This has been one of the hardest weeks that I can remember as a citizen of the United States of America. This week, we witnessed video of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer while he was lying in custody on a sidewalk begging for the opportunity to breathe. It has been a week full of emotions for personally and corporately- for our community, country, entire world. It has spawned not only emotions but a wide range of action, including protests around the country. We are hearing loud cries for change. Most of us have been wrestling with a lot of emotions, heart ache, confusion, frustration, and questions. What is the right perspective on all of this? What is really going on? This moment is so much more than just this week. That’s why this moment feels so especially painful. What do I do? What am I to say? How do I love my black friends well here in this community and speak with them and advocate for them - not only here, but in our country and around the world?

That’s exactly why I invited Steve Johnson to be on this episode. Steve is a friend who I trust and admire greatly. He’s a pastor of a multicultural church here in the inner city of Memphis. I invited Steve here on this episode because I needed time with him this week. First, I needed him to understand that I love him and care for him. That I’m with him. I also needed to hear from him to get perspective and help. And to understand where he is looking for help. Steve is a black leader here in our community. He has the ability to help bring understanding through his experience and, through his own processing, help me to make sense of what’s going on and to know where to go from here. Our conversation today is not political but gospel-centered. The aim of it is just to seek God together. We desire to seek the good that God desires for our churches, community, country and the world at large.

In this podcast episode, you’re going to hear me ask questions that I wanted to ask Steve. I’m glad you get to listen in, but really this interview was to help me. I want to know his perspective as a black man on all that’s been happening and how it differs from mine as a white man. I want to know what he wishes white people knew about the experience of black people. I want to know how it is that I can be a better listener and friend. How it is that I can be a better advocate for my friends of color in this time and all the time? I want to know what it is that I can do, because so often I feel paralyzed by fear or inexperience in the issue. I want to ask him questions that people have asked me as I’ve begun to speak up in my own church and community. Some have pushed back against it - that we’re making race a bigger issue than it should be, that we shouldn’t discuss the color of people’s skin, that it’s not a gospel issue. I wanted to ask these questions to Steve to listen and learn. I also want to hear what he hopes for and pleads for on his knees in prayer, and also in conversations with others. Where should the church should be on this conversation on race at this time? I also wanted to be very personal to understand how he talks to his kids about this... and how I can talk to mine.

This is a very personal conversation and I am
so grateful to Steve for his trust in me to allow me the opportunity to ask about some of these very personal issues that have brought great pain into his life in the past and even at this present moment. Today in this podcast, you are going to be listening to someone in the middle of processing their own grief and emotion, but doing it in a way that they are going to God and filtering it through the gospel. I believe you’re going to be greatly helped.

This interview is going to come to you in two parts and episodes. We did that to help give you space to process, repent, and pray. Make sure to subscribe and rate us in the iTunes Store.