SEBTS Race Panel // 2012
I’m going to take as my starting point the assumption that racism is stupid; that we are ashamed of and
repudiate any and all forms of racism in our past. That there is only one race—human; one common
problem—sin; one solution—the blood of Jesus. That means that objection to things like interracial
marriage represents a severe anthropological and theological misunderstanding.
Perhaps I should not assume that as a starting point, and a case would be made that many are not fully
there yet, but I think we need to move the discussion beyond shame over our past and toward integration in
our future.
So, my talk: Explain what I see as the “why;” reflect a little on what I see as the challenges; and offer a few
meager suggestions on the way ahead.
Why Racial Integration in the Church:
1. One of the primary plotlines of the Bible is bringing glory to God by bringing back together
various races in one common salvation: Gen 12Rev 5
o Acts 2: Pentecost was intentionally multicultural
o Eph 3:10, “The mystery that God has made known in the church that manifested his
wisdom was that Gentiles are fellow heir, members of the same body, partakers of the
promise.”
o New Testament writers like Mark frequently referred to Jesus’ vision of the church as
multi-cultural, “My house shall be a house of prayer for all nations.” (Mark 11:18)
o Acts 11: Luke takes care to point that out the leadership of the Antioch church was multicultural.
 Paul and Barnabas were Hellenistic Jews
 Manaen was from Herod’s household
 Lucius (means “black,” Niger) was from North Africa and Simeon was a black
African.
 In a context where most of the people were Jewish. This was intentional.
 This was the first group to be called “Christians” (not races).
 And it was from Antioch the gospel went throughout the world.
The authors of United by Faith: the Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race
(2003) say that a benchmark for American churches that no racial group should be more than
80% of the congregation. Only 7.5% of denominations fit this, and 5.5% of congregations.
2. The Evangelistic Power of a Multi-racial church
 In our day, a unity among the races speaks. A group of white people listening to a great
music and an entertaining speaker is not the manifest wisdom of God. Hollywood does that
all the time. But when you have a group of people who have little in common but a
common love for Jesus and experience of grace—that speaks to the world.
 Bill Hybels to me, regretting his employment of the homogenous principle in building Willow
Creek: “The corporate witness of a racially united church in America would be more
evangelistically effective than a numbers surge at any one congregation (like Willow).”
The Particular Challenges to Racial Integration:


Cultural preferences run deep
o The great white myth: when we repented of our racism all the blacks would come rushing
back into our churches thanking their lucky stars we let them come back to our churches.
o An article entitled “Seeing Around Corners” appeared in the Atlantic just this week1 by
Jonathan Rauch: Individuals who prefer mixed neighborhoods still gravitated toward the
neighbors that were their color.
o If we change and reach a lot less white people.
 When we expand our style to accommodate more “black” forms of worship, some
white people get uncomfortable. From an African-American: “You white people, as
soon as you get done with a song you are re-capo-ing that guitar as fast as you can to
get to the next song… us black people, we need to linger.” That is valid. But when we
give space to linger, middle-aged white business professionals who are lost get very
uncomfortable with the “emotionalism,” and that is also valid.
 We can't expect them to be mature before we reach them.
o Some say that cultural preference is not a bad thing.
 Eugene Rivers III, a black Boston preacher in the mid-90’s, rather famously
challenged Martin Luther King on his call for integrated society and worship,
claiming that that King’s vision of society was shaped more by secular utopian
theories than a biblical concern for the poor and the marginalized. Rivers said that it
was doomed to fail because it was insufficiently Bible-based.2 He said that we can
reach people easier and worship more freely if the cultures remain content to stay
separated.
 I disagree because of Revelation 5, but Rivers’ insights still have implications. It is
easier to reach people when you have a more homogenous culture. The answer has
to be some kind of balance.
Politics
o Black people feel like whites are insensitive to the privileged position they enjoy as a part
of the majority culture, blind to systemic racism in America, and insensitive to the social
needs of black Americans and unappreciative of the gains they have made.
o White people feel like the Democratic party panders to them and exploits them and keeps
them in dependent on the government so they can keep their vote. They can't understand
how black people ignore abortion and gay marriage and align themselves with a party so
decidedly anti-God in its charter.
o Not trying to answer that here, but this discussion needs to happen. This is an opportunity
for evangelical churches to lead in civil public discourse.
 I told many at our church, on both sides, that politics is “too important” to them.
Other challenges…more obvious3
 In some areas, only one racial group exists
 Translation issues; first-generation immigrant groups
How to Pursue Racial Integration (a few meager suggestions)

1
2
3
Theologically: 1 Cor 9: 3rd race concept.4 Paul could never cease to be a cultural Jew. But his “3rd
race,” being “in Christ,” was weightier to him than his race. Whites can never cease to be white, and
11/12/12
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/1996/february5/6t2014.html?paging=off
From United by Faith: the Multiracial Congregation as an Answer to the Problem of Race (2003) by Michael
Emerson, et al.
4
I first heard this from D.A. Carson at the Gospel Coalition.
there is nothing wrong with fitting most naturally in white culture… but our identity in Christ
should be weightier than our white American ethnic identity and thus make unity in the church
possible because it is a unity that goes deeper than cultural styles and preferences. This puts on
display the “manifest wisdom of God,” i.e. the reality of the gospel (Eph 3:10).

A few thoughts for practical consideration.5
1. It’s not the music. Two myths: A. There is a universal music everyone enjoys myth. B. The musical buffet
myth. Want black people in your church? Play gospel music. Want Latinos? Play salsa music. Not only does
this reinforce the differences between us, it also nearly never works. Music matters, but only insofar as it is
bringing people together for these next 5 things.6
2. Pursue diverse Leadership – Racially diverse congregations always have racially diverse leadership, if not the
official clergy, then at least the lay leadership.7
 You must get over tokenism. Me at WOCC. Affirmation.
3. You need a larger goal than multiracial-ness.– “Multiracial-ness” can’t be the primary goal of the church.
Multiracial churches are united by a broader vision of the gospel. Multiracial-ness is a fruit of the gospel, not
the gospel itself, and those can never be confused.
4. Humility
 We all have inherent racism ranging from preferences we give too much weight to actual racism
(despising other races)
 John Owen: “the seed of every sin is in every heart.”
 We need to acknowledge it and posture ourselves in repentance about it. Luther: all of a Christian’s
life is one of repentance.
5. We need personal skills – The skills needed are patience and the ability to navigate conflict.
 Listen more than talk
 Blacks feel like they must adapt more than whites. Most feel like whites would not submit to black
leadership. I don’t think this is true. Many white churches would be thrilled with a black pastor as
long as he did things in ways that were mostly comfortable with him. Most whites simply don’t see
the need to foray into black churches.
6. Evangelicals should put this on their radar as a “calling.” Like missions. We’ll go 10,000 miles away but not
across the street. Though it should be important to every Christian, that it is a calling should indicate it is not
to be the focus for EVERY Christian. Not every Christian is called to focus on everything. But we need more
white evangelicals being sensitive to this one.
7. If you’re called to this, choose locations good for multi-culturalism. (This one is obvious). Most multiracial
churches are located in inner cities.
8. Intentionality – Few churches become multiracial without trying to be.
 We must intentionally form relationships. All the articles say this.
 Those in our churches from other races who have entered mostly white churches are “pioneers” and
should be celebrated affirmed
9. Adaptability – Obviously, a white congregation is going to have to change things if it expects others to join.
This might, for instance, include incorporating some Spanish into the service.
10. Kairos moment – I do believe this a “kairos” moment for evangelicals, especially for Southern Baptists, and
in pursuit of the future progress of the gospel it should be a high priority. It should not displace, but
complement, our focus on missions and evangelism.
5
Marti and Yancey contradict at several points.
This from Gerardo Marti, who served at multiracial church in LA in an article he wrote for Calvin College.
http://worship.calvin.edu/resources/resource-library/gerardo-marti-on-successful-multicultural-churches/. From
7 5 of these last 6 from One Body, One Spirit Principles of Successful Multiracial Churches, by George
Yancey.http://enrichmentjournal.ag.org/200703/200703_066_sb_SevenPrinciples.cfm
6