Ministry Team Fiasco
Theme for this Week: It's Mutual
Raleigh Washington
Thursday, December 27, 2001
 1 of 1
Key Bible Verse: So accept each other just as Christ has accepted you; then God will be glorified (Romans 15:7).
Bonus Reading: Romans 15:1-6
We sent a ministry team out in two vans. Jennifer, a young white volunteer was one leader. In her van was Denise, a young black believer with a forceful personality. She torpedoed the entire trip.
On their return, I learned that Jennifer was deeply hurt, and called them into my office. After listening to both, it was clear that Jennifer had made some mistakes but was at most 10 percent at fault. Denise was mainly responsible. They tried to reconcile their differences but couldn't.
Later I told Jennifer, "The strong must bear the weaknesses of those less strong. Denise is a young believer. You're more mature. So you ask her for forgiveness."
Jennifer broke down and wept, but eventually went and asked Denise for forgiveness. About three months later, Denise was convicted and went back to her white counterpart. "You know, Jennifer," she said, "you took responsibility for the problem on the trip. But really, it was my fault." They reconciled.
But two white friends of Jennifer concluded, "The black pastor is favoring Denise because she's black." Without airing their grievance, they left the church.
Raleigh Washington in Leadership My Response:
I'm willing to go more than "halfway" to root out racism by .
Thought to Apply
If we are not careful, the experiences we have had in the past with a certain individual.
become the reality with which we interact.
John Claypool
Adapted from: Leadership (Winter 1995).
Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc./Men of Integrity magazine.
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Dear Father: Help us, without ignoring our differences, to achieve equality by realizing that we each offer something the other person needs.
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