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Resources

The race relations specialists of Thrive are here to support you as you dismantle the causes and effects of racism in the body of believers and throughout the world. Here are our staff picks for excellent resources that fit our call and your contexts most closely. Dig in!

Pew with song books

Worship Resources

How can our churches and liturgies form us to live into our calling as ministers of reconciliation? We recommend these resources to get you and your community started.
All Nations Heritage 2023 bulletin

All Nations Heritage Sunday - October 1, 2023

Celebrate with congregations across the denomination the multicultural church of Christ on All Nations Heritage Sunday which falls on October 1, 2023.

Looking for resources for a Canadian context? Many of the resources below are binationally applicable, but our Canada page is also a good place to start your search.

Videos and Webinars

Watch and learn; hear stories from people engaged in the work of racial reconciliation. We'll be adding recent webinar recordings and other resourceful videos to this list

Addressing Native American Issues as a Non-Native »
Antiracism is WORK webinar discussion »
Black & Reformed: Generational Journeys in the CRC »
Black History / White Memory webinar discussion »
Diversity Playbook - Recommendations and Guidance for Christian Organizations »
How a Workshop can Help to Heal Historical Racism »
Power Sharing webinar »
Preaching and Teaching Antiracism »
What's the Problem with CRT? (webinar) »
White Work - A conversation with white anti-racism allies »
White Work 2.0 - Continuing the discussion with white anti-racism allies »
2020 Post-Election Discussion » 

Thrive Newsletter

Stay up to date on our monthly news and happenings by subscribing to our eNewsletter. Sign up to get the next one »

Book and Movie Discussion Guides

Want to start a discussion in your small group or church? We’ve put together some discussion guides to support you. View book and movie discussion guides »

Is there a book or movie you’d like to see here? Let us know and we’d be happy to help.

Ethnic Minority Communities in the CRC

Get in touch with networks of solidarity and mutual here, or celebrate people of a background different than your own!

We recognize that all persons are ethnic (i.e. of a national origin and may be in the minority in certain contexts or environments), but we will follow the lead of the God’s Diverse and Unified Family synodical report and use the term “ethnic minority” here to refer to non-Anglo or non-Caucasian persons and groups. View ethnic minority communities »

CRC Statements on Racism

Racism harms people created in the image of God. Individual prejudices and systems that privilege some and demean others twist our God-given identities. That’s why the Christian Reformed Church has spoken up, on multiple occasions over the years, against racism of various forms. View statements on racism »

Race Relations Scholarship Fund

This college scholarship fund is one of the strategies we employ to develop multiracial leaders in the church. Find information, instructions and application here »

Opportunities for Youth & Families

Are you a young person? Looking for a way to learn more about racism and what it means to dismantle it? Check out these opportunities »

For parents, here's an article that is part of a 2023 series discussing anti-racist formation of children and youth from the Leadership Education at Duke Divinity: "How churches can play a crucial role in the anti-racist formation of children."

Multicultural Worship

Worship forms us as a community. And worship is also deeply cultural—the songs we sing, the ways we organize ourselves, who is leading the worship service—all these things are not neutral. We all worship God differently—that’s part of his beautiful design for creation!

How can we honor Christ’s diverse Body in worship? And beyond the worship service, how can we more fully live as God’s diverse and unified family? Here are a few resources we recommend »

Theological Resources

Dig deeper into scripture and Reformed thinkers on race and racism to establish a firm foundation for dismantling racism. View theological resources »

Resources about Whiteness

Just as the inferiority complexes that racism creates in people of color are distortions of our God-given identities, the superiority complexes created for white people in these systems of racism also distort our God-given identities. This is not the full and abundant life that God has for us.

Whiteness is more than the color of someone’s skin—when we use the word “whiteness”, we are referring to the system of thinking (and the social structures built on this system of thinking) that values the cultures, bodies, and contributions of people with white skin above those of people of color. These systems were constructed over generations--there’s plenty to learn and unlearn so that we can be free to live into the abundant life God has for us! Here are some resources we recommend to get you started »

Confronting Racial Injustice

Racism is more than individual prejudices. It also shows up in the ways that our social systems privilege some and under-privilege others. Because racism is a Gospel issue, doing what we can to change these systems is part of our Christian calling. View resources on confronting racial injustice »

Organizations We Love

We recommend these organizations, some of which we’re grateful to call partners!