Racial Healing Resources
It is our desire to reflect the multi-racial, multi-cultural, and multi-ethnic vision Jesus has for the church.
We believe that the radical, reconciling love of Jesus demands the church to break down walls of separation and create a community that transcends divisions of race, ethnicity, and culture. But we also know that this work can be difficult and confusing, and that not everyone knows how to get started.
We have assembled this list of resources to help our attenders begin to explore these topics. We also invite you to approach this important work with curiosity, empathy, and a measure of grace. We can all learn so much from one another—together, let’s create a community willing to ask, listen, and seek understanding.
Be the Bridge
Join a community of people who share a common goal of creating healthy dialogue about race in the U.S. Be the Bridge is an organization that aims to empower people and culture toward racial healing, equity and reconciliation. The organization offers a variety of resources, including books, podcasts, videos, and study guides for those who are interested in this important work.
Be the Bridge Groups are an 8-week experience where participants share in a conversation about race from a Biblical framework, with the goal of encouraging racial justice and equity. The purpose of these groups are to create a safe and positive space for both learners and well-seasoned reconcilers to ask questions and process thoughts and ideas through heart-felt, Christ led conversations about race.
Be the Bridge Groups are offered based upon interest and leader availability. Click below to complete an interest form and we will contact you when our next group is open for registration.
Message Series
Suggested Reading
How to heal our racial Divide
Why must everything be so black and white? Like many of us, Derwin Gray is weary of the racial divide in our society. He longs to see hurts healed, wrongs corrected, and trust replace distrust. The good news is that the Bible has a lot to say about how to heal our persistent racial divides. In this book, popular Bible teacher Derwin Gray walks us through Scripture, showing us the heart of God and how God from the beginning envisioned a reconciled multiethnic family in loving community, reflecting his beauty and healing presence in the world. This message is central to the gospel itself.
by Derwin Gray
Just Mercy
A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time. Bryan Stevenson was a young lawyer when he founded the Equal Justice Initiative, a legal practice dedicated to defending those most desperate and in need: the poor, the wrongly condemned, and women and children trapped in the farthest reaches of our criminal justice system. Just Mercy is at once an unforgettable account of an idealistic, gifted young lawyer’s coming of age, a moving window into the lives of those he has defended, and an inspiring argument for compassion in the pursuit of true justice.
by Bryan Stevenson
Everyday Bias
Bias is natural to the human mind, a survival mechanism that is fundamental to our identity. And overwhelmingly it is unconscious. Incorporating anecdotes from today's headlines alongside case studies from over 30 years as a nationally prominent diversity consultant, Ross help readers understand how unconscious bias impacts our day-to-day lives and particularly our daily work lives. And, he answers the question: "Is there anything we can do about it?" by providing examples of behaviors that the reader can engage in to disengage the impact of their own biases.
by Howard Ross
Resources for Parents to Discuss Race and Racism with their Children
PODCASTS
Books
For Young Children
Bible storybook that celebrates diversity as it teaches young children how they can be part of God’s delightfully different family. God’s very good idea is to have lots of different people enjoying loving him and loving each other. This stunningly illustrated journey from the garden of Eden to God’s heavenly throne room shows how despite our sinfulness, everyone can be a part of God’s very good idea through the saving work of Christ.
For Older Children
This short, colorful book (written with grade-schoolers in mind) will share the truth of God’s Word with them. The truth about how we were made with differences, how we sinned, how God rescued us, and how—if we understand that God’s diverse creation will be together in Heaven—it should motivate us to love one another on earth!
Article from parent cue
Excerpt: “We wanted [our son] to continue living in a utopian world where race did not matter. We wanted him to continue living in a world where it was completely normal for his racially diverse friendship crew to affectionately call each other “brother and sister.” But we realized, even though that was the truth of his experience, it wasn’t the truth of the world in which our little black boy lived. If we did not want to perpetuate an ideology of ignorance, we had to engage his curiosity with truth.”
Racial Injustice talking points and discussion guide
This PDF guide Includes resources for talking with your kids, as well as additional videos and reading materials.
These resources are provided for informational purposes only, for those interested to review in order to consider a variety of viewpoints on this complex issue. The views expressed by the individual authors and hosts of these resources do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of Centerpoint Church, its Directional Team, staff or partners.