WHAT DO WE DO: ARTICLES ON RACIAL RECONCILIATION

In this post, instead of writing out my thoughts on what to do in light of recent and past events sparked by racial tension in our country, I have decided to post links to some other helpful posts. There are A LOT of people out there much smarter and wiser than myself who have spoken on what we, speaking to believers in Christ, should do in response to tragedies sparked by racial tension in our country. The below list is not intended to be exhaustive and is not a list of steps to get us closer to reconciliation. There are also many other great articles written by evangelicals to help us with the subject at hand.

When tragedies happen, I believe there to be no better place for believers to start than on our knees in prayer. At the bottom of this post are some prayer points. My prayer for you few who read this post is that you would you would draw near to Christ, and be encouraged to fulfill the call to make disciples of all nations/ethnicities.

I have spoken to a lot of white brothers and sisters, as well as brothers and sisters of other ethnicities, who don’t understand the reality of the need we have as a country for racial reconciliation. The need is great and thanks to social media, the world should know this by now. The need for racial reconciliation is not a need that Christians should ignore. Racial reconciliation is a major part of the gospel. Throughout all of Scripture, we see that God planned and purposed to bring all nations together to be reconciled to Himself. In Ephesians 2:11-22 Paul emphasizes this point. This will be expounded upon in a later post. But for now, below are some articles written by evangelical Christians to help us understand and deal with the issues we see in our country.

1. BE A HELP, NOT A HINDRANCE.

I empathize with Dr. Eric Mason, pastor of Epiphany Fellowship Church (Philadelphia, PA), in this article. I have struggled with issues of race and diversity in a majority white evangelical culture. Many of my experiences have not been good. If you follow no other link on this post, follow this one and read all of it. I have and continue to struggle just as Eric Mason has. And I know many African-American brothers and sisters who struggle in this way. Click here for the article.

2. UNDERSTAND WHAT RACIAL RECONCILIATION IS, AND IS NOT.

In this article, Dr. Jarvis Williams, Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Seminary, explains what racial reconciliation is and is not and gives some application at the end of his post. This article is well written and worth the read. Click here for the article.

3. RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE. NOT PROJECTS, NOT LESS THAN.

In a 2.5 minute video, Dr. Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, dispels the thought that many people have that they are in any way better than other people of other ethnicities. I believe what he says in this post doesn’t just apply to white Christians, but to Christians in general. Just because someone is different than you, it doesn’t mean you’re better than them, it just means they’re different. Click here to view the video.

4. TAKE THE ISSUE SERIOUSLY. GOD DOES.

In an article on crosswalk.com, Daniel Darling outlines 3 reasons why racial reconciliation should be a priority in the church. Click here for the article.

5. KNOW WHAT’S GOING ON AND FIGHT BACK IN A MANNER THAT IS WORTHY OF THE GOSPEL AND DOES NOT STAIN YOUR WITNESS.

The gospel in and of itself is offensive. We don’t need to be. But we do need to fight back and fight together. I empathize, Dr. Walter Strickland, my heart is broken over what is going on in our nation, more specifically Charlottesville, VA. It is helpful, though, having friends help me bear the burden I feel when outright acts of racism, like what we see in Virginia, take place. In his article on Fox News, Dr. Bruce Ashford, Provost of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, sheds light on the situation and calls us to action. Click here for the article.

 

PRAYER POINTS:

  • Thank God for religious liberty

  • Thank God for religious liberty

  • Thank God for the gospel

  • Thank God for His Son who has done everything necessary for the world to be saved from sin

  • Pray God to reveal any ignorance you may have when it comes to relating to people of other ethnicities

  • Pray for Charlottesville, VA

    • For those who are openly supporting the alt-right, or evil, agenda

    • For those who are protesting against the alt-right agenda

    • For the church to step up, step out, serve, and preach the gospel

  • Pray for our Nation

  • Pray for the church, who Jesus died for, and who Jesus called to take the gospel to the nations

  • Thank God for His goodness and faithfulness even in hard times like these

Shaq HardyComment