As I depart Baltimore this morning heading to Atlanta for a youth and children ministry conference, I am excited to be going and sad to be leaving. I am excited that I will learn, but sad because I know God is working in Baltimore. Somewhere among the riots and fires, the peaceful and not so peaceful protests, there are the people of God. Jesus’ people are present in Baltimore. I have friends and coworkers on the streets of Baltimore today doing an incredible work of restoration. I am there with them in heart even though I am not there in person. I know Jesus is there working because he lives in my friends. For many of us in Baltimore, this situation has a chance to be a life changing circumstance to learn to love without condition, like Christ did. You see Christ doesn’t just love people who are right, who are peaceful, who know what they are doing, who have good intentions, who love others, who make all the right choices and who love him back. Neither should we. It is always easier to talk about what we are called to do, as Christians. But here, even in the midst of the such a sad situation, we have an opportunity to live this out.  |
| Cheering on Dante at Baltimore Marathon. North Street Bridge |
As leaders who work with young people, what is our role in this time of uprising and racial tension? For African American youth leaders it is clear and has been clear for along time that there is a role to be played. For youth leaders of other races, it may seem like we have an option to engage with our young people on the challenging and volatile topic of race. But I want to make a strong appeal to you that as youth leaders we MUST play a role in helping our young people explore the tensions, challenges, and the opportunities that go with our racial and cultural differences. I believe the role that we must all play is that of a Bridge Builder. We need to create conversations that help bring understanding and lead our young people together.
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| David & Caleb. Two guys making a difference in Baltimore. |
Here are 5 key elements of a Bridge Building conversation:
1. Create a safe space for students to share their opinions, feelings, and tensions by establishing a goal for the conversation. I like the goal of seeking to understand different people’s perspectives.
2. Set up the conversation with clear rules that will allow people to be fully heard, whether they are agreed with or not. Rules that allow people to finish their statement without interrupting are very helpful.
3. Encourage students to respond to each other whether they agree and especially if they disagree by asking questions, not making statements. (ie. When you said “that the way it was”, what causes you to view it that way?)
4. Guide the conversation in a way that you (the leader) are not giving the “correct answers” (your opinions) instead you are seeking to explore the students thoughts and feelings.
5. Seek to find common ground by asking opposing views to work together to come up with solutions to the same problem. A statement like, “It seems like everyone one agrees that as young people you have the opportunity to heal some of the wounds of previous generations. How do you think you can go about doing that?”
Understand that this conversation that I described above is not the end all to this issue of race in America, but it is a good start. After all “conversation leads to comprehension”. -David Anderson
So I encourage you as a youth leader, no matter your background, culture or race step into your role as a Bridge Builder by starting conversations.
Similar Post on MixedUpMinistry.com:
- Leading Youth Through Racial Tension
- 5 Benefits of Raising Your Kids in a Multicultural Church
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