Christ Community to hold conference on unity in diversity

Pastor Keith Cowart of Christ Community Church in Columbus says the country is becoming more polarized and the polarization is driven by fear and anger.

“We need to stop talking at each other and begin listening,” he said. “The need is more important than ever. We have so much to learn from each other.”

The idea of sharing stories to find common ground is what Converge 2:14 is all about.

Cowart’s church is hosting the special conference on unity in diversity on May 6-7.

Locations are the Cunningham Center on the Columbus State University main campus and at the church on Milgen Road.

Cowart and executive pastor Derrick Shields recently spoke at a meeting attended by approximately 90 area church and ministry leaders and sought support for an event where differences will be celebrated.

“It was a very diverse group,” Cowart said. “We have taken the lead but want Converge 2:14 to be owned by several churches and make it a community event.”

Shields said Converge 2:14 grew out of a conference last year in Memphis, Tenn., attended by 17 Christ Community Church members.

“On the way home, we did a lot of talking about what we heard and wanted to share,” Shields said.

He said at Converge 2:14, the church wants to discuss practical ideas about removing the “dividing wall of hostility” mentioned in Ephesians 2:14, and lay a foundation for a church that is separate no more.

Cowart will speak as will also a lineup of celebrated influential voices on diversity from across the country including ministers John M. Perkins, Soong-Chan Rah, Bryan Loritts, Crawford Loritts, Korie Edwards and John Fuder.

The conference worship leader will be Dewayne Creswell of Christ Community Church.

People interested in attending may register online at www.converge214.org. The cost is $49 per person plus a $3.69 processing fee. There are group rates of $39 and $34 per person.

Shields called Perkins a “key voice in calling for racial reconciliation.” He is an internationally known author and one of the leading evangelical voices to come out of the civil rights movement.

Soong-Chan Rah is an associate professor of church growth and evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Bryan Loritts is a lead pastor of the Abundant Life Christian Fellowship in Silicon Valley, Calif., and serves as president of the Kainos Movement, an organization aimed at establishing the multiethnic church in America as the “New Normal.”

Korie Edwards is an assistant professor of sociology at Ohio State University who has written several books on multiracial religious organizations

John Fuder is founder and director of the Heart of the City ministry in Chicago, the goal of which, is to ignite a movement of locally focused, globally minded churches and organizations that serve their communities in healthy and sustainable ways.

Crawford Loritts, senior pastor at Fellowship Baptist Church in Roswell, Ga., is the author of eight books and host of two national radio programs.

Cowart said it should not be surprising Christ Community Church is hosting such an event. When he and his wife planted the church in 1997 a core value was the breaking down of racial barriers.

“We wanted the church to look more like the kingdom. We should celebrate differences and not feel threatened by them,” he said.

Shields said the core values are a big part of what attracted him to the church.

“Keith and I taught an “In Loving Color” class. We talked about growing up in the south, the issues we faced, and how we came through these things. People really resonated with that,” Shields said.

Cowart said a church is not considered multiracial unless no one group accounts for more than 80 percent of the membership. He said his church is close to that point.

Shields said only about seven percent of churches nationally are considered multiracial.

“Our community is about 50-50 so what does that tell you,” Shields said. “We find it easier to stay separated. The other way is more challenging. Sometimes, we have to go places where we are not comfortable.”

Cowart said for a church to be truly diverse, there must be diversity not just in membership but in its leadership.

Cowart believes the church has the right message on diversity but “we don’t have the voice to speak to the world unless we are willing to live the message.”

Cowart and Shields said Converge 2:14 will be much more than listening to speakers. There will be breakout sessions to get people the “ideas and tools to use.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2016 at 9:44 PM with the headline "Christ Community to hold conference on unity in diversity."