As a Christian community church, Oak Life Church condemns the use of sacred Christian imagery and scripture that was used to justify the political extremism and violence that took place on January 6th at the US Capitol.
It is undeniable that evangelical Christianity has been usurped and used as a unifying characteristic of many of Donald Trump's supporters. We denounce Christianity’s association with any political aims that seek to install white supremacist politicians and advance any white supremacist agenda.
Since Donald Trump's campaign in 2015, asylum seekers, migrants, Muslims, Jews, BIPOC people, women, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized individuals have been the target of hate speech. Throughout his presidency, these groups have experienced a disintegration of rights and protections gained during past administrations. All of this was done in the name of Trump’s motto “Make America Great Again,” insinuating a return to an America maintained by white and Christian supremacy.
Now after four years of relentless assault on anyone labeled as “other,” we must re-dedicate ourselves to pursuing the dignity of every person. Jesus teaches us to love our enemies, but not at the expense of loving the marginalized. We have to affirm the dignity and rights of all people in America, not just the privileged. All people are made in God’s image. We all have value in the eyes of God, and any violence done against any life is a form of blasphemy against God.
As Christians, we should have been more forceful in upholding the truth of the Gospel. God loves the poor, the marginalized; God loves the sick, the widow, orphan and imprisoned. God’s purpose for our lives is not so narrow as to revolve around either the Republican or Democratic party. We must admit that we have not done enough to end the influence of white supremacy in the evangelical Christian church. This is especially true for those of us who are white and or politically and economically privileged.
Oak Life will work to seek justice for all those who have been harmed. We will work to create a Christian church that is truly in solidarity with all those we are called to love. We will reject and call out any and all cultural and political ideologies that separate us from God, including the sin of racism and extremism. We will work to repair, restore and build systems that will reflect the Gospel of Jesus and prioritize those who have been disenfranchised by unjust systems of oppression. With this in mind, we would like to invite all who are able to prayerfully consider donating a portion (or the entirety) of any government stimulus payments to organizations like the Live Free Campaign who are working to end the scourges of gun violence, mass incarceration, and the criminalization of people of color. Additionally, as a church, we will continue to use our Third Sunday Generosity towards this effort.
In Christ,
The Oak Life Church Leadership Team