“Bring Another Race to Church Sunday”

Okay, so the idea was a bit heavy handed, but the pastor wasn’t completely off his rocker. Ministering to a large inner-city congregation, he wondered aloud why he didn’t see more diverse faces in the pews. Certainly the members had coworkers, neighbors, friends, and acquaintances of different backgrounds and nationalities. Why weren’t members of the congregation extending the invitation to their house of worship?

Truth be told, many of us attend racially and culturally segregated churches. Of course, there is a difference between de jure segregation (which is mandated by law) and de facto segregation (which happens by coincidence)—and I would believe that there are very few churches left in this country that would openly denounce the mixing of races in the pews. But in this day and age, having just one or two families in the church who don’t fit the congregation’s racial or cultural majority isn’t enough. A true multicultural worship experience still lacks in many churches.

One may cite language barriers, denominational differences, or simple fear of the unknown as factors that prevent more interracial worship. But as Christians, we need to simply get over it. It is concerning that there are more churches that are willing to travel abroad to reach people of different races than go into a local community to do the same. As the saying goes, “Charity begins at home.” Charity, by the way, is another word for Love.

The Great Commission is found in Matthew 28:19-20, where Jesus says, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

In Christ, there should be no cultural fear, no racial hatred, and no ethnic discrimination. As the song goes, “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!” I tend to believe that the rejoicing will take place among people of all nationalities, cultural backgrounds, languages and traditions. Why can’t we start here on earth?

I believe it’s important to fellowship with all Christians—including those who don’t look like me!