Church, are we ready for New Christians?
Honestly, church, I am taken aback by the overwhelming response to Kanye’s revitalized faith in God and the release of his album “Jesus is King.” And my feeling this way has nothing to do with Kanye.
Guys, are we really ready for what we keep saying is about to happen? We are so excited for how his transformation can inspire people to seek God, but do we actually care about what the people he could influence are going through? I think about those influenced by him, who say “if the church welcomes Kanye, it can welcome me too.” And then they go to church. And are greeted by a congregation that doesn’t actually care to empathize with them about their female/gay/black/mental health experience.
I guess that’s why I’m surprised by the overwhelming “support.” It seems genuine, but in practice, it seems like a lot of the same people rejoicing will press mute if Kanye ever tries to talk about his experience of being black in America. Because that’s what I’ve seen happen to other narratives of diversity in a community so focused on unity that it sometimes turns a blind eye to the struggles that come with what makes is beautifully diverse.
Perhaps this is also what Jesus was referring to when he said, “the harvest is great but the workers are few” in Matthew 9:36-38. The souls of those searching for God are in my prayers, but I’m fully aware, as the rest of us should be, that we may be the answer to those prayers.
I don’t speak of every Christian in my community when I make this point of contention. I know there are many Christians who make a sincere effort to connect with Christians who do not look or feel or think like they do. And if that is you, thank you. Keep on keeping on. And keep encouraging your friends to do the same. But for those of us who would like to make more meaningful strides in this endeavor, here are a few points to consider.
1. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, when we say yes to God being the savior of our lives, the Holy Spirit indwells in us. We become God’s sons and daughters, a part of the family of God. United in spirit and in truth.
2. Celebrating unity and diversity in the body of Christ is not mutually exclusive. God cares about every nation, tribe, and tongue, and it is His desire that every nation, tribe, and tongue hears and receives the redemptive and saving Gospel of Christ. At times, we may devalue the importance of diversity because “all that matters is Jesus.” And it’s true, Jesus is King, but that’s not all that matters. The effectiveness of the Apostle Paul’s ministry as evidenced in the New Testament was his recognition of the varying cultural landscapes of the societies in which Christians lived, and he made a special and concerted effort to acknowledge those diversifying characteristics as much as possible as a means to make meaningful connections (check out Paul and the Unknown God in Acts 17). He shows us that while the Truth never changes, the approach to living it out sometimes does.
3. Diversity strengthens the church. How can we fulfill the great commission to make disciples around the world if we cannot make meaningful connections within our own community with the very people who do not look or think like we do? Question: will decrying the presence of immigrants (or ignoring their strife) in your community make you more effective or less effective when you go to preach in their countries of origin? Yes, the power of God can override our shortcomings so that His kingdom come and will be done, but let’s also make a sincere effort to not get in the way of that plan. The effectiveness of our ministry is evident when it looks less like us and more like God.
4. Maybe you’re asking: A lot of these communities have their own churches, and services in their own languages. So what difference does it make if I go there or not? As a Nigerian American who grew up in a very white, Catholic parish, and also was a part of a thriving African Christian community, I can say without a doubt that what really matters is knowing that someone cares about you and what you care about. When a Caucasian comes to fellowship with a bunch of Africans, our existence doesn’t become suddenly more validated by their presence. But what does happen is our hearts increase in the joy of knowing that the love that unites us is greater than the philosophies the world tries to use to separate us. Essentially, celebrating diversity is an acknowledgement and veneration of God’s divine design.
5. Or maybe you’re thinking: but black lives matter, homosexuality, feminism, and depression are not the image of God, and engaging with people who identify with these labels is a validation of those lifestyles. These are major topics on the forefront of the minds and lives of many millennials and Gen Z’s. I’m not going to break down what is or is not in the image of God about these topics here. But if this is truly a concern in your mind, I encourage you to commit serious prayer, fasting, and reading of scripture about these issues. A lot of what many Christians who have grown up in the church understand about these topics is largely shaped by what they’ve heard preached to them, rather than what they’ve sought to know for themselves. For starters, I do have some resources that really helped me understand God’s heart in these topics, I’ll list them at the end of this post.
So you’ve made it this far, and you’re intrigued about some practical steps you can take. Here are a few simple ones:
Sit with someone whom you don’t know, and who doesn’t look like you at church. Stop saving the three seats next to you for your friends that always come. If someone you don’t know asks you if the seat is taken, tell them no, invite them to sit, and introduce yourself. Get to know what brought them to church. Come to church early and introduce yourself to someone new. You don’t have to be a pastor or a leader to do this. In fact, don’t wait for only the pastors and life group leaders to do this. You’ve got some stake in the growth of the family of God too!
Don’t be weird. Don’t ask “what’s it like being black?” Also don’t assume their nationality, that’s also pretty awkward. But here’s what you can do: When service is over, turn to your neighbor, introduce yourself, and ask if there’s anything for which you can be praying for them this week. And then, in that moment, pray for and with them. I’m challenging myself to do this too. I am one of those introverted people who doesn’t turn to their neighbor (shocked? I know lol).
In love and veritas,
Chioma
As promised: here’s what I’ve been reading and listening to. I encourage you to read these prayerfully, allowing and relying primarily on the Holy Spirit to guide you to truth.
1. The Gospel of Matthew (I use the Life Applications Study Bible for commentary)
2. Loveology by John Mark Comer
3. Is God anti-gay? by Sam Allberry
4. The Gospel Comes with a House Key by Rosaria Butterfield
5. Messy Grace by Caleb Kaltenbach
6. Paul by N.T. Wright
7. Counter Culture by David Platt
8. “Here and Now.” A sermon preached by Pastor Stephen Daigle, available on The Overflow Podcast by Celebration Young Adults