Warnock’s election win in GA inspires these Macon pastors: ‘We do more than preach.’

As he headed to church on Jan. 6, Pastor Dominique Johnson of Kingdom Life heard the news that the Rev. Raphael Warnock won the U.S. Senate seat for Georgia.

“I felt good. I felt proud and want to see another Black man achieve such a great feat,” Johnson said. “I just felt good to show that hey, particularly for those in urban contexts, we see that our voices matter.”

Having a theological background will help Warnock see the whole picture and ensure that everyone’s voice is heard, Johnson said.

Pastor Chris Carter of The Healing Experience Ministries said working as a pastor gives a person compassion for people who are struggling in different ways.

“He has been in the trenches of how we have to serve people, so he’s seen the good, bad and the ugly,” Carter said. “That just brings excitement to know that someone knows firsthand the issues that we see as pastors, and he can bring that to the table when he goes in that position.”

Pastor Jason McClendon of Community Church of God said Warnock worked for the past 20 years to help his community improve in ways including healthcare and human rights.

“If you can’t trust the pastor, who can you trust?” he said with a laugh.

Warnock being elected to the U.S. Senate kills the rhetoric that the only thing a pastor can do is preach and how they are meant to do so much more for the community, McClendon said.

“It shows the real genre of work that pastors do,” he said. “I believe so many politicians overlook a pastor’s influence. They must see we do more than preach. They must see that we are community builders. They must see that the call on our lives is not only to share the message of reconciliation, which was founded by Jesus Christ, but we are also committed to seek the peace of the city.”

First Black man to represent Georgia in the Senate

Warnock made history on Jan. 6 by becoming the first Black man to represent Georgia in the U.S. Senate.

Carter, who is also a teacher in Bibb County, said Warnock’s victory represents something much greater to the youth of Bibb County.

“I see a lot of young folks who feel discouraged by they may not have opportunities in life,” he said. “To see someone like him get in that position gives hope to those who may feel like they can’t progress, especially in the African American community.”

Warnock’s win shows people that they can achieve their goals and dreams, Johnson said.

“To have someone who’s clergy, who is educated, who looks like us, representing us and not just us, I’m pretty sure he’ll do a good job of representing all of the constituents of Georgia,” he said.

What’s next for the political discourse?

Although Johnson said he believes a tide is turning in Georgia, the results of Georgia’s elections still shows division in the community, he said.

Warnock won the seat against former Senator Kelly Loeffler with less than 100,000 votes.

“I think the voice of the people saying, ‘Hey, we want change. We want to give people something else to think about and dream about,’” he said.

However, Johnson said the division creates an opportunity for growth as well.

“I think you need different opinions just not so radically different opinions when we start to dishonor each other,” he said.

Other than the Gospel of Jesus Christ, he said a solution to the community’s division is to truly listen and hear each other.

“I think we have to get in the proximity of each other and really begin to listen and work toward a common goal,” he said. “I’m just looking forward to the future.”

‘The content of our character”

McClendon believes Warnock’s win proves that not only Black Georgians or Democrats voted for him, but some Republicans voted for him too.

“I believe that’s progress in Georgia, that we are moving past the sins of our past, and really believing in the American dream, where we are not going to concentrate on the barrier of race, but we are willing to accept that we are all God’s children,” he said.

McClendon was overjoyed that his home state was able to elect a Black senator, and he believes Warnock has Georgia’s best interest at heart, he said.

“I was pleased that there were people that looked beyond his color; Martin Luther King told us that there would come a day in Georgia where people would look at the content of our character and not the color of our skin,” he said. “For Reverend Warnock to be elected senator, that had to happen. People were able to see his character, and I was thankful to see that we could come to that place in the polarizing times that we’re living in.”

This story was originally published January 18, 2021 at 12:00 AM.