Dr. Crowder shared the following in a letter to future Living Waters Region Clergy on Thursday, March 5.
I Am Somebody: A Disciples Witness Born from the Movement.
Beloved Colleagues,
For me, that declaration is not merely affirmation—it is formation. It is memory. It is theological conviction. I am a child of the Civil Rights Movement. I was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in the same hospital where the body of Martin Luther King Jr. was taken—sixteen months and eleven days after he was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel. I entered the world in a city still grieving, still organizing, still praying. The air carried sorrow, but it also carried resolve. The movement was not history—it was heartbeat. As I have grown in ministry within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), I have come to understand that my birth story and my denominational identity are deeply aligned.
A Movement Church in a Movement Moment
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has long described itself as a “movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” That language resonates with me because I was born out of a movement moment in American history. The Civil Rights Movement sought wholeness in a racially fragmented society. It sought justice in systems built on inequality. It sought beloved community where division had reigned. Likewise, our Disciples identity calls us beyond institutional preservation toward transformational presence. We are not simply a church that gathers; we are a church that goes. We are a people of the Table and a people sent from the Table.
Remembering at the Visitation
I was reminded of this sacred continuity recently when my spouse, Dr. Stephanie B. Crowder, and I attended the visitation of our mentor, the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr.. Standing there, I felt the weight of generational transition. Rev. Jackson’s voice helped a nation remember the dignity of Black life through the powerful refrain, “I Am Somebody.” That declaration was not merely political—it was pastoral. It was theological. It affirmed divine image in the face of dehumanization. In that moment, I realized again that to say “I am somebody” as a Disciple is to affirm that every person who approaches the Lord’s Table is somebody. No hierarchy. No preferred seating. No diminished dignity. Our open Table is not symbolic politeness—it is radical proclamation.
Pastor and Activist in the Disciples Tradition
Some attempt to separate pastoral ministry from social witness. But within the Disciples tradition, Word and Table naturally lead to mission. As an activist pastor, I see no contradiction. When we proclaim Christ, we proclaim One who announced good news to the poor, release to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom for the oppressed. When we gather at the Table, we rehearse equity. When we baptize, we affirm belonging. When we bless, we send. Our polity encourages local autonomy, yet our covenant calls us into shared accountability. That balance challenges us not to retreat into comfort but to engage our communities courageously.
A Regional Vision Rooted in Wholeness
One of my regional pastoral visions is to lead our congregations deeper into missional work that makes the world a better place. For Disciples, that means: • Addressing injustice not as a trend but as a theological concern. • Engaging economic disparities as matters of stewardship and equity. • Supporting education, community partnerships, and advocacy as expressions of faith. • Cultivating congregations that are spiritually grounded and socially aware. Missional work is not an accessory to our identity—it is central to it. We are called to be a visible sign of unity in Christ. We are called to model reconciliation. We are called to embody hope.
“I Am Somebody” as Disciples Theology
Within the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), we affirm that ALL are welcome at the Table of the Lord. That affirmation demands more than hospitality; it demands justice. If ALL are welcome, then ALL are worthy. If ALL are worthy, then ALL are somebody. If ALL are somebody, then systems that diminish human dignity must be challenged. The movement that shaped my birth and the movement that defines our denominational life both insist on this truth: dignity is not earned; it is bestowed by God.
Carrying the Movement Forward
Being born sixteen months and eleven days after Dr. King’s assassination does not grant me special status. It grants me sacred responsibility. As a Disciple, I stand at the intersection of memory and mission. I inherit a movement that marched. I serve in a movement that proclaims wholeness. I am called to help weave justice and unity together in tangible ways.
I am somebody
And because I am somebody, I am committed to building a Church—and a region— where every person who walks through our doors, and every neighbor beyond them, can say the same with confidence and conviction. The Table is open. The mission is clear. The movement continues. And by God’s grace, so will we.
