Multi-Racial? Multi- Falsehoods?

I'd like to credit Elder Anthony Miller with posting this image to his Facebook feed last week. It spoke to me in an intense way. It is jarring. It makes no sense, yet

It is a sad reality.

The wave of of multicultural churches is amazing to behold. We have worshiped in a "mixed" congregation for over 15 years. We have served, sang, pastored, and lead among people who don't look like us, yet worship the same God. In Missouri, we sat under the leadership of a Pastor who had a Hispanic heritage. We were friends with people who didn't share the same views as us, politically or many other "-allys", yet it worked. What really drove home the point of our fellowship being true and real was that these people had us, an African American family, into their homes. There was no consideration of color. We were just people who laughed and did life together. And when I look back on those days, that invitation into White homes is what made Joplin feel like home to us. It is why we stuck around.

Yet as I also look back, I think about the many conversations that we did not have. We never talked about Trayvon Martin. We never talked about Sandra Bland. We never talked about the riots and protests in Ferguson, 5 hours away from us. For those conversations, my wife and I only had each other mostly, and our Pastor. Which begs the question...were we really invited into one another's lives? I believe that we were, just not as fully as the potential allowed. I mean, I've sat on stage with our Pastor and talked about race relations (he never shied away from these "sensitive" topics), but those discussions mostly never entered into the homes and laughs that we shared in small group settings. It is my fault for not wanting to rock any boats or possibly stand out as the "angry black man." There are many of those good people who would have gladly had those tough dialogues.

Moving to a new place, I wanted to change that. I wanted to use my voice.

This week, something amazing happened.

On Sunday, the co-Pastor of our new church, Jim Johnson, included some talk about Ahmaud Aubrey in his sermon that was based around Micah 6:8-

"Do what is right (seek Justice)

Love mercy, walk humbly with your God."

During this portion of his message, he mentioned some words that I had given him concerning this message. Being new, I was completely honored that he would choose to talk to me about this. Then on Tuesday, a men's group that I meet with talked about justice. They listened to me talk about my experiences, my guilt at never speaking out, and they never tried to fix anything or justify behaviors. They listened and we understood one another. Then tonight, during an online group that I lead, I had a conversation with a new brother, Stephen Titus, about what justice looks like, and we just had open, honest conversation about the state of our Union. Racial differences aside, in each instance we were God's people doing Godly community in God's way.

Forgive me if I'm wrong, but to me, this is church. See, we can't worship together and work for the Kingdom together if we have not tried to integrate into each other's lives in a way that is authentic, true, and Holy Spirit-lead. It doesn't matter how many times we lift our hands while sitting on the same row in a rainbow-hued church if we go back to our solid colored vehicles and homes after the Pastor says the benediction. For where we are as a nation right now, simply wearing the "I go to a multiethnic church" badge is not enough. We need to quit spouting truisms about living life together and really be about the business of hearing one another, seeking to find unity, and bearing one another's burdens. Fight for justice. Love mercy. Walk humbly with our God. TOGETHER. That is the church.

And my black people, this goes to you as well. While we may think we know what it means to be White, Hispanic, Asian, or any other ethnicity, we have to understand that each experience warrants discussion and open-minded pursuit. (Please don't revoke my invite to the family reunion).

See, the beauty of the Gospel lies in the fact that there is room for all of us within it. This is God's story, yet each chapter consists of page upon page of possible interactions that are intended to have earth-shaking results. We can't continue to self-segregate, or portray a false community any longer. And if those relationships aren't coming to you, then go out and find them. Invite them into your home. Invite them into your lives. Reject the logic that "we don't have anything in common". Refute the fear that "what if something doesn't go right?" Believe that God can redeem any and everything, and just become a multicultural person living as God intends. Jesus told his disciples to go out into the highways and the hedges to bring people to the feast. I can think of no better time to prepare for Heaven than now.

Then again, if we are not willing to change, do we really think we're going to Heaven anyway?