I don't fit!

On Sunday I had the opportunity to preach at my church in North Kansas City, which is 5 minutes away from the government housing projects I worked in while I worked for Freedom Fire Urban Ministries. I invited BJ who i met through Freedom Fire and have known for over a year. He started of as one of the teenagers that I taught each week and our relationship has transitioned into us having one on one meetings where we talk about God and life. I love hanging out with BJ.

On Sunday BJ went with Stephanie to our small group for the second service. I didn't go with them because I was preaching both services but I asked BJ during lunch how he felt about the group. He told me that he enjoyed the discussion but he felt like he didn't fit. There was nobody in the room that looked like him or talked like him. There was nobody in the room who could relate to his struggles or understand how he feels. BJ was in a room full of Christians, and was all alone. After thinking about what he had said I told him that I have felt the same way many times and in many churches. I also told BJ that this group needed him there as much as he needed to be there himself. We all need each other.

In the church it would seem as though we have done the easiest thing. We have decided that we will only welcome people that look like us, dress like us, live in the same type of homes and are in the same economic and social class. The question I want us all to ponder is: Is this biblical? If this way of doing church is biblical then i have nothing to say, but if this is not biblical then what steps can we take to make people of all colours, nationalities, and backgrounds feel welcome and have a place in the church without telling them that they should go start their own for their own people?
Change will not happen until we begin to talk about this. We need to admit when we feel uncomfortable, we must come face to face with our prejudices. Isn't acceptance one of the steps to healing???
My prayer today is that we will begin to look for ways to break down the dividing walls that separate us, and fight for unity as we recognize our common need for God's grace.

"Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3