Uniting the Church Towards a Brighter Future

 

National Unity Weekend

It has been my privilege to serve on the ECFA’s board for almost 6 years now. I have been asked to share about a powerful initiative that is making a difference in churches and ministries across the country, National Unity Weekend.  But first, let me go back over 30 years to the end of a chapel service held on the campus of Howard University. The campus minister ended his message by asking people to come forward to accept Christ as Savior.I stood and not only was my life forever changed, but my perspective on race relations.

As I have led a predominantly African American church for over 25 years, I have come to see racial and ethnic diversity as an essential expression of God’s vision and purpose for the church. February is marked by acknowledging Black History, but it must not only be about looking back on our past, but also making meaningful strides toward a brighter future. That is what National Unity Weekend is all about.

  • Imagine if once a year, pastors spent hours personally studying the scriptures to teach a message about racial healing.  

  • Imagine if congregations were informed by the Bible rather than pundits on what the Bible teaches about favoritism & fairness.

  • Imagine if congregations and ministries across the nation united once a year to be the hands and feet of the gospel by serving underserved communities.

  • Imagine if Christian leaders connected regularly to build cross ethnic relationships. 

Vision

To elevate the Christ-centered church as the key facilitator in leading our society toward racial unity and serving the needs of diverse American communities in both word and deed through teaching the Gospel and service/volunteerism (Romans 10:17, Psalm 107:20, Luke 12:33-34, Luke 14:12-14).

Purpose

In the last hours before the crucifixion, Jesus prayed His final prayers. All the apostles were Jewish, but Jesus had a much larger vison that had been richly woven into the prophetic Scriptures for over a millennium (Genesis 22:18, Isaiah 42:1; 49:6). He envisioned a day when every nation, gender, race, culture, language, class, and status would call upon His great name (Rev. 7:9-10).

Jesus was painfully aware of human weakness, but He was also completely confident in the work of the Holy Spirit (John 14:15-17; 14:26; 16:3-4). Understanding the stress and strain this vision would create for His fledgling church, He faced the issue in prayer. "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." (John 17:20-21). Jesus prayed that all His present and future disciples would rise above the inevitable differences that would result from diversity and become as united to one another as He and the Father had always been. Jesus then promised that God would use this unity as proof positive to the watching world of the divine origin of the Christian faith.

Mission

National Unity Weekend is an opportunity for believers to demonstrate our faith by sharing the Bible’s transformative message of racial and ethnic unity from pulpits across the country, and to practically demonstrate God’s love and our oneness in Christ across racial, ethnic, cultural, socio-economic, and denominational lines, by serving the underserved in our local communities.

    1. Beginning in 2023, the 2nd weekend of June each year, churches and ministries across the United States will focus on teaching and preaching a biblical perspective on racial unity from a shared text – in either a single sermon or series (Acts 10:34, Galatians 3:28, John 13:34).

    2. That same weekend, volunteers will annually unite to serve underserved communities across the United States as a practical demonstration of the love in action as the Gospel commands (Matt 5:16, I John 3:18, Titus 3:8).

NUW 2023 Inaugural Statistics

  • 101 Churches & 40 Christian organizations involved.

  • 23 States and Washington, DC & Puerto Rico, India & Uganda participated.

  • 18 food distribution sites across 3 states.

  • 70,000 pounds of food

  • 10,000 people fed

  • Over 500 volunteers

Goals for NUW 2024

  1. 1,000 churches preaching a healing message on Unity Sunday

  2. 40 States represented

  3. Food resources provided at 100 sites

  4. 50,000 food insecure people served

  5. 1,000 salvations

  6. 100 church & non-profit partnerships across the country

  7. Raise adequate funds to support the work

National Unity Weekend 2024

As Black History Month comes to a close, it’s important to familiarize ourselves with the contributions African Americans have and are making in society.  But it is also important as children of God to demonstrate our faith by embracing diversity and facilitating racial healing. 

To become a key facilitator in healing the racial divide in America, join with hundreds of leaders across the nation for National Unity Weekend, June 8-9, 2024. 

Go to NationalUnityWeekend.com for more information.

 

Derek Grier currently serves as the founding pastor of Grace Church in Dumfries, Virginia. The church began in 1998 with 12 people and under his leadership, has grown to more than 7,000 members and has over 40 life-changing ministries. In late 2023, he initiated Derek Grier Ministries on various social media platforms, reaching millions of viewers monthly. His radio and television broadcasts have also gained a substantial audience both in the United States and around the globe.

Grier was ordained a bishop in 2008 by the late Dr. Myles Munroe. He currently mentors hundreds of Christian leaders and business owners through the Renaissance Leadership Network (RLN). Grier serves on several Board of Directors, including the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), which provides accreditation to leading Christian nonprofit organizations that faithfully demonstrate high standards for financial accountability and transparency.

Bishop Grier’s uncompromising approach to preaching and teaching the gospel has helped him lead Grace Church in phenomenal growth. In 2023 Grace was listed in Outreach Magazine's annual "100 Fastest Growing Churches in America" as the 5th fastest growing church in the United States, with the 2nd greatest percentage gain across the 100 fastest growing churches.

In 2011, Grier founded Virginia Christian College, a highly respected institution for Christian education. He currently assumes the role of Chancellor, with Dr. Courtney McBath serving as the President. Grier is well-published and his most recent publication, "When God Stops," was released by Thomas Nelson Publishing in August of 2019.

Derek Grier’s most recent God-inspired initiative, National Unity Weekend, was founded to position the Christ-centered church as a pivotal force in guiding society toward racial unity. Addressing the diverse needs of American communities through both Gospel teachings and practical service, National Unity Weekend is celebrated each second weekend in the month of June.

Derek and his wife, Yeromitou, reside in northern Virginia and have two adult sons: Derek Jr., David and daughter-in-law Debby.