How Does Your Church Handle Racism

You're right. Absolutely right. If only more of us would take this stance...there would be not need for racism, discrimation, sexism, or anything else. We woul have that freedom to love each other as Christ loved us.

Mike, my experience has been that the more we interact with people different from us the more we stop seeing stereotypes and start seeing individuals. So on a church level, I think rather than just teaching against racism the best results can be achieved by arranging situations that bring different groups together. Leaders from predominantly black and white churches can partner on community service/ministry opportunities, bring people from their congregations together. As people start to meet, get to know, and enjoy serving with people different from them, racism will start to go away naturally.

Brian,

You are right. Its better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. These are some great ideas. I hope someone here can benefit from these ideas

There is only One whose opinion counts, and He's given us all the opportunity to be the King's kids. How can we be racist?

Where I park my body on Sunday morning, I sit next to people with ancestry from many places, including Africa, Guatemala, Mexico, India, Pakistan, Eukrane, and those of us with "European Mutt" ancestry.

I have never seen racism there, and would be really surprised to hear about it. With the focus on Jesus, and what He's done, there is no focus on us, and what we've done (for good or bad).

Judy...you're absolutely right! Ultimately God is the only One who should be lifted up...not any particular race. But unfortunately many people don't believe that. Thank God there are people like you who do see the importance of equality...but alas some other people don't quite see it the same way...

Then doesn't it make sense to QUIT focusing on the things that cause us to be racist/greedy/proud/self righteous? All of these come from the flesh. As long as you concentrate on sin, sin will reign. The power of sin is in the law--if you don't believe that, just tell a kid not to do something!

It is not a matter of lifting God up...like He needs us to glorify Him! It is a matter of realizing that He has lifted us up. We don't concentrate on not being racist, or greedy, or self-righteous. Those things will be added to you, if you seek FIRST the Kingdom of God.

Teach, preach, and practice this, and you will take the sting out of racism (and other sins as well).

"It is not a matter of lifting God up...It is a matter of realizing that He has lifted us up." Could you elaborate on that one?

I just read a discussion from a group that is decidedly anti-Christian, and realized how little people understand what Christianity is. Very many people think it's a cosmic, "get out of jail, free" card--allowing Christians to do whatever they want, and not be held accountable.

On the other hand, many Christians think it's a way of making ourselves pure enough for God. This leads to comparing ourselves to others, which leads to self-righteousness--and racism!

Instead, Christ came to take care of two major problems--we are dead, and we are sinful. He took care of the sin at the cross--that is true! One doesn't have to be a Christian for Jesus to do what He did for you. But a forgiven person is still DEAD, until he individually accepts the LIFE that Jesus took up again at the Resurrection. The cross took away sin. The Resurrection defeated death.

After that, it is all of Him, and His LIFE in you. Concentrate on teaching who we are in Christ, and we quit worrying about what other people are doing. Seeing that we are all made "complete", ONLY by the life of Christ, we quit worrying about who's the best--and that is the root of racism, isn't it?

Great points!

Mike and All:
My best friend growing up was a "native american of hispanic descent", that's what the illegal's from south of the border called him, I always thought he was an american from a mexican heritage. I've been homeless now for a little over half a year, well, not homeless, believers have taken me in,... a 'true' native american, 1/2 crow and 1/2 chippewa, kept me in his house for several months, and since I moved to the carolinas for the purpose of going on to the mission field, my host family here has been a wonderful pastor and his wife, 3 boys, and a neice. They both work during the week, and support the church of 1 3/4 families + me. A start up ministry of about a year. They are "african american?" They have more formal education than I do, so I guess they do ok money wise, all else being equal, but with that amount of ministry, I'm sure you can imagine it is a struggle for them, financially. I'm hoping, was intending to go to China, to teach Hebrew for the "back to Jerusalem movement" but my finances... Well, that's why I lost my home in the first place. Oh, yea, I'm ...well, what am I, white? Caucasian? I tan pretty well, during the summer, and I've never been to (or from) the Caucus's. I guess I'm "Anglo-European-American" I can vouch for the American part, my family tree holds three signers of the Declaration of Independence, plus $2.17, and I can get coffee at Denny's (inflation, you know) Used to be two bits! What's my point? "Racial characteristics make up less than 1/2 of 1% of our make-up, and all of that is superficial! Oh, I forgot to add, My auto mechanic was Oskar Schindler's grand nephew... and I patronized his establishment because,... he was an honest man, who stood behind his work. Over the course of a 19 year relationship, I found out that he was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam, and in the last six months before I move away from the area, I found out about his relation to Oskar Schindler, and that he had been nominated for the Congressional Medal of Honor, so you just may never know, unless you get to know people. I believe God gives us our gender, race, national heritage, social position, wealth or lack there of, to see what we will make of the opportunities. OJ's mom worked very hard to give him opportunity, you got to respect that. He used that opportunity to make a name for himself in sports. Did he fall from the heights because of His racial heritage, or for lack of depth of character, or because he let his emotions get the best of him? As I understand it, his mother was a Christian woman, so I would guess he had some instruction in right living, what went wrong? What went wrong in Germany, 60+ years ago? Race? or straying from faith in the Living Elohim (God) who Created all things. My Scriptures say that mankind was made in His express image and likeness, doesn't say anything about skin tone. Wait, Adam means Red, but then, we are all descended from Adam, and I guess descended is the right word, huh?

I'll be honest: you lost me a little bit. But I guess you're saying that race is not really to make superior or inferior? And if that's what you're saying I agree wholeheartedly:)

Mike:  Yea, that is what I was trying to say.  It's not about ethnicity, it's about character!  Character is reflects how we incorporate God into our lives, or not.  That's it in a nutshell.  And sorry, I seem to loose a lot of people, I am working on being a better communicator.

James  Miller

James,

Don't worry about it. It's not what you said but how much you said that lost me. You lost me cause you had so much to say LOL! But you're right it all boils down to character...

First step is to admit we are doing a lousy job of it. Second step is to look for ways to reach out, reach in, appreciate and accept each others different approaches to worship, culture, life. Getting exposure is probably the most important thing - people tend to cling to their familiar comforts and get uncomfortable in a new setting.
I have attended Brooklyn Tabernacle a few times - What a great example of racial diversity in a thriving church.

Brooklyn Tabernacle is a fantastic church! They really understand the concept of diversity. And the suggestions you mentioned would really be effective in combating this "sin."

It has never been an issue at any church I've attended. Who cares whether a fellow worshiper is white, black, yellow or red? After all, men have spoken to angels without knowing it.

A week ago at Saint John Melkite-Greek Catholic Church I noticed a black man who looked like might be homeless. After the Divine Liturgy I asked him to join us in the parish center for coffee and a small snack --- that particular day it was for bagels and cream cheese, etc. We sat together and had a nice discussion.

At other times, I have attended Saint Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. There I sit, a white man, surrounded by Indian Christians. They accept me and I accept them. God brought them half-way around the world to worship with me --- shouldn't I drive a few miles to worship with them?

Well that's awesome! Its awesome that its never been an issue and that you have the character to reach out to someone different than you. Thanks for sharing!