Mercy & Justice
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said that he had a dream, a vision of a world that could be, and he gave his life for that dream. From the dismantling of slavery to the civil rights battles of the 60s, Atlanta was a racially tense and tumultuous place. Ideals about class and social status drew clear dividing lines, and if you were for one side, you were certainly against the other. Issues that some could not imagine today polarized an entire city (i.e. not allowing African-Americans to vote or hold office, relegating each segment of society to a particular part of the city, and not allowing African Americans to be police officers [note: when African-American police officers were finally hired, they were not allowed to dress at the police station, but were forced to use the historic Butler Street YMCA]).
Dr. King grew up less than a mile from Grant Park, witnessing every injustice of his day. He fought vehemently against these injustices and sought, through every reasonable means, to reconcile these differing sides. This was his passion and the very core of his person.
Today we may not face racial divide at the same intensity that he did, but it is still among the list of social ills that plague our city. Atlanta is host to one of the largest child sex trafficking industries in the United States. Poverty, prostitution, homelessness, fatherlessness, youth violence, drugs, and gang activity continue to plague the city as well. We cannot stand idly by but must instead extend the Gospel across the complete spectrum of humanity, redeeming and reconciling entire cultures for Jesus' glory and our good. This would be the realization of Dr. King’s great dream, rooted in the Gospel. This vision reflects the heart of God. Renovation will fight for this great reality, by God's grace and with His help.