Required: God's Call to Justice, Mercy, and Humility to Overcome Racial Division

What Does God Require of Everyone?

Two spiritual leaders and friends—one Black, one White—have seen the injustice and racial hatred that has simmered under the surface of culture for decades, escalating in recent years.

In Required, Bishop Claude Alexander and Dr. Mac Pier, both theologians and practitioners who have crossed the racial divide for over thirty years, take their readers down the pathway of awareness, ownership, and action regarding how Christians participate in the conversation of race from a faith perspective.

Readers will be shown how they can:

• Engage their world with justice, humility, and mercy.
• Model behaviors that bridge difficult divides.
• Follow God’s call toward conciliation and unity.
• Make a practical difference in their own spheres of influence.

The vision of this book is to accelerate current and inspire future efforts toward the vision of justice expressed through a Church united across racial, ethnic, and tribal lines. Over forty Christians and Christian organization, institution, and movement leaders strongly endorse Required as a must-read book on overcoming racial division.

Endorsements

In Required, Claude Alexander and Mac Pier bear witness to the transformative power of cross-cultural exposure, cultural translation, and a passion for Christ-mandated conciliation and unity. With great transparency, they urge us to reflect on how our racial story connects to His Story and mission of reconciling our diverse world to Himself and each other. —Dr. Barbara Williams-Skinner, Co-Convener, National African American Clergy Network

Mac and Claude are two extraordinary men whom I admire deeply. Their work to advance racial justice and advocate for city transformation has been stellar. This book serves as both inspirational and a framework for advancing the gospel and overcoming racial division. —Bryan L. Carter, Senior pastor, Concord Baptist Church, Dallas, TX

This book teaches, guides, and propels us toward God’s design of racial reconciliation while highlighting the role of relationships and movements such as the Lausanne Movement and Movement.org in bridging the divide. A timely and challenging reminder that racial equality and racial justice are required of those who belong to God’s new kingdom. —Las G. Newman, Ph.D., Global Associate Director for Regions, Lausanne Movement

My two good friends have collaborated to write this book that, given their respective backgrounds and friendship, speaks powerfully into the call on each of us to practice justice, mercy, and humility to overcome racial tensions. —Bob Doll, Chief investment officer, Crossmark Global Investments

In Required, two internationally respected Christian leaders allow us to “overhear” them as they have the kind of conversation many wish they could have: honest, direct, vulnerable, reasonable, and full of love. This book will equip the reader with a path toward seeking justice and mercy, as followers of Jesus are called to do, and to standing with and for one another, as brothers and sisters must. —Russell Moore, Christianity Today

About the Authors

Bishop Claude Alexander has served as the senior pastor of The Park Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, for more than thirty years and is one of the most respected voices around the globe on the subject of race. He is a past president of the Hampton University Ministers Conference and serves on the boards of various respected organizations.

Dr. Mac Pier is the founder of Movement.org and a Lausanne co-catalyst for cities. He has lived in New York City for thirty-five years where he founded the Concerts of Prayer Movement and cofounded Movement Day, which has engaged leaders from six continents and nine hundred cities.