Judson University chapel services to focus on race relations

Judson University in Elgin will host three chapel services next week highlighting race relations in the nation, the church, and community.

Race Matters Week services begin at 10 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Herrick Chapel on Judson's campus, 1151 N. State St. The event is free and open to the public.

"We have students who have not experienced very diverse communities," said Chris Lash, Judson director of university ministries. "We see chapel as a spiritual and intellectual platform for students to talk about things like race. We want to show students that color blindness is not an option ... that is not only impossible, but it doesn't honor the cultures that we come from. That's why we call it race matters. We want to emphasize the reality that our race, our ethnic background, our cultural background, it all plays a part into who we are."

Lash said he hopes the discussions will tackle hard racial truths about American history, "and discuss some of those tensions and problems that operate beneath the surface."

Monday's guest speaker is spoken-word artist JGivens (Jeremiah Timothy Givens), formerly of the Humble Beast Records label. JGivens is known for his Christian hip-hop inspired 2015 album, "Fly Exam," which marked his third studio release. Judson's prospective students will attend the service as part of an Overnight Preview Day.

On Wednesday, the Rev. Soong-Chan Rah, a blogger and the Milton B. Engebretson professor of church growth and evangelism at North Park University in Chicago, will speak. He has written books on the racial integration of churches: "Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church" (Moody Publishers), "The Next Evangelicalism: Releasing the Church from Western Cultural Captivity" (InterVarsity Press), and "Mercy and Justice" (InterVarsity Press).

Chris Beard, head pastor of Peoples Church Cincinnati in Ohio, will lead Friday's chapel service. After 2001 race riots in his city, Beard drafted a new mission for his church, whose congregation represents more than 35 countries, focusing on racial conciliation.