Wait - Is This Racist?: A Guide to Becoming an Anti-racist Church

by Kerry Connelly, Bryana Clover, Josh Riddick

A "Be-It-Yourself" Guide to Anti-racism for Churches and Church Leaders



Whether you have been an ally for years or just recently opened your eyes to racial injustice, guiding your predominantly white church toward anti-racism is a daunting task. Where do you even begin? White churches especially feel an urgency to respond but at the same time suffer a sense of overwhelmingness and futility, as if no one action, sermon series, or service project will solve the problem of racism in America. And they're right. Instead, we must begin to look deeply at our organizations-our traditions, our ministries, our leadership, our ways of making decisions, our ways of interacting with the world beyond the church-to identify and address implicit biases and to discover how white pseudo-supremacy has been encoded into our way of "doing church."




Wait-Is This Racist? is here to guide you and your church through this challenging and uncomfortable work. Intentionally interactive, practical, and biblically based, Wait-Is This Racist? guides church leaders and staff through an examination of all aspects of church life, including leadership, preaching and liturgy, music, small groups, buildings and grounds, and more, to help churches create an action plan that will take them toward not only becoming anti-racist but also actually doing anti-racist work. Offering educational tips, powerful stories, and insightful questions, anti-racism consultants Kerry, Bryana, and Josh will accompany you through this necessary work so that your church can truly become a justice-oriented organization that leans more fully into the kin-dom of God.




Features:


A clear audit of church operations and reasons why this work is so important
Workbook-style questions at the end of each chapter
A workable action plan for churches to implement what they have learned
Tips, encouragement, and questions for BIPOC leaders in primarily white churches
Helpful glossary of terms to aid general understanding
Reviews

209 pages, Paperback

Published March 1, 2022

Reviews

[Ami Nosh · Rating 4 out of 5]

To start, disclosure of myself: I identify as an East Asian/Middle Eastern biracial American, I am denominationally Presbyterian and United Church of Christ, a local activist, and attend a historically Asian American church. I purchased this book based on the recommendation of a sponsored social media ad, curious. Simply curious. What is it about? How balanced and well written would it be? What knowledge, if any, would it leave me with?

I am so glad I purchased this book. I have never read any book on the subject of antiracism in Christian worship spaces, and took away a plethora of insight.

To be clear, this book is written by a White woman for a predominantly White audience. As a BIPOC woman from a predominantly non-white church, our congregation would have very different answers to many of questions this book poses. Regardless, it's a brilliant starting point and guide to examine ways in which pseudosupremacy plays a role in our everyday worship spaces. And regardless of the reader's personal identities, if approached with an open mind, there are thought provoking and insightful thoughts on space, worship, and education.

The only critique I have is that as a book designed to comprehensively imagine the church as an antiracist construct, the focus was predominantly on the White church and its relation to black congregants. Latinx and indigenous needs were mentioned frequently, yet tangibly more sparsely. East Asians were mentioned on 2 pages as a side example. Pacific Islanders and West Asian/Middle Eastern congregants were not given any narrative that I recall.

In an era of Stop Asian Hate and recent travel bans from Middle Eastern nations, I would have loved to see a bit more focus on what role the church may have in relation to AAPI congregants and spaces.

That said, it's a minor issue. Overall, this is a well written book, and if the reader takes to heart even half of the challenges laid out, it should create an inclusive scope in terms of beginning the ongoing work of antiracism.

I will be recommending this book to several people I know. An intense read that should be undertaken by any Christian looking to value all congregants as divine and part of God's kin-dom.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Wait—Is This Racist? A Guide to Becoming an Anti-racist Church" by Kerry Connelly is a game-changer in the conversation about racism within the church. Connelly's writing is like having a compassionate friend gently guide you through the uncomfortable terrain of addressing racism in a faith community. With humor and humility, she navigates the complexities of this important journey.

The book is not just a theoretical discussion; it's a practical guide filled with actionable steps for individuals and congregations. Connelly doesn't shy away from tough questions, providing real-world scenarios and encouraging self-reflection. Her approach is refreshing, making the topic accessible and dismantling the barriers that may make some hesitant to engage in this vital conversation.

Whether you're a seasoned activist or someone just starting to explore anti-racism, this book meets you where you are. It's a roadmap for churches committed to genuine transformation. "Wait—Is This Racist?" is a must-read, offering hope, insight, and a sense of shared purpose for those striving to build truly inclusive and anti-racist faith communities.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was difficult to read. I read it with a group of church leaders throughout the area. We had weekly Zoom meetings to hold our two-hour discussions over each chapter. Lots of things to think about concerning our churches and how welcoming we are to all races. I felt the attitude of the author and her co-writers were a bit preachy and superior in that they have it all figured out. That bothered me a little, but it has made me more aware and opened my eyes to issues I never felt were problems. I do believe we as humans are works in progress and we should never stop learning about how to love our neighbors.

[Francia Kissel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wait - Is This Racist? is a how-to guide for churches that wish to become anti-racist. I found it somewhat helpful, although it could have been more helpful if the writers had concentrated more on what TO do rather than what NOT to do. The advice often had a negative tone, emphasizing warnings and admonitions that were not well-defined or even illustrated by means of some examples. Nevertheless, I picked up some helpful information.

[Alycia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this step by step review of a church to force a self-evaluation of everything. I plan on recommending that we do this at our church - there is so much that we can learn from this type of review.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A detailed guide to step by step ways to assess racism in your church and take steps to make effective change. The beginning is a little simplistic and I at first thought this was not a useful tool. But after viewing all of the sections I think it is a helpful way to break down ideas and viewpoints and create actionable change. Some of these concepts and question lists could also be effective outside of a church setting and be a tool that leadership in other organizations could use. Or simply as a way to evaluate oneself. The chapters are organized effectively and the questions are extremely thought provoking and in some cases will challenge your concept of self.

[Jennifer Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you’re white and in ministry in any capacity, add this to your reading list. Our job is to do the work. Wrestle with the “uncomfortable.” Plain and simple.