The story of Rev. Thomas H. Jones which I told in the last two blogs, brings to light the fact that slavery introduced to this country and practiced by some professing Christians began a racist stigma which many believe still exists. Equal rights protests and demonstrations culminated in the passage of civil rights laws in the 60s, but could not eliminate age-old racial prejudice. Has the initial hypocrisy by Christian slave owners persisted through all the years? Is it still alive in the Church today?

I wanted to know how contemporary Christians might answer these questions, so I asked a few. While this is far from a scientific study, those questioned represent diversity in race, family, gender, geographic locality, and occupation—including clergy and lay. No names are being used. I have identified each person by using a letter of the alphabet. 

Person A: is a black woman, in her 20’s. She is married [to Person B] and is a social media marketer living in a North Carolina city.

Based on the plain definition of racism, I do not see racism as a problem in the Church at large nor in my local church. I interact with many of my brothers and sisters who are different than me racially and culturally, and it is Christ that unites us together as we fellowship and bear one another’s burdens. Now that does not mean that at some local churches in the world that brothers and sisters are not experiencing racism, but I do not see it or experience it.

The biblical response to racism is viewing each other as image bearers. We are made in the image of God; each person should be treated equally with respect and dignity. When this is not done, we should correct and rebuke one another as we do with any other sin. The root of sinful behavior is sin in our hearts. Proclaiming God’s truth in scripture each week and consistently being reminded of the Gospel is a guard from falling into things like racism. I don’t think it is necessary to do a whole sermon on the topic, unless a pastor felt racism was a struggle for his congregation. 

Talk to real people in your community and seek to understand your differences. Be a good listener. 

Person B: is a black man, married to Person A. He is in his 20’s, is an entrepreneur, and lives in a North Carolina city.

I do not see racism as a problem in the church at large nor in my home church. Although I’m sure there are those who fight the sin of partiality, I do not believe racism is a problem in the church. I do believe that the constant consciousness of our differences is unfruitful.

The biblical response to racism is to speak up when necessary as we would with any other sin. We should not judge unbelievers that are racist as though they claim Christ. Fishes swim and sinners sin. We must address the issues that bubble up in our own congregations and hearts. With that said, we should not turn a blind eye to partiality when it is within our power to prevent a person being mistreated.

Go talk to someone of another race and get to understand them more. Don’t argue online.                                                                                               

Person C: is a white woman, in her 40’s and married. She is a teacher and mom of a multi-racial family. She resides in Washington State.

Yes, I do think racism is a problem in the American Church, although it doesn’t necessarily look like blatant hate for black or brown people in church on Sunday. It displays itself more in a settling for the status quo. The repercussions of slavery have never been dealt with in this country. The Black community still suffers generational trauma, while the white population got several hundred years headstart on building wealth and healthy communities.  So many of our laws, regulations, and governmental systems are still biased against people of color. While many black communities suffer the consequences in the form of a breakdown of the family, high rates of crime, and drug addiction, the Church tends to lay all the blame on these communities themselves. Rather than working to support them, rebuild them, and implement healthy change, too many Christians are unwilling to accept that Black communities didn’t just create their own problems due to laziness and violent natures. They’d rather argue their own self-righteousness than step up and seek change.

Humility. Slaves may not have been bought and sold in our lifetime, but there is a large portion of our population still suffering the consequences of the African slave trade.  People who claim faith and seek to share God’s love need to humble themselves and love like Jesus. And, yes, this needs to be preached more from the pulpit.

Every believer can listen, and listen respectfully, without arguing, to the brokenhearted and suffering. We can validate another’s pain and seek to build relationship. We don’t show Christ’s love by saying all things ‘Christianese’ and always being right. We show His love within loving, caring relationships and community.

Person D: is black and in a multi-racial family. He is in his 30’s and works in local government in his Pennsylvania community.

Racism is definitely a problem in the church at large. I believe individuals hide behind the terms “evangelical,” “proud American,” “conservative,” and “nationalist,” but these terms have lost their meaning. They have become euphemisms for prejudice, close-minded, discriminative, and racist. 

In my church I have not directly experienced or witnessed racism because the church is somewhat diverse; but I have seen politics used as a tool to inject racist thoughts into conversation. The worst example was when a lot of young black men and women were being shot by police and the police were not held responsible for shooting them. Almost all the white evangelicals that I know believed the people being shot must have done something that warranted this action by the police. Even the pastor said to me that some of those victims’ actions could have led them down that path to an unfortunate ending. This same pastor made a joke many weeks later when COVID happened, about knowing what it is like to sit at home and do nothing and wait for a check from the government. I was disgusted to hear talk like this that made light of many people on government assistance. Statistics show a majority of people on assistance are black or brown.

The Bible says, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses,” (Proverbs 10:12 ESV). It says again in the New Testament, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins,” (1 Peter 4:8 ESV). The biblical response to racism is to love. But love is more than a word; there must be action! That is what we are lacking in a majority of predominantly white evangelical churches. There is no action on the part of those that look different. There is no action to stand against racist words and deeds. There is only talk. So, my answer would be, no, I do not want to hear it discussed from the pulpit by a white preacher who has not experienced racism. I want to see action. 

This could be donations, marches, meetings with legislators, coordination of services, etc. The church needs to be a part of the movement. The church needs less politics and more policy. Another practical action is to promote higher education in the church. We have this belief that the only way to serve Christ is full-time ministry. Paul was a tentmaker. Peter was a fisherman. Luke was a physician. You can have an occupation and still be used by God. Sadly, I see many young Christians quitting college and going to ministry schools and financially struggling. The Bible says, “The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light,” (Luke 16:8 ESV). He that has ears let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the church! Lord help us to be shrewd and righteous!                                                                                                        

Person E: is a white woman in her 50’s who is part of a multi-racial family. She is a high school teacher and lives in Lake Park, Florida.

I believe systemic and personal racism are an ongoing problem in our country.  Of course, the same problems exist in our churches because American people, and the histories, upbringings, and social interactions/hierarchy of American people, are a part of who we are whether we are in church or out of church.  I am very selective where I worship because of the undertones of racism.  The last church I attended, I left due (in part) to issues with white supremacy.  Community outreach for children seemed to always center around backpacks for school and Easter Egg hunts... targeting schools that were predominantly white, with some Spanish families mixed in.  Less than 10% of their outreach for children touched the black neighborhoods and 0% was directed toward predominantly black schools.  

Additionally, it was not uncommon for a specific man within the congregation to wander to the podium during worship time to share what God had told him.  On one particular occasion, he spoke of the church’s upcoming attempt at branching into an impoverished area of the city (they later retracted their efforts).  He shared that God gave him the vision of an anchor.  The church would pull up this anchor and would find all sorts of “filth and gunk” trailing into the church...kinds of people (we’d) never dealt with before.  We needed to be ready, he said.  The more typically subdued church people clapped and cheered. I left shortly after that.  

My own history consists of splitting from the church when I was 19 because I was dating a black man (whom I married).  The rumors never stopped.  Stares were never averted.  People I thought were friends were commissioned to try and talk sense into me.  My mother was quick to tell me what was being said about this young black man who was taking advantage of me, according to the congregation.  The young black man who they claimed wouldn’t be able to hold a job and would screw every woman in sight.  

My husband went into the military.  We tried two different churches in Georgia.  They were both a no-go.  We tried again several years later in Colorado.  That church was even worse than the Georgia churches.  It was not just a matter of feeling unwelcome.  In every case, it was a matter of blatant hate looks and walk-by’s that said, you don’t belong here and don’t come back.  I believe if we’d both been black, we might have been more welcome, but, I didn’t return to any type of organized religion for another 20 years.

Probably the most applicable story in the Bible relating to racism is the story Jesus told of the Good Samaritan. The Samaritan people were judged and looked down upon because they had inter-married during periods of captivity.  They had “polluted” the bloodline of the Israelite people.  In order to hold fast to their own beliefs and relationship with God, they continued to love those who judged them, in spite of their offenses.

The basic principles of Christianity nurture a relationship with Christ through the process of loving others as ourselves.   To many in American society, that’s a tall order.  Not only does it take a lot of personal growth in Jesus to reach that sweet spot of acceptance painted with love, but many of us are not aware of our own implicit bias.  We go through life failing to think about our thinking.  Failing to challenge ourselves—thinking because we entertain ideas and know how to speak tactfully about other races and cultures, we are innocent of the byproducts we come from.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

We need to submerge ourselves in people who are different from us.  Eat with them.  Share holidays with them.  Have our children play with their children.  Don’t be afraid to ask questions.  Don’t give advice or try to fix.  There’s nothing to fix.  There’s just different.  There’s only understanding to be gained and relationships to be forged, so get comfortable with that.  Talk about obvious cultural differences with your children and celebrate those differences.  Real change is not going to come from us; it will come from our children.

Person F: is a woman in her 30’s who is racially mixed and comes from a multi-racial family. She works in missions and lives in Jacksonville, Florida.

I do think that racism is a problem in the Church at large. The church that I attend now is primarily white, and while they are aware of the need to reach out and be open to diverse people groups and skin colors (and they are!), the application of such beliefs can be very challenging. Prior to this church, I went to a primarily Latino church. They had a whole service created for the non-Spanish speaking demographic. They did this with the intention and desire of creating a welcome space for those who might not fit in naturally based on ethnicity, race or language (or age), but in reality, what ended up happening was a sort of pseudo-segregation within the church that became both incredibly sad and hurtful. I share this for two reasons. One, because racism is not a “white issue”; it’s a human issue. Two, because there are those who see the need/problem, offer a solution and the solution can sometimes be just as hurtful and harmful as the problem. 

So, when you ask me, do I “see racism as a problem in the Church?” I say, “Yes, absolutely!” Because racism has been around since Genesis, I’m convinced that it’s not a white/black issue. It’s not an American problem. It’s not a Western (or Eastern) problem. It’s just human. The Israelites were notorious for excluding anyone that wasn’t one of them to their detriment (see any of Jesus’ rebukes to the Jewish leaders). The Egyptians, Near Eastern countries, many European countries, and plenty of Asian and African countries have all been known to treat “outsiders” as less than. In an effort to maintain comfort and security, there’s a human need to maintain status quo. When someone different enters the arena, things change, and we want to hold on for control. 

We see this in churches today when we fight for rituals and traditions that have stood for generations, even if they’re exclusive of others who might want Jesus. This inevitably leads into the second issue; we then try to create a space for those outsiders in an effort to “love our neighbor” but instead of being inclusive, we become exclusive and the very problem trying to be solved [by man] is being emphasized instead. We create special services with different times and activities, we have specified small groups, we normalize cliques and separation and make no real attempt to bridge the gaps. 

I think that the most obvious biblical answer to racism is the story of the Good Samaritan that Jesus tells. But the story of the Good Samaritan is not an ignored command; we tend to hear it discussed often from the pulpit. It’s not uncommon to hear preaching on “loving your neighbor” and “who is my neighbor?” It is uncommon to hear preaching about loving people (even sinners like you and I) where they are, when there’s no obvious immediate return. 

What I mean is that Jesus by word and example met the needy in their heart-hurts. And if doing so meant meeting a physical, mental or relational need, he did it. But of all the miracles that Jesus did, how many of those people are noted to follow him everywhere he went? There were a few, for sure. But there were also plenty who went home and continued on with their lives, forever marked by their interaction with Jesus. There were those who tried to follow and were commanded by Jesus to “Go...” and spent the rest of their lives talking about the incredible grace and mercy encountered through the person of our Lord. In today’s terms, if we are Jesus’ hands and feet, how many of us are taking the time to meet the needs of those around us when it requires us to be distracted from the task we’re set on? How many of us are willing to stop in the bad neighborhood instead of going the long way around to avoid “those people”? How many of us are willing to sit with the ill in mind and spirit when everyone else has given up on them? How many of us are willing to go when those “outsiders” who aren’t like us probably won’t come to church with us? Maybe we don’t ask because we don’t think they’ll feel comfortable because we KNOW that they wouldn’t fit in?

These are things I think should be discussed more from the pulpit. Because racism isn’t just about our actions, it’s about how we think and view people who aren’t in our bubble. So, let’s talk about how we view people. And let’s ask ourselves, “How do my views of people differ from the way that Jesus viewed people?” 

The most practical thing I can recommend is to live and believe that all people are human first.  We are not defined by our nationality, our culture, our race, our sexuality, but by our humanity. The willingness to see others around us as humans is what allows us to follow the universal ‘Golden Rule’ – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. In addition, scripture gives us plenty of reminders that it’s not our actions that need to change to erase racism from the Church. Rather it’s our minds and hearts that need to be redeemed and softened by the love of God. 

• Just think of what a different world we would have if we all sought to hold fast to what is good and outdoing one another in showing honor (Romans 12:9-10). 

• Forgiveness makes a world of difference in a world of hurts (Ephesians 4:32). 

• Live out the fruits of the spirit given to all believers and watch the love of God permeate beyond our own reaches (Galatians 5:22-24).
• Live peaceably with others (Romans 12:18-29). 

Person G: is a white man in his 40’s. He is a pastor in Long Island, New York.

Certainly, there are white supremacists who go to church. More prevalent, though, is an instinctive awareness of, and discomfort with, those who aren’t “like us” in churches that are largely if not entirely segregated – and it’s often observed: no time of the week is more segregated than Sunday morning.

Do I see personal racial prejudice in my own congregation? No. But more must be said. People in racially minoritized groups often come into a church with a definition of racism that is broader than personal prejudice, and with a deep sense of solidarity with “their people” past and present. With this broader definition, the real questions to expose racism would be along these lines: were “my people” historically excluded from the community surrounding this church? Are there ongoing tangible effects of that exclusion? Is that exclusion mirrored in the current racial composition and culture of this church? Moving from the surrounding community to the church itself, were “my people” historically excluded by these Christians in this denomination or ecclesiastical tradition, and are there ongoing tangible effects of that exclusion? These aren’t questions that more individualistic “majority” Christians tend to consider when they think about racism. 

The Bible gives different lines of response. Personal disdain toward, or mistreatment of, other people on the basis of their ethnicity or skin color is straightforwardly sin and must be repented of. The sin of believing in ethnic or racial superiority should be preached against unsparingly. 

Other definitions of racism point to other realities to which a biblical response will be more complex. For one example: in the mid-20th century, people were deliberately excluded from particular housing communities through racist mortgage policies. As a result, these communities are to this day largely white. Churches in these communities are predominantly white, reflecting the demographics of the surrounding community. Likely members of such a church would not think of themselves as personally prejudiced. But are they concerned that an ethnic minority coming in will feel extremely uncomfortable? Can that reality in the heart and mind of a brother or sister in Christ (or of a non-Christian who visits the church) simply be ignored? What about the fact that everything from the music to the décor to the “European theology” to the skin color of the people up front makes the ethnic minority feel that he or she is an outsider who in every visible way “doesn’t belong”? Is there any interest in, let alone a plan for, reaching out to minoritized communities with the gospel, with a goal that this church will no longer reflect the racism that shaped its surrounding community? Biblical love demands that such questions be addressed. What practical changes can/should/must be made in response is an urgent and very challenging issue, requiring great wisdom. 

Having briefly considered God’s Word to racial prejudice, and to those living in social contexts shaped by racism, we should also hear His words to those who suffer the effects of racism. One is validation: God hates racial injustice. Another is consolation: Jesus suffered cruel injustice, yet it neither defined nor crushed Him; nor need it define or crush any who follow Him. Scripture also shows how gold emerges from fiery trials: take, for instance, the immense and beautiful solidarity forged through horrific oppression in certain ethnic communities. To be in such a community is to feel the wounds of “my people” at a visceral level. Yet scripture also warns lest the good become corrupt. Christian solidarity will not fuel collective resentments, or a mindset of group inferiority and victimhood, or expectations of material prosperity that may or may not come in this world for followers of Christ. And by the grace of God, such solidarity will be as broad as the Body of Christ, reaching across racial lines rather than hardening them. Here strong preaching of baptismal identity (e.g., from Galatians 3:26–29) is crucially important. 

First, study history. Learn about the sufferings and achievements of minoritized peoples in the United States and around the world. This is uncomfortable. It’s heart-wrenching. It will begin to reveal the collective story that informs the solidarity of many groups. Perhaps paradoxically, it will also dissipate the erroneous but politically useful notion that all whiteness is a single giant collective Oppressor and all minorities are perpetually (even irremediably) Oppressed. It will remind that God has always had His faithful saints in “every tribe and language and people and nation” (Revelation 5:9). History isn’t just global but local, and it’s equally essential to know the history of race relations in one’s own community. Sometimes the story behind why particular communities remain (long after Jim Crow) largely segregated can be shocking. Or at least it may shock a white person living in the community; to the minority outsider looking in, it’s old news. 

Second, we must get to know and love our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ across racial lines. Particularly through simple hospitality (in our places of worship and our homes), we can treat every person as a wonderful creature of God and a new creation in Christ. We can choose to focus on creation and redemption in moving toward others, rather than categories of “the flesh.” This is not a simple or comprehensive solution to the racial tensions of our time, but it is a beginning, and it requires nothing more than a table, a loaf of bread, and an attentive ear. And, it is a biblical command.

Third and finally, we need intentionality to make our homes nurseries of relational virtue and skill. Part of the problem in today’s racial tensions is not the tensions themselves, but the fact that so many people in our time have no skills to work through any kind of relational tension. As a pastor I often say: there are problems, and then there’s how we talk about problems. If we lack the virtue and skill to talk about things, then we can’t talk about anything, let alone something as emotionally charged as race. 

Person H: is a black man in his 50’s. He lives in Pennsylvania and is senior pastor of a church there.

Racism is a problem in the church at large and it has been in this country from its inception. People believe racists are people belonging to a hate group, but it is much more subtle than that. Everything we see is messaging, and all messaging has an agenda. One of the messages sent, many times as a default, reveals what is considered the “standard.” Anything outside of the standard is substandard. This affects every area—beauty, intellect, godliness, style, and every other area imaginable. This mindset is in the church as well as every other sector of society. If you look at pictures of Jesus, He is portrayed with European features instead of Middle Eastern features. The reality is, none of us knows what He looks like, but we know where He came from. 

Our church is very diverse. The racial lines are associated much more with schools of thought rather than color. That does not mean it is not racist, it shows a lack of desire to “walk in another man’s shoes,” which leads to the statements mentioned above.

The biblical response to racism is to call it what it is: racism is a manifestation of sin. Sin reveals itself in many ways and racism is one of them. It must be addressed just as other manifestations of sin are addressed from the pulpit. Many times we operate in sin until the subject is brought up. Then the living Word of God, through the Holy Spirit convicts the believer and then empowers the believer to obedience. The full counsel of God must be preached. When the subject comes up in the Bible, and it does, it should be expounded on in an exegetical way. It should not be only reactionary and spoken when an event takes place.  

Practical ways to improve race relations start with the individual. Engage in conversation with others from varied backgrounds and ethnic differences. Recognize information has an agenda and very much influences us, even when it is not truth. Practice being an active listener. Stop feeding yourself information that only fortifies your stance. Learn to appreciate diversity. God made us all different and that is beautiful. Call on God to deeply search every part of your thinking and ask for strength and desire to change.