I thank God for a Christ who gives not only first and second chances, but sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, and well, “70 x 7” chances. I thank God for a Christ whose love transforms me over time. I thank God for a Christ whose blood-stained brow and nail-pierced hands tell me that I’m never beyond the reach of God’s grace. I thank God who even when I’m terribly distraught and choose to cope with it in adverse or sinful ways, He beckons me and welcomes me home.
That’s my God. That’s my Christ.
It was brother George Floyd’s Christ too.
Anyone is welcome to Christ’s table. We don’t get to choose who sits there. When you come to the Table, transformation begins. We don’t get to choose what another person’s transformation looks like. When you leave the Table, you join with others on the same road of discipleship. We don’t get to choose who walks that road. And when you fall, you get back up and press on, resting in the good news that we are called to faithfulness, not perfection.
For some this will always be the scandal of the gospel. For others it will always be the beauty of the gospel.
Justice isn’t complete until Jesus is Lord of it. All can find liberation when Jesus is King–the oppressed and the oppressor. Repentance is embraced, injustices are dismantled, and reconciliation begins because as love leads the way.
Sounds nice, I know.
There are those who claim to be Christian who don’t really believe this. At least not yet. You can see it in their words and actions. But I choose to believe it is possible. I’ll stay joined with others who believe the same and together we will work as if it is, and let the evidence of our actions be our witness. I hope you’ll find others who really believe it and do the same.
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About Fred
Fred came to serve greater Williamsburg and WCC as lead pastor in October of 2010 and is grateful to be a part of the family. He is a husband, father, certified trauma professional, S.T.A.R. (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) practitioner, community organizer, TEDx alum, founder of 3e Restoration, Inc. and co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC. He received his B.S. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master’s of Religious Education in Missional Leadership from Rochester University. Currently he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology in at Northern Seminary in Chicago. Fred has also served as an adjunct professor for Rochester University and Regent University where taught courses in philosophy, ethics, leadership, pastoral care, intro to Christianity, and ethnography. He has also served as a guest lecturer on the subjects of racialized cultural systems, poverty, and missiology at various universities, such as William & Mary and Oklahoma Christian University. Fred has authored on book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings, including The FloorPlan: Living Toward Restoration & Resilience.
Fred enjoys hanging out with his family anytime, anywhere. He is deeply grateful for how God graciously works through the Church in all her various forms, despite our brokenness. He is passionate about seeing the last, least, and lonely of every neighborhood, city and nation experience God’s in-breaking kingdom, and come to know Jesus as King. Oh, and his favorite season is Advent and Christmas.
Fred is a founding member of the board of directors for Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a member of the leadership team for Williamsburg's local chapter of Coming to the Table, and a member of Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network's Racial Trauma Committee and Training Committee.
Long Way Here 
Excellent! Thanks, bro! I needed to hear this today.
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