Building Racial Harmony in Our Communities

You can preach. You can have all of the wonderful thoughts and reasons.

They will know that we are a Christian by our love. That's Kerry Casey here on Focus on the Family. It's Martin Luther King Jr. Day here in the U.S. and we honor the great civil rights leader. Kerry has an important message for all of us about loving our neighbor regardless of their background or skin color.

Thanks for joining us today. Your host is Focus President and author Jim Daly and I'm John Fuller. John, hearing that clip reminds me of a special and memorable chapel service we had at Focus with Kerry Casey as our honored guest. He's a dear friend and a brother to me. That guy is so good. On Father's Day he's always the first one to shoot me a text.

Christmas wishing me a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. He's just so good relationally and such a good man. He talks about how to love others and he demonstrates that very much so in his everyday life. There are strong forces in the culture that want to divide us and get us fighting with each other. I think we all see that today. But we can't give in to those voices that separate us and Kerry has some great words of wisdom to help us see through the chaos to God's heart for all of his children.

That's each one of us and we need this message maybe now more than ever. That's exactly what I was thinking Jim and Kerry is a pastor at Lawndale Christian Community Church in Chicago. He's ministering in the inner city where Martin Luther King Jr. used to live and Kerry is also the founder and CEO of Championship Fathering. When he spoke here at Focus on the Family it was electric. A very powerful message about building racial harmony in our communities.

Here now Kerry Casey on Focus on the Family. I am so very honored to be here and as I stated being black and Baptist and a preacher also we could be here all day. But anyway you must be secure in who you are. God did not make a mistake when he made us red, yellow, black and white.

We are precious in his sight. When I look at what you all have on the stage here Nat King Cole and Aretha Franklin the pictures on the stage here and Louis Armstrong and Mahalia Jackson you're learning. But I thank God that he made all of us be secure in who you are because I think about it. When I was born I was black. When I grew up I was still black. When I get sick I'm still black. When I go out in the sun I'm still black.

And when I die my brother's a mortician he's the last one to let you down. But when I die I'm still going to be black. Now look in the gym and Fuller here and all of them when they were born they were pink. When they grew up they were white. When they get sick they turn green. When they go out in the sun they turn red. When they go out in the cold they turn Carolina blue.

And when they die they're going to be purple. So Jim why do y'all call me color? But anyway. I'm just kidding.

Y'all come back with me. I'm sorry my father would be mad at me son you need to be more formal than that. But anyway. But I think about it.

I only have a few moments. But the greatest thing that happened to me at the University of North Carolina was when I went to geography class. And I sit on that front row and I turned around I saw a sweetheart with an afro about this big. And I looked at her and I turned around out the class she had snuck out the back door. I went out the front door.

I chased her down. But we are so blessed and we've been married for 40 years but we have three grown children. And then we kept having fun and now we have Chance. He came when we were 41.

He's a sophomore in college and he just turned 20 years of age. And we have nine grandchildren. But I think about it being married to Melanie.

Yes. But then I have a mom. I had a mom and pop. Dad went to be with the Lord on February 12th 2000 the same day as my mentor coach Tom Landry.

I used to be chaplain with the Dallas Cowboys. Both of them went to heaven and they're partying and having more fun than us. But I think about dad and mom eight months after daddy on my 45th birthday.

She went to be with the Lord. But I think about all that I've learned over the years. And in my life how many of you let me ask you a question real quick in fact.

Well before that dad shared with me also. He said son don't ever forget it. Opportunity will come. It's going to come. The ball will bounce your way one day son. But when it comes your way when opportunity comes will you notice it.

And if you notice it will you be prepared fail to prepare prepare to fail. But I think about it when I was a little 16 year old sophomore. How many of you by the way have seen the movie Remember the Titans or whatever. And if some of you see me.

All right. Well anyway I know the ladies remember because Denzel Washington is the star. But anyway I don't know how we're the same age but he looks so much better. But in that movie Remember the Titans I had the privilege to be on the team that lost to the Titans in real life in the state championship game. The blue uniforms was my team. They said our team was all white but it wasn't. We had eight African-Americans on our team and we played against the Titans back in 1971. I was a 16 year old sophomore. I ran back kicks and played wide receiver. And I remembered in the movie how they beat us on the last play of the game. I love that. But in real life they beat us 27 to 0.

So whatever Hollywood has to fix that. But I don't feel bad because only three teams scored on them that year. They were very very good.

The reason why I'm telling you that is this. After my senior year I was on coach Boone who Denzel portrayed I was on his all star team in Virginia. I was a pretty good athlete and he coached me that year. But anyway talking about the Titans and that is this.

They beat us pretty bad and all that. But the same year we lost to the Titans my white coach talking about African-American history month. My white coach got in my face about something. I go to the cafeteria blacks on one side whites on another. I sit with my black friends and I share with them that my coach got in my face about something.

They like carry quit the team. Don't play for that racist coach. Don't be an Uncle Tom. Here's why dads are greatly needed in the richest the most powerful country in the world. When I was a chaplain in Seoul, South Korea at the 88 games.

The folks would come up to me. Where are you from? I said I'm from America.

They said oh USA number one country in this type of thing. But in the richest the most powerful country in the world tonight 25 million children will go to bed without their biological father in the home. When that happens they're more likely to be poor more likely to drop out of school be involved in crime girls more likely to be pregnant as a teenager. But my daddy just being there those statistics flip flop believe it or not.

No perfect dads. I'm not Jim's not we're going to have struggles but by dad being there those statistics flip flop. I'm glad. That when I went home that day from the cafeteria daddy I'm quitting the team. I don't want to play for that racist coach. I'm not going to be an Uncle Tom. My daddy my dad said son.

I want to tell you something. Your coach is the winningest coach in the state of Virginia. At that time he was and son he won before you got here. He will win after you leave. Son you need the team more than the team needs you.

By the way your name you are Casey and you are a Christian. Son there's a way that we roll in our family. In essence your coach is not a racist.

He is checking out your character and your loyalty. Son you need the team more than the team needs you. I'll never forget it.

I went back to that team. That was in 1971 when daddy told me that. The movie came out 30 years later. Here's what I'm saying. There are decisions that we will make. There are decisions that our children will make.

That will literally dictate where we will be or our legacy will be 30 years from now. My mother and father never saw that movie. But the information that dad gave me literally allows me to know Jim Daley who was white. Kerry Casey who's African American. And he is my brother because of the blood of the lamb of Jesus Christ.

That's bottom line. I like to see her eyes light up and have her read some of the things to me. Son. Your child will love Focus on the Family Clubhouse and Focus on the Family Clubhouse Jr. magazines. They're filled with fun activities, jokes and faith-based stories that will capture your child's heart and imagination. It really is just a good age level for my kids and that's exactly what I was looking for. I'm so excited too that it just focuses on the Lord. Learn more at focusonthefamily.com slash club radio.