I have a myriad of drug felonies; I spent years homeless; I received my GED in county prison. The church affirming me is a radical act. It is a way of saying that grace is real. That all of these intersecting and systemic conditions that conspired to squeeze the life out of me, combined with poor decision-making on my part, are nothing in light of God’s calling. That the Jesus we lynched rose in resurrection and redemption and offers that grace and love freely, liberally to anyone. My very existence, my next breath, my family, my freedom is proof that God is real. That grace is real. And it is also real for you.
From “Dear Church: A Love Letter from a Black Preacher to the Whitest Denomination in the U.S.” by Lenny Duncan – Fortress Press