We Must Go To Work!
"For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." (St. James 2:26)
We are a people of faith and works. We must demonstrate true faith. We must go to work!
As we celebrate the African Methodist Episcopal Church Founder's Day, one cannot help but pause and wonder what Richard and Sarah Allen would do in these challenging times. What would their position be on some of the most pressing issues facing our nation and our world today? How would they address voter protection rights?
Policing reform? Global warming?
Immigration Reform? Affordable Health Care?
Gun control? Fair Taxes for all Americans?
Social Security protection? Medicare protection?
Feeding the hungry? Clothing the naked?
Housing the homeless? Unemployment and underemployment?
Bigotry? Benign and neglect?
Misogyny? Isolationism?
Racism? Sexism?
Classism?
And all the other "isms" predicated upon injustice, inequality, lack of freedom and untruths?
What action would they take in the face of the rising up, speaking out, and impact of the Alt-Right, White Supremacist, Christian Nationalist agenda being promoted at some of the highest levels in our nation?
What would they say about all the schisms in the church today that have rendered us almost voiceless? And when we do rise up, it is usually against each other rather than against the evil in the world and for the poor and needy . What would they say or do about us turning on each other rather than turning to each other as brothers and sisters?
These are dangerous times we are living in. In 1967, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. pinned his final manuscript: Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? This is a relevant and powerful question for us 56 years later.
For it can be argued that we stand at the crossroads of chaos or community in our church, nation, and worldwide. We stand at the crossroads of living together as brothers and sisters of the human race, the only race GOD created or perishing as fools.
As we celebrate this, our 207th Founder's Day, I believe God is speaking to the body of believers in Jesus Christ, saying: Love the Lord thy God with all your heart, mind, and soul and love your neighbor as ourself. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Make a lifestyle out of helping people to reach their God-given potential. Be an example of unconditional love and love even your enemies. Remember the mercy God has shown you and show mercy unto others.
And just as our founders, Richard and Sarah Allen spoke truth to power then, I believe God is calling us to speak truth to power now. We must go to work!
Religious community. We must operate in the prophetic and Kingdom authority given to us by the power of GOD. We have become too quiet for too long, allowing our comfort to cause us to neglect the "least of these" whom God expects us to serve and fight for justice on their behalf. Too often we allow the culture to influence us when we should be influencing the culture.
Political community. We need more statesmen and stateswomen, and fewer "cookie cutter" politicians lining up with partisan ideology and self-serving rhetoric that plays to fear, anger, and the division of our nation. We must creat policy that strengthens, unites, and creates a more equitable world.
Education community. We must remember the lives that you help to shape today will help to shape the world tomorrow. We must teach knowledge but also teach character. Otherwise, we may end up with a world full of educated fools without moral or spiritual foundations. For example, Adolf Hitler was well educated and because of the unjust laws of Germany, everything he did was legal, but spiritually and morally wrong!
This Founder's Day, as we honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we thank GOD for 200-plus years of our denomination's existence. As we celebrate the life and legacy of Richard and Sarah Allen, let us be reminded that we can honor them best by allowing our works to reflect our faith and hope for an even brighter future. We are pressing forward in the struggles with prophetic voices and action as prophetic problem solvers continuing this great work of mission and ministry. We honor our founders by preaching the liberating gospel of salvation and being filled with the Holy Spirit while still fighting for equal justice and rights, ushering in the Kingdom of GOD on earth.
I asked the question, what would Richard and Sarah Allen do in these challenging times? And I believe their resounding question would be "We Must Go To Work!"
For as long as there are systemic attempts to suppress voting rights---we must go to work!
As long as some have the right to vote but do not vote---we must go to work!
As long as everyone in the wealthiest nation in the world does not have affordable health care---we must go to work!
As long as children are homeless and going to bed hungry at night and are too hungry to focus and learn at school---we must go to work!
As long as there are "corridors of shame" because of a lack of commitment to provide equitable funding for quality education for all God's children, rural and city---we must go to work!
As long as there is racial profiling and other forms of racism---we must go to work!
As long as a country built by and on the backs of immigrants does not have the appropriate immigration reform policies that allow for legalized full citizenship---we must go to work!
As long as there are unfair and unjust employment and procurement practices, we must work!
As long as children and adults are being killed in schools, movie theaters, grocery stores, malls, college campuses, or anywhere and there is more concern for assault weapons ownership under the 2nd Amendment than for gun control and the protection of life---we must go to work!
The list could go on. The war for freedom, justice, equality, and the truth is not over. We must go to work!
As I close, as long as we live in a nation and a world that does not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior---we must go to work!
We must make our presence known in the halls of Congress, the White House, our state houses, city and county councils, and school board meetings.
Let us recommit and rededicate ourselves to making a positive difference 365 days of the year---in our lives, in our churches, in our homes, in our schools, in our businesses, on our jobs, in our communities, in our cities, in our states, in our nation, in our world. Wherever we are, let's make a positive difference. Let's go to work as the AMEC. We are a gift to the world. God is not through with us yet. WE MUST GO TO WORK!
The Right Reverend Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr.
President, Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Presiding Prelate, 19th Episcopal District
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