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James Meeks has quickly become one of the most dynamic religious and civic leaders in the nation. As pastor of Salem Baptist Church in Chicago, he oversees the largest African American congregation in Illinois. He is also an Illinois state senator and serves as executive vice president of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. Driven by his passion for education, he opened Salem Christian Academy in 1990, where children in grades K-8 receive quality educational instruction combined with Christian-based principles. James and his wife, Jamell, have four children.

If you only address the things that face your ethnicity, you're not really concerned about social ills. The most dangerous thing we can do is to look at social projects that are African American-sensitive only. What about clean air? White people breathe and black people breathe. Clean air would benefit both of us. What about prescription drugs for seniors? There are old white people and old black people.

I hope to persuade African American and white evangelicals to work together. And I'm willing to start small—say, by getting together for dinner. I want my children to see that. Most black children grow up never having had dinner with white people. Most white people grow up never having had African Americans in their homes. So we view each other as 30-second sound bites on television. We can do it with ten families, do it with five, do it with those who are willing. It has to get started somewhere. The world will never see how colorblind Jesus is until they see how colorblind the church is.

Adapted from our sister publication Christianity Today (2/04). All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or publisher. May not be reproduced.

Copyright © 2010 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity magazine.
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Prayer for the Week

Lord, if I'm part of the problem for unity in your church, make me willing to take action so that I become part of the solution.

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