This time is different. I’m still processing all the reasons and ways George Floyd’s death has become the catalyst our nation needed – specifically, for white people like myself – to wake up and respond to the systemic problems that are crippling our country. It shouldn’t have taken this long. It shouldn’t still be this way. Yet, here we are again. 

What strikes me about this time, though, is we’re seeing an outpouring of emotions – compassion, grief, anger, embarrassment, humility, and desire toward action – from a large amount of white people on all sides of the political and socio-economic spectrums. We are seeing white pastors step up and ask hard questions of themselves and of their congregations. And in the center of many of these conversations has been the steady, sound voice of T.D. Jakes.

Bishop T.D. Jakes is the founder and Senior Pastor of The Potter’s House, a large non-denominational church based out of Dallas, TX. During this horrific time in America, he has created a safe space for white Christians and pastors to ask uncomfortable questions, express sadness and frustration, seek to better understand racism, and come together to actually do something about it.

“The church has had a very difficult history when it comes to racial issues for 100’s of years. We’ve been complicit. We’ve been participants. And now we’ve just been silent. And I don’t know which one is worse.” 

T.D. Jakes

In an effort to better understand my own white privilege and listen more attentively to the voices of black people in our country, I came across two video interviews with T.D. Jakes that really shed new light on racism and the Church’s role (for better and for worse). Below are the videos along with some key points that really stuck with me.