#18. Is the House Still on Fire? Jumpstarting the Conversation about Race in the Local American Congregation

Pastor Isaac Adams explores how the local congregation might faithfully respond to their local community about deep-seated and lingering racial strife.

Regardless of the headlines and from a pastoral perspective, he invites Christians to engage in prayerful, truthful conversations about race — gospel hope-filled conversations that glorify God, are for the good of the community and build the church.

Isaac Adams offers practical steps and jumpstarts the conversation about race within the local congregation.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why talk about race in a local congregation?
• Practical tips for pastors to talk about race with congregants
• A way to distinguish between local needs and the national conversation about race

About the Guest:

Isaac Adams serves as lead pastor at Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama where he lives with his wife and children.

He is devoted to racial reconciliation and in 2017, prior to joining Iron City Church, he started United? We Pray. It is a podcast and ministry devoted to “taking racial struggles to the throne of grace”.

He is a speaker and author. His most recent book is Talking About Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations. While examining what's at stake, the book provides practical steps and offers the reader a novel way to begin this hard conversation.

Isaac Adams is a graduate of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (MDiv).

Scripture Related to Episode:

Ephesians 4: 16; Building Up the Church

Micha 6: 8; Do Justice, Love Mercy

Proverbs 4: 5; Answer Not a Fool According to Your Folly

Links Related to Episode:

United? We Pray

Talking about Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations

Iron City Church

Show Notes:

[01:37] Moving Family to Birmingham, AL

[05:14] Motivation for United? We Pray

[06:24] God and Prayer as Factors in the Struggle -- Francis Grimke

[07:03] United? We Pray in Action

[09:19] Why Is It So Hard for Christians to Talk about Race in America?

[10:30] Not Prophets—Pastors Talking about Racial Conflict

[12:59] What about the National Conversation

[14:50] Criticism from the Left and from the Right

[15:25] Spiritual Warfare

[18:12] How is the Church Doing?

[20:15] Is the House Still on Fire?

[23:35] So, How Do We Have This Conversation?

[26:18] More Practical Tips for Pastors to Start Talking about Race

[27:43] Idolatry, Diversity and Unity

[29:56] When to Be Silent

[30:30] Lunch with a Former Bomb Making White Supremacist