erica mcclintock on church racial reconciliation
name | erica mcclintock
describe this year in 3 words | challenging, refining, necessary
on your must-read list | the alchemist by paulo coelho
song currently fueling your soul | revival's in the air by bethel music
current inspiration | the Holy Spirit is teaching me a lot right now about our potential to change the world through choosing wisdom. my face has been stuck in proverbs for the last month or so.
COMMUNITY CARE
what has been your biggest challenge when discussing race in america within your christian community, and how were you able to overcome it? or how are you still working through it?
in more recent days, the biggest challenge has been humbling myself to have the same conversation multiple times a day with non-black friends about my experiences with racism, prejudice, and the realities of systemic racism. there have been days when i've honestly felt so drained and taken aback by the ignorance and negligence of our education systems and churches. but God reminded me of the responsibility i have in this season and what's at stake. would i rather cling to my attitude and blame others or humble myself and love others—meeting people where they are and providing clarity? the latter is more like Christ. humility, more often than not, is what leads to unity.
what can non-black people do to lean in, support, amplify, and show up for poc?
listen to them. i don’t want to make a list of ideas that will result in performative allyship rather than lasting personal change. start with listening. we don’t need another generation of people ignorant to the realities of those who look different from them. we need to do a better job of connecting with one another. i think a great challenge for non-poc is to ask your friends, co-workers, and family members of color what you can do to step in the gap for them. start with your direct sphere of influence. connect. self-reflect and reckon with your own heart and mind: “what am i doing or saying (or NOT doing or NOT saying) that competes with, rather than affirms, the worth of other people?”
SPIRITUAL CARE
what do you think the church's role is when it comes to racial justice and reconciliation?
racial justice and reconciliation require me to pray what Jesus prayed: “on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus didn’t invite us to pray these words because the justice systems and race relations during his time on earth were rainbows and butterflies. if we read the gospels, we find that they were the complete opposite. he was inviting us into a new way of thinking—a new attitude, a new authority, and a way of life worth pursuing. he was addressing a better reality. one with a better system, one that would operate with love and humility. a system that didn’t focus on treating people equally, but better than what was deserved. the foundation of my faith journey is this new system. love found me, welcomed me, and is continuing to restore me to better than i was before.
SELF-CARE
how do you cultivate self-worth in spaces that often value attributes dissimilar to what you embody?
by knowing what i carry is unique, absolutely for me, that imparts something special in every room i enter. i’m in the room because i have what’s needed. i have been invited to add value. no need to focus on how other people are adding value—i’m there to bring what only i can bring.
what beliefs guide your view of wellness and have they shifted this year?
i believe that the things we set our eyes on or ears to have the power to influence our spirits, which impacts our wellness—more on that in matthew 6. my views of wellness have matured this year as i’ve been training for a 5k and a 10k. the words you let live in your mind matter. if you believe you can’t, it limits the amount of effort you put towards something. if you believe you can, you become almost limitless in what you believe you can achieve.
share a message from your future self to your present self.
be diligent. it's worth it.
*this conversation is about biblical racial reconciliation.
