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People in power have historically diminished the image of God in people of African descent.

Based on someone's skin color, they were deemed less human, less worthy of dignity.

But the doctrine of the image of God teaches us that pigment does not determine person.

So as we look at this conference, from the very start we wanted this to be a black centered space and occasion.

Not because we devalue other racial and ethnic expressions of Christianity, but because we value black expressions of Christianity.

We value black expressions of Christianity in the midst of a society that has looked down on black people and black churches and black theology.

You know, the only time I heard about black theologians in seminary was as the example of what not to do. So in that

kind of context we value black expressions of Christianity. We value black

expressions of Christianity as a tribute to all that we have been through and all that God has done for us.

We value black expressions of Christianity enough to want to share it with people of different races and ethnicities.

We want to invite you into this beautiful picture.

And it is a beautiful picture of diversity

when we as embodied black people can bring our full selves and our full faith to the table.

Now like like Pastor Phazon, I'm an unapologetic apologist for the black church.

But if you must be in a multi-ethnic, multicultural space,

then it is only healthy to the degree

that people of different backgrounds, different races, different

ethnicities can bring their full selves without sacrificing their

cultural heritage, their racial heritage on the altar of whiteness.

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