There will come a time when I must join with others and live the protest I march. Integrity will demand that I live the sermon I preach and the social media posts I write. It won’t be perfect. It surely won’t be enough. But it will be something. It will be more than a momentary effort or meaningful word in a status. It will be an embodied commitment to faithful presence and active participation.
By God’s grace, faithfulness must be my witness.
The same is true for all of us.
Anyone can sit in the cheap seats. It takes courage and grit to step into the arena. If you do expect to get your hind-parts kicked.
When that happens expect to hear from the ones sitting in the cheap seats. Discern their words humbly and wisely with those beside you in the arena. But don’t forget they chose the cheap seats. You chose the arena. Stay put and do the work, the gritty, costly, weary, hard, beautiful work. And don’t do it alone.
Faithfulness will be your witness and God’s faithfulness will be your strength.
About Fred
Fred came to serve greater Williamsburg and WCC as lead pastor in October of 2010 and is grateful to be a part of the family. He is a husband, father, certified trauma professional, S.T.A.R. (strategies for trauma awareness & resilience) practitioner, community organizer, TEDx alum, founder of 3e Restoration, Inc. and co-owner of Philoxenia Culture LLC. He received his B.S. in Ministry/Bible at Amridge University and his Master’s of Religious Education in Missional Leadership from Rochester University. Currently he is a candidate for a Doctorate of Ministry in Contextual Theology in at Northern Seminary in Chicago. Fred also serves as an adjunct lecturer for William & Mary and has served as an adjunct professor for Rochester University and Regent University where he taught courses in philosophy, ethics, leadership, pastoral care, intro to Christianity, and ethnography. Fred has authored on book (Racialized Cultural Systems, Social Displacement and Christian Hospitality) and several curriculum offerings, including The FloorPlan: Living Toward Restoration & Resilience.
Fred enjoys hanging out with his family anytime, anywhere. He is deeply grateful for how God graciously works through the Church in all her various forms, despite our brokenness. He is passionate about seeing the last, least, and lonely of every neighborhood, city and nation experience God’s in-breaking kingdom, and come to know Jesus as King. Oh, and his favorite season is Advent and Christmas.
Fred serves on the advisory boards of Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, Bacon Street Youth & Family Services, and FreeKind. He is also a founding member of the board of directors for Virginia Racial Healing Institute, a member of Greater Williamsburg Trauma-Informed Community Network's Racial Trauma Committee and Training Committee.
Long Way Here 