I became a Christian as an adult at the age of 28. Since the church I attended was a diverse with people from all ethnicity and cultures, I assumed Christianity did not have racism or racial divisions. Since that time, some 30 years ago, I have learned the truth. How Christian white slave owners justified slavery and racism using the Bible. How during the Civil Rights movement in Christian denominations split to provide segregated churches. I was aghast at this evilness done in the name of Jesus.

I began to pray for the church to be the leader of love and grace to all peoples:

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:28 (NASB)

With my heart and soul on the future found in Revelation 7:9

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;

At the same time continue to reach out in love and grace to all my brothers and sisters in Christ while trying to understand their perspective and experiences. (Side note…why I love NCFI!) Because I am an unapologetic book worm, I continued to read books on the subject from many great Christian writers.

I recently became aware of John M. Perkins book One Blood. This was the answer to my prayers. My women’s group read and discussed the book. It was a great experience to listen to my sisters talk about their experiences and views.

In the meantime, leaders from many churches in the Bay Area had been discussing how to respond to the deaths and hatred acts towards Blacks, Asians, and other racially motivated events. My pastor was part of this group and began inviting various parishioners to participate in One Blood Bible Study and Discussion. I immediately joined the study.

The problem is that there is a gaping hole in the gospel. We have preached a gospel that leaves us believing that we can be reconciled to God but not reconciled to our Christian brothers and sisters who don’t look like us–brothers and sisters with whom we are, in fact, one blood. (p. 17)

I am committed to praying and doing my part to live out the gospel of reconciliation to all people!