The Beloved Community // M-Note 01.18.2025

Recently I read the results of a survey asking churchgoers what they most want to see in a sermon from their pastor. The answer wasn’t compassion, relevance, boldness, or knowledge. Instead, the number one response was honesty about their own doubts. Whatever the topic and whatever the viewpoint is on that topic, people want honesty from their leaders, especially a transparency about a leader’s own struggles and doubts.
 
When The Gathering started 18 years ago, we were so concerned that no one would come, that we weren’t as intentional as we could have been about who was coming. We grew fast…as a predominantly white church. This was not necessarily surprising. As the saying goes, Sunday mornings are some of the most segregated hours in America. Especially in our own city, we continue to be divided by race: geographically, educationally, socioeconomically, and yes, even when it comes to church.
 
For over a decade, our church has been working to confront racism and build a more diverse community. Through partnerships with other churches, sermon series, staff training, classes like Witnessing Whiteness, intentional leadership, and activity in the community – we have made progress. But, it has been slow and incremental.
 
In the spirit of honesty, this is one area of church life that I get frustrated about. I want change to happen faster, I wish clear solutions were more apparent, and I lament the intractable nature of trying to resist something that is so culturally embedded. But none of this takes away from my desire to see the church, and our church, better reflect our community and the kingdom of God. And that means that we must continue to have honest conversations about racism and what our faith calls us to do in the face of it. We need to keep resisting sin in all its forms - racism included - and building a community that looks different from the divisions of the world. Is it hard? Yes. Do I wish change was faster? Of course. But we will stay committed to the work because that is what we believe God calls us to do.
 
As part of this ongoing work, we will begin a new series next month called The Beloved Community: Pursuing Racial Justice. Beloved Community was a phrase used by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to describe the world as God would have it, absent the evils of racism, economic disparity, and violence. You can read more about his ideas here. During this series, Gathering pastors and guest preachers will build a biblical and practical framework for working against racism in our lives and community. Whether you're just beginning or well on your way in this journey, I hope you will prioritize being in church for this series.
 
This weekend, I will continue our current series, Cancel the Noise. I will talk about the second kind of person the Bible warns us about – fools! We will learn what a fool is, why their voices can be unhealthy in our lives, and how to look for wise people. It is an incredibly practical and relevant message (and especially good for teenagers, I think). I hope you will invite someone that you think might be interested in church to join you.
 
Have a great weekend, and I look forward to seeing you in church!
 
Peace,
Matt
 
P.S. It is the time to sign up for CoreGroups. We hope that everyone at The Gathering will be part of a group. If you are feeling the nudge, I urge you to try out one of our many groups. You can see all the opportunities on our App or website. If you don’t know what group is right for you, or want to discuss it, please reach out to your site pastor and they will be happy to recommend some groups that are right for you.