What are practical tools for seeking racial justice in our communities?
This small group program invites participants to formulate their own Christian-rooted responses to racism in their churches, workplaces, and communities.
Program Overview
Faith and Racial Justice: Changing Systems and Structures gives participants the tools they need to address racism at a systemic level – whether they decide to work for criminal justice reform, advocate for fair housing, close the racial wealth gap, or end racism within the church.
In this faith-based program, small groups learn about key obstacles to racial justice that are embedded within our institutions, systems, and structures. They are then equipped to mobilize people and resources to dismantle those obstacles. Through a grounding in prayer, spiritual practice, and the Epistle of St. James, your group will leave the program ready to work for racial justice in your nation, local community, and the churches and institutions of which you are a part.
Before taking this small group program, we highly recommend taking one of JustFaith Ministries’ other racial justice programs, Faith and Racial Equity or Faith and Racial Healing. Both provide foundational information to understanding racist systems and structures. However, we leave it up to facilitators to decide what is best for their groups.
Goals for Faith and Racial Justice: Changing Systems and Structures include:
Educate participants about systemic racism
Provide participants with practical tools for dismantling systemic racism
Provide biblical and spiritual foundation for dismantling systemic racism
Faith and Racial Justice: Changes Systems and Structures consists of 8 2-hour sessions and an immersion experience.
Recommended group size is 8-14.Program Framework & Session Topics
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One-Day Retreat: Community-Building & Self-Reflection
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Session 1: Introduction to the Racial Wealth Gap
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Session 2: The Wealth Gap and Its Consequences
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Session 3: Redlining and Is Consequences
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Session 4: Faith Communities and Reentry
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Session 5: Addressing Racism in Our Faith Communities
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Session 6: The Reparations Debate
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Immersion Experience (to be determined by the group)
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Session 7: Mobilizing for Criminal Justice Reform
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Session 8: Commitment to Action
Sessions include:
Prayer and reflection
Discussion of reading
Videos & group activities
Spiritual practices
Integration of faith
Want to know more?
An overview, sample session, and program booklet are available for free download.
What you’ll need for this program
There are three books used in Faith and Racial Justice: Changing Systems and Structures, all available through the JustFaith Ministries bookstore.
Need help inviting people to your small group?
This program promotion kit contains sample social media posts, bulletin announcements, email invitations, and more.
We believe strongly in making our programs inclusive and available to everyone
Cost should never be a barrier to participation, and we are committed to working with individuals and organizations to ensure meaningful access through flexible pricing options. Why do we use a sliding fee scale?
There are Two Registration Options:
Option 1: Individual Participant Registration
Participants register and pay individually using a sliding-scale fee of $45, $60, or $75 per person, based on ability to pay. If $45 is still inaccessible, participants can choose the Pay-What-You-Can option to choose a price that is right for them.
- There is no charge for up to two facilitators.
- A minimum of 8 participants is strongly recommended.
Option 2: Organization-Sponsored Registration
A church or organization may choose to cover registration for all participants using a sliding fee scale of $45, $60, or $75 per person, based on ability to pay.
- The organization will be billed a flat rate of the amount chosen below, which covers up to 8 participants.
- For groups larger than 8, the organization will be invoiced an additional $45, $60, or $75 per participant when the group begins, price depending on the chosen amount below.
- If the lowest fee is inaccessible to your organization or ministry, choose the Pay-What-You-Can Rate to learn about shared-cost or reduced-fee options.
What the Registration Fee Includes
- Comprehensive materials for each session (instant download upon purchase)
- Facilitation scripts, guidance, and training resources
- Retreat and immersion planning assistance
- Adaptations for virtual groups
- Direct access to program staff for ongoing support
- Books are an additional cost and may be purchased separately through the bookstore.
To ensure our programs remain accessible while remaining sustainable, we utilize a sliding fee scale of $45 to $75 for our registrations. We invite you to choose the registration tier that best reflects you or your faith community's current financial reality. Paying on the higher end allows us to keep the program affordable for all.
We also offer a Pay-What-You-Can Rate. If the lowest rate does not seem accessible to you or your church at this time, don’t let this be a barrier to participation. Contact our staff here to learn about shared-cost or reduced fee options.
What our program participants are saying
It has been an honor to work with Rev. Kristin Dollar and the JustFaith Ministries Team to develop a module that boldly wades into the painful history of systemic racism. I sincerely believe the only way to build a better future is by creating partnerships across the lines of race that re-educate people about issues they were socialized to ignore. This module will provide what I call “new learning that transforms and informs” the kind of justice work that sets us on the path to healing and reconciliation.
Faith and Racial Justice Overview, Sample Session, and Program Booklet
To get access to this program's overview, sample session and program booklet, complete the form below and you will receive an email with the downloadable materials.
Faith and Racial Justice Promotion Kit
To get access to this program's promotional materials, complete the form below and you will receive an email with the downloads.