When I look at the church, what gives me hope?
The people are getting together and looking at the gospel afresh with a keen awareness of its redemptive purpose. They are drawing this from a holistic perspective and God’s power to reconcile us across ethnic barriers to deal with the great race issue from a biblical perspective.
And this church is about to see the light as it relates to diversity in the church. My hope comes from the recognition of the gospel and a new acknowledgment that humans were created in the image of God. We are beginning to see diversity as a gift and value, and that is beginning to be reflected in the church.
John M. Perkins is cofounder of the Christian Community Development Association and director of the John M. Perkins Foundation for Reconciliation and Development in Jackson, Miss. He is the author of many books, including Let Justice Roll Down, named by Christianity Today as one of the top 50 books that have shaped evangelicals.
