NAE President praises Sam Heath for his “commitments to justice”
Sam Heath of Charlottesville, Virginia, has been appointed the new manager of the EJUSA
Evangelical Network, a platform for faith leaders across the political spectrum who seek to
transform the justice system by promoting responses to violence that are rooted in the values of
racial equity, redemption and healing.
Heath, an educator by profession, is an elder at Trinity Presbytery Church (PCA) in
Charlottesville where he has been the coordinator of major educational conferences, including
Race: Unity in Diversity, which came in the wake of the so-called Unite the Right Rally in 2017.
He also founded and co-chairs a Multiethnicity Ministry Team tasked with helping move Trinity
to be an increasingly multi-ethnic organization in both its color and culture.
“I learned about the failures of the criminal justice system firsthand by visiting, over many years,
a close friend who was imprisoned,” Heath said. “That experience, combined with a growing
understanding of the true story of race in this country and the realization that the system
mistakenly values retribution over restoration, triggered an overwhelming desire to do this work.”
Heath has worked closely with Rev. Dr. Walter Kim, former Pastor for Leadership at Trinity
Presbyterian Church (PCA) who is also president of the National Association of Evangelicals.
“It is clear that Sam’s commitments to justice arise out of a deep love for Jesus and for others,”
Rev. Kim said. “He is keenly aware of the magnificent opportunities, as well as the persistent
obstacles, that some segments of evangelicalism have with matters of social justice. I trust Sam
for this work at this critical juncture in evangelicalism.”
Jamila Hodge, executive director of Equal Justice USA, the Evangelical Network’s parent
organization, also believes Heath’s arrival comes at the right time.
“Sam is a leader among the growing number of evangelicals who want a justice system that
reflects their belief that every person has immeasurable value and that every individual should
be treated with respect and dignity,” Hodge said. “Sam’s deep personal faith and commitment to
racial justice and agape love makes him the perfect person to lead this important work and
expand the Evangelical Network as a platform for those who want to build the solutions that
deliver healing and equity to all people.”
