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Life way Research found that 85% of Protestant pastors believe every church should strive for ethnic diversity, yet only 13% have more than one ethnic group in their churches. Ethnic diversity is perhaps the most elusive issue the Body of Christ faces in America. One question we must ask is how far are we willing to go to achieve reconciliation? The Apostle Paul told us in 1 Cor. how much he was willing to suffer for the sake of the Gospel he preached—a message that insisted on Gentile inclusion. He said Christ had only one church—not two–composed of Jews and Gentiles. In 2 Cor. Ch 6 we read this: “We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. We faithfully preach the truth. We serve God whether people honor us or despise us.” By insisting on the unity of Christ’s body, he was persecuted and rejected, but he did not back down. Our task today is to maintain the inclusive nature of the Body of Christ.
