Diversity's Symphony from Emanate Media, Samson Varughese on Vimeo.
Can I be real here? Can I be honest with you for just a minute or two? I was raised in a tiny little country town. The school was small and I knew everyone by first name. Outside of a kid that came to our school for about 1/2 a year in my 3rd or 4th grade year (can't really remember), I never attended school with anyone that was a different color than me. In fact, as far as I know, the entire town was either Caucasian or American Indian. All my friends were white.It wasn't until the military that I had any interaction with people outside of my own race. I never thought about it really. Most of my closest friends in the military were black. As I would listen to them tell the stories about the narrow minded people they had encountered in their lives, I was embarrassed. Embarrassed for what other "white" people had done or said to them. As I began to study the issue, I learned more about the deep hurt that many suffered throughout the south during the 60's. I learned of the ignorance that some portrayed by thinking that someone was actually different because of the color of their skin, and I was embarrassed. Segregation...left me embarrassed. The fact that their needed to be a civil rights movement...left me embarrassed. The fact that Rosa Parks even had to be courageous in keeping her seat...left me embarrassed.
We've made many mistakes in the past because we were narrow minded and ignorant to the fact that all people are created in God's image. I think God has placed in me this strong desire to see His church be part of the solution...in this generation. When Christ returns, and I stand to give an account of how I lead this church...I don't want to be embarrassed.
Have you ever really read John 17:21?
John 17:21- that they may all be one; even as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
I'm so glad that the church God has called me to is filled with all races and kinds of people. I love that when I look out across our congregation I see a few from India, more than a handful from Africa, a couple from Poland, a family from Costa Rica and even some covered in tattoos and earrings. THIS is diversity. THIS is accepting all people as Christ did for us.
I pray that God will continue to take us further into being that multi-cultural church that He desires for us to be. If you're looking for a place where you can fit in...you'll find that at Highpointe.
