1 of 1

Key Bible Verse: Peter said, "I really am learning that God doesn't show partiality to one group of people over another." (Acts 10:34, CEB) Dig Deeper: Acts 10:1-35

I read an interesting quote [in the book Reconciliation Blues by Ed Gilbreath] that highlighted the reality that authentic oneness comes as an outgrowth of shared lives, not simply through a cross-cultural experience here or there. He said, "I know many of my white friends and colleagues, both past and present, have at times grown irritated by the black community's incessant blabbering about race and racism and racial reconciliation. They don't understand what's left for them to do or say. 'We have African Americans and other people of color on our staff,' [they tell us]. 'We listen to Tony Evans's broadcast every day. We even send our youth group into the city to do urban ministry. Can we get on with it already? Haven't we done enough?'"

With the racial divide still stretching wide, we obviously haven't done enough. Much of what has gone on under the designation of racial reconciliation and oneness in Christianity is nothing more than tolerance.

But tolerating each other does not mean we have reconciled. The two are not the same, as demonstrated by the fact that we remain relationally separated most of the time as opposed to living out a desire for ongoing mutual edification and implementation of a shared vision.

—Tony Evans in Oneness Embraced

My Response: What barriers to racial unity do I see in my own congregation or community?

Adapted from Oneness Embraced (Moody, 2011) by permission. All rights reserved by the copyright holder and/or the publisher. May not be reproduced.

Copyright © 2013 by Christianity Today/Men of Integrity magazine. Click here for reprint information on Men of Integrity.

 1 of 1

share this page

Prayer for the Week

Dear Heavenly Father, open my eyes to areas of racial and cultural insensitivity in my life; show me what steps I need to take to model racial reconciliation and unity in my church and community.

				Try an Issue of Men of Integrity Free! Name Street Address City/State/Zip Email Address No credit card required. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only. Click here for Canadian Orders. If you decide you want to keep Men of Integrity coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive five more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The trial issue is yours to keep, regardless. Give Men of Integrity as a gift Buy 1 gift subscription, get 1 FREE!

FREE Newsletter Sign up for the Men of Integrity Newsletter (All fields required)    RSS Feed   RSS Help