By Scott Lackey
Pastor of New Story Church in Buffalo, New York
On May 14, 2022, a racially motivated mass shooting took place at a supermarket in Buffalo, New York. On this day, a white male drove over two hours to a supermarket he knew would be occupied by predominantly African-American shoppers. This young man took the lives of ten people and injured three others. This tragedy struck the residents of Buffalo with heartbreak, trauma, and pain and brought to the forefront the horrors of racism, which are still prevalent today.
Following the shooting, I reached out to an acquaintance of mine, Shepherd Andre Clark, and learned Shep tragically lost his aunt in the shooting. Shep pastors a predominantly African-American church on the east side of Buffalo, one mile from the supermarket where the shooting took place. I began to ask Shep questions like:
“How can I be praying for you?”
“How can our church be more involved in the healing process in your community?”
“What does the Church need to do to come together?”
Pastor Shep
Over the past two years, we have had encouraging, and challenging, conversations, and we have grown together. In this process, I have grown in my understanding of submitting to someone else’s leadership. Typically, I want to be Mr. Fixit and come in with a million ideas and solutions. However, I learned that was not my place at this table. Yes, my voice is valued, but the healing process begins when we submit to one another, listen to one another, and hear from one another.
Pastor Scott
Listen to the Spirit of God. Initiate relationships with those who don’t look like you or think like you. Join God in his healing process for the world. The Church is the space that can be a testimony to the world of healing, life, and oneness. The Church is the space where the sins of racism, hate, and prejudice can be eliminated by the unifying power of the cross.