John Blake at CNN recently wrote a thought-provoking article entitled “Why many Americans prefer their Sundays segregated.” In it, he addresses what he perceives to be a departure from the Galatians 3.28 image of the church as a racially integrated community.
Quite frankly, in my circle, I don’t see that this concern is as big as Blake’s article makes it out to be. Not because I’m a segregationist – I’m not! But because I don’t see numerically defined demographics as the church’s raison d’etre. I wouldn’t consider my church to be “interracial” as the article defines it (“one in which at least 20 percent its membership belongs to a racial group other than that church’s largest racial group”). However, I’ve never thought of things this way before. And here’s why – because I don’t look at my church as a mixture of ethnic groups – I see a congregation of redeemed sinners!
I would stand strongly opposed to any church or individual who seeks to limit the spread of the Gospel or growth of the church on the basis of race! It doesn’t take much more than a cursory reading of the Bible to see repeated emphasis on God’s glory being spread through all nations. From Israel’s testimony among neighboring nations to the church’s mission to the consummation of Christ’s work, God’s work in this world crosses racial/ethnic/national boundaries!
But honestly, I don’t intend to start viewing churches through Blake’s lens. Twentieth (and twenty-first) century racial sensitivities are a relatively recent phenomenon and the church is nearly 2000 years old! I don’t know the condition of Mr. Blake’s heart, but I do know that we would all do well to note that while some passages call attention to a diversity of races in the body of Christ, those passages (and many others beside!) emphasis the relationship of diverse people to God, with interpersonal relationships next (and race issues hardly at all).
I Jn. 1.3: “… you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ” (emphasis mine).