Recently, I have had several conversations with folks about racial and cultural reconciliation. This is a topic I am very passionate about because I believe that followers of Christ should be leaders in this area. Too often, though, we are not. We fall into patterns of comfort. We let the world dictate what our Christian relationships (or lack thereof) look like. Entire movements within Christianity have been built on homogenous church growth principles, meaning that if you want to grow a big church then you should only attempt to draw in people who look and act the same as each other. Don't bother trying to figure out how to reach people who are different than you. Perhaps that is oversimplifying that way of thinking, but that is my perception of it.
When I say that Christians should be leaders in this area, I mean that God calls ALL of us to be in relationship with one another through the body of Christ. Jesus showed us how to do it, but even the early church leaders in the New Testament struggled in this area. The work of reconciliation is often difficult, but it is necessary. Exclusionary Christianity is sin. There are many unwritten rules, codes of conduct, and stereotypes within the church that cause a great deal of pain. We will only make progress when we humble ourselves before God and actually learn to love one another. The body of Christ around the globe is extremely diverse, and we should seek to build strong relationships with one another while working toward the common goal of reaching the lost.
Many people might say, "That's nice, Bryan. Sure, you can talk like that but it will never happen." To that, I would say that it can and does happen, and we are all called to lean into these issues. Many Christians have come before us and paved the way. It will come at a cost, but it will be well worth it. Where do we begin? It starts with one relationship at a time. The question is: How are your relationships with people who are different than you? If you're thinking to yourself that your friends all look and act like you, then maybe it's time to be intentional about this issue and stretch yourself a bit. Be like Jesus.
3 comments:
Bryan
I agree. (I say that a lot, don't I? Maybe I need some new friends! LOL) If we are going to learn and 'expand our horizons' we need to intentionally meet and engage people differently from ourselves - not just racially, but also culturally, academically, financially, etc. i.e. we need to 'diverify' our relationships.
As always, we need to look at Jesus' example. You couldn't find a more diverse group than the apostles, right?
John V
Bryan, I really like this topic and am passionate about it too. I make an intentional effort to build relationships with a lot of people (I'm one of those people who can never have too many friends) and I really try to make friends who don't look like me (and no, I don't mean ugly). Just kidding! I love that I have friends of many cultures and ethnicities. I just need some more. I think the area of the country that we live in also dictates the ease of this and our "comfort level" b/c certain "norms" have been imposed into our minds. This is not an excuse for us to live exclusionary christianity but rather an observation from living in the Northeast and now in the south. It's very different with different set of norms.
John V said Jesus surely had a diverse grouping of friends. He made the effort to befriend the poor, prostitutes and widows. I'm cool with the poor and widows but my wife may have an issue if I bring home a prostitute and call her my friend.
Jason, you have always been a great example for me in how to maintain a broad range of friendships. You definitely live that out. Also, I have a funny story to share with you about your last comment (that will have to wait until I see you next weekend... not appropriate for the blog).
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