Unity Lives

As a person of color in America, I have experienced racism, unfair treatment by police officers, and prejudices from Christians. Despite growing up in a Christian home, I can remember being in grade school and the other children not playing with my brother and me because their parents told them that our skin was dirty. I have been called n***** and other names so much that I have lost count. I have never had a criminal record but have been harassed and searched illegally by numerous police officers. On a few occasions I have been placed in handcuffs and put in the back of police cruisers.

In one incident, I was on my way home from a Bible study group and a police officer pulled us over. He detained, searched, and threatened to order his K9 partner on us for asking him why he stopped us. The K9 was three feet away on a leash, outside of the car where we were being detained. He also called for backup and said he was looking for drugs. He then went on to look through the vehicle and found a piece of gravel that he said was crack cocaine.

How I have overcome these constant hardships is by knowing Jesus matters more. He matters more than ethnicity, gender, culture, and church denomination. By elevating who Jesus is and who I am in him (identity) and to him (relationship) changed everything. It is imperative that we as Christians live in this manner. This is how we build bridges over every potential obstacle that could hinder revealing the love of God that the gospel produces.
As the church, we face a country that is racially incited and divided, and the question is—what do we do? I believe I John 3:17-19 says it best:

If anyone sees a fellow believer in need and has the means to help him, yet shows no pity and closes his heart against him, how is it even possible that God’s love lives in him? Beloved children, our love cannot be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. We know that the truth lives within us because we demonstrate love in action, which will reassure our hearts in his presence.
                                                                                                                                             [The Passion Translation]

What we can do is allow unity to live among us. We can love people enough to listen to their story. We can get involved by learning and creating ways to demonstrate unity. As the church, we cannot support the Black Lives Matter movement because the organization is in opposition to biblical truth. When people chant “Black lives matter,” let us not respond with “All lives matter” or “Blue lives matter,” but let our response be “We hear you and we are here for you.”

We can be a new movement that is based on Ephesians 4:5-6:

For the Lord God is one, and so are we, for we share in one faith, one baptism, and one Father. And He is the perfect Father who leads us all, works through us all, and lives in us all! TPT

What we can do as the church:

• We can pray to see the opportunities
• Create ways our churches can become multi-cultural
• Exalt God’s kingdom over our denominational identity
• Equip our people to be bridge builders
• Fellowship with churches outside of our conference
• Invite people to share their stories
• Ask questions
• Celebrate diversity

John 13:34-35
So I give you now a new commandment: Love each other just as much as I have loved you. For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers. TPT