We desire to be congregations and communities that ....Grow in diversity and unity by seeking justice, reconciliation, and welcome, sharing our faith as we build relationships with and honor the cultures of our neighbors and newcomers.

At the core of God’s heart is reconciliation: restoring relationships between God and humanity and between all peoples in order to bring about unity in Christ (Colossians 1:17). This includes the work of racial reconciliation (Eph. 2:11-22), though it is not limited to issues of race and ethnicity. In scripture, we see that Acts 2 is a reversal of the Tower of Babel in Gen 11. While Babel separated all nations under heaven, Pentecost was the beginning of the reconciliation of all nations under God’s sovereignty. In the same way, we are tasked by God to be one body (1 Corinthians 12:21), and to reflect a Revelation 7:9 image of the church. 

Like many of the tasks to which God calls us, the responsibility to be agents of reconciliation is a complicated one. Over the years, the Christian Reformed Church has spent time studying and reflecting on how best to live out this call. The synodical report “God’s Diverse and Unified Family” adopted in 1996 provides an in-depth exploration of racial reconciliation and was reaffirmed by Synod 2024 for use in our churches. 

As congregations, we desire to continuing growing and learning in this area. CRCNA agencies are here to help. A variety of helpful resources are available at crcna.org/resources. There are also many stories in the CRC newsroom about congregations and ministries working towards this goal. Here are a few to get you thinking: