By Rev. Dr. Dezo Schreiner
The name Beloved Community is not an accident.
It’s deeply meaningful that this is who we are becoming especially when we remember that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who gave the world language for the Beloved Community, was a pastor in the American Baptist tradition. That means this vision is part of our spiritual family story. And when we honor Dr. King, we are not celebrating a person as much as we are celebrating the work God did through him.
Which tells us something important: someday, God may use any of us in ways worth celebrating too.
The question is not whether God is calling.
The real question is whether we are willing to say yes.
And let’s be honest–saying yes is costly. We know what it cost Dr. King. We know what it costs anyone who chooses faithfulness over comfort.
That’s why the words of the prophet Amos matter so much right now.
When Everything Looks Fine–but Isn’t
The prophet Amos spoke during a time of national strength and economic growth in Israel. On the surface, things looked good. Worship services were happening. Festivals were full. Songs were being sung. Offerings were being brought. Religion was active and impressive.
But underneath the surface, something was deeply wrong.
The system benefited the wealthy and crushed the vulnerable. The poor were pushed aside. The courts were corrupt. The powerful were comfortable, while the weak were ignored.
So God sent a prophet.
Not a king.
Not a priest.
Not a religious insider.
God sent Amos, a fig farmer, an everyday person with an extraordinary message.
And through Amos, God said something shocking:
“I hate, I despise your festivals…
Take away from me the noise of your songs.”
That is uncomfortable language.
God was not rejecting worship because worship is wrong. God was rejecting worship because it had become performance without transformation. Worship had turned into noise because it was disconnected from justice, righteousness, and obedience.
Religion was being used as a mask to avoid responsibility.
What God Actually Wants
God doesn’t just name what’s wrong–God tells us what would be pleasing:
“Let justice roll down like waters,
and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.”
That image matters. This is not a suggestion. It’s not optional. Justice is not a side project for the church.
Justice is the heart of God.
Justice rolling like water is unstoppable.
Righteousness flowing like a river is life-giving.
Where justice flows, healing comes.
Where righteousness flows, dignity is restored.
Where God’s ways are lived out, people begin to breathe again.
And the church is called to be part of that flow.
More Than a Sunday Church
If we are going to answer the call to Beloved Community, we need to be clear about something:
God does not want a church that only knows how to shout on Sunday.
God wants a church that knows how to serve on Monday.
Faith was never meant to live only in a sanctuary. Real worship shows up in homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods–where people are hurting and hoping and trying to survive.
Real worship is not just what happens in church.
Real worship is how we treat one another when we leave.
That’s why the Beloved Community is not just a beautiful phrase. It is a spiritual vision, a justice-centered faith, and part of our church’s Next 170 vision.
It is God’s dream that divided people become reconciled.
That overlooked people are seen.
That those pushed to the margins are brought into the center of love.
That no one is disposable. No one is forgotten.
Unity Without Uniformity
The call to Beloved Community is not a call to uniformity.
We do not all vote the same.
We do not all see every issue the same way.
We do not share the same life experiences.
And that is not a weakness, it’s a witness.
In a world that profits from division, the church is called to show a different way. Unity does not mean pretending we don’t disagree. It means choosing not to destroy one another over those disagreements.
We cannot sing “Blessed Assurance” and curse each other in our hearts.
We cannot say we love Jesus while refusing to love our neighbors.
The courage we need today is not the courage to win arguments.
It is the courage to keep loving each other while we pursue God’s righteousness together.
What Faithfulness Looks Like This Week
So what does God ask of us right now?
Not perfection.
Not impressive religion.
But faithful lives.
Here are three simple, courageous steps:
Keep worshipping, but worship with integrity.
Let worship shape your character, not just your emotions.Look for where justice needs to roll through your life.
Ask: Who is being ignored? Who is being treated unfairly? Then do something--even something small.Build Beloved Community where you already are.
In your home. Your workplace. Your neighborhood. Your church.
Beloved Community is not built through speeches.
It is built through daily choices.
God is calling us to be more than a Sunday morning church.
God is calling us to be a healing church, a courageous church, a church that lives what it sings and practices what it prays.
And I believe, we are that church. Or at least, we are becoming it.
So let us answer the call.
Not with pride, but with humility.
Not with fear, but with faith.
Not with bitterness, but with love.
Because the world is still waiting to see what the church looks like when justice rolls like a river.
And Beloved, we can be that church.
Summary: Key Questions & Answers
What is the “Beloved Community”?
The Beloved Community is God’s vision of a reconciled world where justice, love, dignity, and righteousness shape how people live together.
Why does the prophet Amos matter today?
Amos reminds us that worship without justice becomes empty noise. God cares deeply about how people–especially the vulnerable–are treated.
Is justice a political issue or a biblical one?
Justice is central to Scripture. From Amos to Jesus, justice is the heart of God, not a trend or an optional topic.
What does God want from the church?
God wants faithful lives, not just impressive worship–faith that lives beyond Sunday and shows up in daily actions.
How can I live out the Beloved Community this week?
By worshipping with integrity, noticing where injustice exists, taking small faithful actions, and choosing unity rooted in love.
What is God calling us to right now?
To be more than a gathering church–to be a healing, courageous, justice-seeking community shaped by God’s love.