Today, December 16th, a panel of Christian leaders will gather at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee to discuss race, the church, and what we can do from here. The Lorraine Motel is a significant location for this event. On April 4, 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was killed at the Lorraine Motel. Today, it is the National Civil Rights Museum in the United States and will be the host for this event.
Here’s a brief explanation from the event’s organizer, Pastor Bryan Loritts:
“We want to boldy declare there is hope…The grand jury’s decision not to indict the officers involved in the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown has left many in our nation angry, saddened and hopeless…The fact that such heart-wrenching decisions have taken place some 50 years after the civil rights movement have left the children of those who marched in such places as Birmingham and Selma wondering if justice has not only been delayed, but has she finally and permanently been denied.”
A number of well-known Christian leaders will aim to bring their wisdom and love for the gospel in this discussion panel. As Ed Stetzer has said, “We want to listen well, dialogue on the issues, and point to Jesus.” Here are the pastors and leaders slated to take part in this discussion:
- Bryan Loritts, pastor of Fellowship Memphis
- Trillia Newbell, writer and author
- Matt Chandler, pastor of The Village Church in Dallas-Fort Worth
- Darrin Patrick, pastor of The Journey Church in St. Louis
- Eric Mason, pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia
- John Piper, chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary
- Thabiti Anyabwile, assistant pastor for church planting at Capitol Hill Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
- Voddie Baucham, pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church in Spring, Texas
- Albert Tate, pastor of Fellowship Monrovia in Monrovia, California
- Derwin Gray, pastor of Transformation Church in Indian Land, South Carolina
The event is not open to the public, due to our location and our limited time there, but anyone can watch online on Tuesday afternoon from 4pm to 6pm CT (5pm to 7pm ET). It is expected to be widely viewed and discussed – so join in. The discussion will be honest and Christlike, and the hope of the panelists is that the viewers will benefit from their time together.
Matt Capps 