Becoming an Antiracist Youth Group

GUEST WRITER: NII ADDO ABRAHAMS

Young people are passionate about justice but might not see church as the place to discuss it. This is especially true when it comes to racial justice. But antiracism is actually a deeply faithful way of life. Church is the ideal place for young people to discuss how to become antiracists. We’re here with some theological and practical insights on facilitating those conversations and building an antiracist youth group.

Be sure to read to the bottom where you can download a free youth group Bible study! 

Understanding Racism and Antiracism Theologically

Racism is sin. This may be a difficult statement for churches that avoid language around sin. But that does not negate its truth. Racism denies the fullness of God’s image in all people and leads to harm against people of color. At times, racism is an individual sin—something one person does to harm another based on their race. But racism is also a systemic sin. It’s a part of many social institutions, impacting people through unjust laws and discriminatory practices. Because racism is so all-encompassing, racism sometimes feels like a reality that we can’t overcome.

Christians believe Jesus defeated sin and death through his death and resurrection. Through Christ, we, too, have “died to sin” (Romans 6:2). Even though we live in a sinful world, God’s Spirit empowers us to offer ourselves to God as “instruments of righteousness” (Romans 6:14). With the help of the Spirit we seek justice, righteousness, and restoration for the world. 

Antiracism is an embodied commitment to resisting racism in all its forms. If racism is a sin, then antiracism is a natural expression of our identity in Christ.    

What the Research Says About Young People, Antiracism, and Faith

Young people today are noticing the church does not always live up to its antiracist identity. They view the church as disconnected from the political and social issues they care about, including racial justice. However, researchers say even though they attend church less and less, young people are still interested in faith and place a high value on community. They seek spaces to build relationships with their peers and connect their political and social values to their faith. An antiracist youth group is precisely the kind of faith space young people are looking for!

Becoming an Antiracist Youth Group

There is no single path to becoming an antiracist youth group. But don’t let that stop you from taking the next right step. Here are some questions to help you discern where to start:

• What are the demographics of my youth group? Are students mainly of the same race, or is it a multiracial group? What is the age range?
• What kinds of conversations do we usually have during youth group? Are students used to talking about social issues together? How are social issues discussed in the larger congregation?
• What is our congregation’s history of racial justice and/or injustice? What is the local (i.e., in my town or city) history? 
• Where am I on my journey of racial identity development? Where are the other youth group volunteers (if any)?
  ***If you are a white person, review this scaffolded resource.

Consider these next steps based on your context:

• Hire a coach from an organization like Crossroads or NEXT Church to help you and your congregation make a plan based on your unique context.
• Attend an antiracism workshop for youth leaders (like this one from Yale) and encourage volunteers to participate with you.
• Lead Illustrated Ministry’s Bible study on racism, sin, and our identity in Christ with your students and/or volunteers. You can download it below.
• Watch a documentary like White Savior or 13th or a docu-series like The Color of Compromise over multiple weeks.
• Invite a guest speaker from a local racial justice organization or arrange a weekend volunteering event for students and families.
• Use the U.S. Civil Rights Trail’s itineraries to plan a civil rights pilgrimage for your next youth group trip.  

You can’t build an antiracist youth group overnight, but these resources will help you take the next right step. Make sure you stay connected to Illustrated Ministry so you don’t miss future resources on antiracism! 

Free Bible Study

If you’d like to download a free Bible study on racism, sin, and identity in Christ, you can click below.