Pastors Jasper Williams III and Alecia Williams are dedicated to conveying the word of God in a digestible manner. As part of a new initiative, they are moving to create a unique community conversation at The Church, the ministry they lead in suburban Norcross, Georgia, about 20 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta.
The Williamses are leading a series called “Courageous Conversations” aimed at creating an open dialogue to break down the barriers, discuss societal issues and form working relationships among people of diverse backgrounds. The series begins Sunday, Feb. 17, 2019.
The pastors stopped by rolling out studios to discuss today’s pressing societal issues and how they will be tackling them during the conversation.
Tell us about “Courageous Conversations.”
Pastor Jasper Williams: It was an idea birthed out of some personal pain. When we were engaging at one of our children’s schools, we noticed a huge disconnect between being Christain and being regular citizens. We believe that you should be the same inside that you are outside. As we noticed that disconnect, we thought it would be good to celebrate Black History Month by being deliberate to create a safe environment to have courageous conversations.
Who will be a part of “Courageous Conversations?”
Pastor Jasper Williams: We have three guest panelists. My wife and I make a total of five. Dr. Robert Hughes is involved with politics in the city of Atlanta. Dr. Hughes is an African American man. Dr. Graham Walker Jr. [is] a seminary professor at Mercer College. Dr. Walker is a middle-aged White man. Grace Martino, who is fairly new to the city, [has] been here less than six months. She moved down from the North, and she is a Hispanic woman.
Pastor Alecia Williams: She’s a millennial, so we want to get different aspects, different demographics, not just racially but also when it comes to age. Some of the topics we want to discuss are the N-word, why it’s OK for us to say it and not OK for others; things like DACA [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals]; Make America Great Again, [and] why is it so divisive amongst us.
How can people get involved in this conversation?
JW: We do Facebook Live every Sunday. We are also streaming to YouTube. Our Facebook is @TheChurchJasperAleciaWilliams, and they can go there to catch the stream. A great way to do it would be to download our app, Relevant Life TV, and we stream there. When we go live there, people are able to see and chat with other believers. Our website is TheChurchInfo.org.
Is there anything else you want to share about your congregation?
JW: If people have never tried church before, we think that this would be a great place, a safe place, a nice entry into what our church culture is about.
Click here to watch rolling out‘s full interview with the Williamses.
