On a Thursday in late January, the second annual Movement Day Greater Dallas (MDGD) was held, attracting more than 2,000 leaders and recording the highest attendance of any Movement Day gathering to date. With a focus on unity and a vision to bring together every sector of the Christian community, I witnessed leaders from diverse backgrounds continue to make great strides towards working together to transform the cities of Greater Dallas with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I saw unity modeled in the friendship of Pastor Bryan Carter and Pastor Jeff Warren. Birthed from Movement Day 2014, the friendship between these men is championing the cause of racial reconciliation in Dallas and setting an exemplary pattern for other leaders to follow.
In watching these two men, Grant Skeldon, the founder of the missional millennial network, Initiative, made this observation. “I learned that racial reconciliation is a great message preached but a better message lived. Jeff Warren and Bryan Carter symbolized this truth with their dynamic tag-team message that could only be done through the chemistry and trust of a sincere friendship. They weren’t individually trying to make a point. They collaboratively made a difference.”
I saw committed track leaders volunteer their time and work tirelessly to design, manage and implement quality breakout sessions.
Rafael Munoz, the design leader for the Immigrant Care track, emphasized the role of unity and collaboration during their session. “We created a snapshot of leaders working together across DFW. By doing this, we can better appreciate the value of linking our relationships to one another and getting a better understanding of how much of an area is covered. What I observed is that many organizations and leaders need to develop relationships that result in strategic partnerships to accomplish their work collaboratively. We hope to promote those kinds of links and to place attention on areas that will help positively impact the community.”
I saw a leadership council of over 20 students emerge from a group of 125 students engaged in the Youth Leadership track.
Handling dual responsibilities in the leadership of this track, Munoz was impressed. “The students shared a profound level of understanding and experiences from their encounter with negative messaging embedded in social media platforms. The students rallied together to identify a daily action where they will be committed to sending positive messages from their favorite phone apps. In February, they will come together via conference call and bring their proposed strategies for consideration. We are encouraged by their focus, and we want to continue to support their leadership capacity and those who are giving their time to develop the support networks for youth.”
I saw our millennial partners handle the major responsibility of designing, managing, and implementing the evening portion of the conference—a first for MDGD. What a blessing to watch these young leaders taking the necessary steps to make a difference in our city.
Skeldon felt as if he were witnessing the largest generationally, denominationally and racially diverse gathering of faith leaders that he had ever seen, coming together for the sake of God moving in this city. He further added, “I witnessed a younger generation who responded to a high calling and a higher responsibility. It is a younger generation that refuses to leave the Church, but it also refuses not to be the Church.”
I saw pastors, nonprofit leaders, and young adults that are tired of fighting over secondary issues at the expense of coming together and proclaiming Jesus through word and deed in Dallas.
I saw and heard people ready to work together for transformational change.
Jon Edmonds is the executive director Movement Day Greater Dallas and was awarded the President William Jefferson Clinton HUD Homeownership Partnership Award in 1995-96 for work done as president of the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership in Indianapolis, IN, prior to coming to Dallas.
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