Sunday March 18th, 2007

Hello, everyone! It was great to be back with you after a few weeks away.

Brace yourselves for a lengthy newsletter!

We were short on time due to many announcements, but Michael Hinson led our discussion from Tony Campolo’s book, Following Jesus Without Embarrassing God. Today’s topic focused on how to deal with racism. Fortunately, with the majority of our class and church being middle-class Caucasians, we probably haven’t had to bear the brunt of the painfulness of being discriminated against. I realize there are exceptions. Growing up in the south in the 60’s and 70’s, I certainly witnessed my share. Sadly, it has not been eradicated and its hurt still exists today. Racism is an ugly cycle and it only breeds more racism. The oppressed in our world need an extra special dose of grace. The Christian values that most of us desperately seek cannot coexist when racism is a part of our lives. The author points out that ethnicity, nationality, sex, religion, handicaps—anything that sets one group apart from another are all forms of racism. Jesus was the ultimate anti-racist. Only His truth can set men and women of every culture, color, or group free! Christ lived in a culturally and racially diverse society, which in many ways wasn’t all that different from ours today. However, He promoted harmony by His examples and His word. For further reading, read John 17:21, Hebrews 12:14 &15, and Psalm 51:10.


If I missed anything or got it wrong, it wasn’t because I wasn’t listening, just because my shorthand is rusty! Please feel free to correct me!

Until next week…..

Beth