Ending Segregation

Back before the civil rights movement of the sixties it was perfectly acceptable to segregate people according to their skin color or ethnic background. Not only was it acceptable but it was considered normal. From birth every one was educated on their place in society and it was taboo to step out of that place.

Fast forward to today...racism is a thing of the past. People spend their lives trying to meet new people, learn different cultures, and embrace the people of all creeds. Now I am not so naive to think that racism is completely dead, but the view of race from the generations pre-X is completely different than that of Gen X and later. My view of other cultures differs greatly from my parents. For them it is a conscience effort to look past a person's race but for me it is natural.

Now let us take this lesson to the Christian community. It is a natural tendency for people of faith to classify believers by their denomination and even sometimes to their local church. When planning outreaches, the thought of including churches even within one's denomination is considered taboo much less to include those of other denominations. The older generations have brought up their children to believe that their particular view on the scriptures is right and everyone else just doesn't know any better. The interesting part is that Gen-X and later are rejecting this view. For this they have been labeled as rebellious and written off by many churches, hence the rise of the NON-Denominational church movement.

Like the abolishment of racial segregation, the church needs to be willing to put their views of denominational segregation aside and realize that we need to reunite to meet the needs of this world. In the words of Benjamin Franklin, "United we Stand, or Divided we Fall," we must come together, put the details aside and realize that we all have been saved by grace from a loving savior that died for us and rose three days later. An old t-shirt that my father wore when I was a kid stated all so simply, "Jesus Saves! everything else is just details." When we come to the realization of these words and come back together as a body of Christ then we will truly show what Jesus spoke about,
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35