Having experienced prejudice and stereotyping among Christians, Pastor Kevin Kelly of Second Baptist Church in Little Rock realized that walls were being built between the body of believers, the church. Kelly warns, “The beginning of racial reconciliation and unity in the community hinges on Christianity- the church.” Along with the division and pain brought on from such segregation and partiality, he saw the destruction being passed onto younger generations in the church, igniting a passion in him to seek the understanding of people that were not like him.
He became involved in the CityChurch Network, a team of pastors and local leaders with one purpose – to unite the churches of Central Arkansas. It was here he met his now good friend, Ray Williams. Williams, an active leader in the CityChurch Network, fueled this desire inside Pastor Kelly, encouraging and seeding sight for unity in the community.
Pastor Kelly envisions that one day the churches in Little Rock would claim and headline themselves first to be the church of Central Arkansas and in smaller letters their church name, an example of their testament of oneness in the city. He anticipates churches of Central Arkansas partnering together and forming a coalition for unity not individuality. “But we are not yet there,” Kelly says. “We are still saying “me” and “I” instead of “us” and “ours”.
He goes on to say that although Christians have not reached the unity in the city that God has called them to, he strongly believes that God has poured an anointing on the city of Little Rock Unity among the body of believers simply allows us to do more, a whole lot more.” A unified community of Believers in Little Rock provides a biblical portrait in the community of what Jesus means when he tells his twelve “…the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these he shall do.” Jesus couldn’t have gathered a more diverse group of disciples but through their different backgrounds, professions, and religions they came together in Christ and miracles took place. Kelly feels that Christians have to step up and demonstrate this pure picture of love in Little Rock and with God miraculous things will happen.
