Yesterday morning in our 10 o'clock service, I did something a bit different than I normally do. I am a stickler for starting services exactly on time and being in my place on the front row of the church ready for action! Our worship service was tailored differently with more music at the beginning of the service, therefore I was not on the platform until 15 minutes into the service. I took the first ten minutes of our services yesterday to make my way through the crowd and shake hands with members and guests alike and to pray with people.
I noticed in the back corner of our sanctuary a young black man who was visiting for the first time. I went to him, shook his hand, and began a conversation with him. He told me a little bit about himself and told me why he came to visit Pinecrest for the first time yesterday. His statement, "I am sick of this world. I am tired of the racism on both sides of the argument. I came here today to get away from the hashtags and noise, I just want to find some peace today." I asked him to stick around after the service so we could talk a little more.
I preached the gospel yesterday morning. Notice that statement; I did not say I preached on social reform, I did not back out my verse by verse series through 1 Thessalonians, I did not call in community leaders at some attempt to say "We're all together in this thing", I preached the gospel. At the conclusion of the invitation, this young man responded and one of our pastors on staff took him aside and led him to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ!
I want to remind every true follower of Jesus Christ that the answer to the racial divide in our world is not recruiting people to your side of the argument. The answer is not to post, like, retweet, or share articles or statements about racial issues that you think prove your point and express how you feel. We do not need more activism, riots, protests, speeches, political puppets, and heaven knows we do not need more race baiting. Our world needs the gospel and we need to get it to them!
Please, for the love of Jesus and for the sake of the gospel, stop attempting to solve all of the racial problems in our nation by placing a bandaid on a bleeding jugular vein. Only the gospel can heal our land, only Jesus can reconcile sinners to God, and only the Holy Spirit can create true unity among His people. Let's get back to what can resolve the race issue in our world, the gospel.