One Faith One People Series

David Stone, teaching pastor at Southwest Christian Church in Louisville, one of the largest churches in the nation, said in a recent interview: “We are living in a world that tries to define us based upon our race, based upon our socio-economic class that we find ourselves in, based upon our heritage. And Christ says, “There is no longer Jew nor Gentile, there is no longer free nor slave.” You know, we all are one in Christ, and that’s the focus.”

Some of you know my eldest son, Timothy. Some of you are aware that Timothy was always attracted to girls with skin a darker hue than his own. You might even be aware that he brought into our family a lovely woman of African-American decent. Now we have three grandkids, one by marriage, Khaelin, two by birth, Mason and Rylie … three varying shades of color. Do I want the kids in their neighborhood to think of them as the white kids or the black kids? Do I want them to be kept at arm’s length because they are viewed as someone who is racially and culturally different? If they are viewed as outsiders – those people would miss out on a relationship that could really brighten their lives.

I love being part of this church. I love being in a family where the walls of ethnic distrust and animosity are being dismantled. We have come a long way, and we serve as a model for much of our community, nation and Christianity of the difference Christ can make on the issue of racial reconciliation.

But here’s my question: I wonder if we are still missing out here in our community. I wonder how many people whom we cross paths with regularly, who are just waiting for someone to reach out to them or longing for someone to include them… It might be the Latino coworker in the office beside you. It may be the Indian doctor who did a physical on you last week. It might be the Asian bank employee who is so kind to you. It may be the Caucasian individual who you work out with at the fitness club. It might be the Native American who is your daughter’s favorite teacher. Don’t miss out on the person inside because they look different to you on the outside. Perhaps you could help connect them to Jesus Christ. Maybe they could help you grow spiritually.

But for some of you it’s going to take changing the way you see and interact with people. It may mean leaning in rather than drawing back. In your bulletin are listed three challenges that I would like to place with you:

1) If you don’t have a close friend of another race, make it a point to try and befriend someone and get to know them. Invite them to lunch.

2) If your group or Bible study or ministry team is full of a bunch of people who look like you, then intentionally invite others to join your circle who are from another ethnicity.

3) Pray regularly for God to cross your paths with those who are from a different culture. And when he does, you have got to take advantage of those divine appointments when He brings people along, and you’ve got to love them where you are.