of inferiority [due to race issues]. She was involved in our summer youth work program in Mississippi. After she came to Christ, she said, ‘I was amazed at how you loved me just as much as you loved the other children. That drew me to accept the love of Jesus.’”
10. Become secure in God’s love for you.
“A final way to overcome racism is to deal with our insecurities and help others deal with theirs,” Perkins said. “Insecurity causes one person to exploit another. If you do these things for every child in your ministry, you’ll affirm the dignity of people of all races.”
This article about ending racism was originally published on ChildrensMinistry.com, © Group Publishing, Inc.
