Southwestern Union Record

In the book Embracing Diversity, edited by Dr. Leslie N. Pollard, he makes this statement in the opening paragraph of the first chapter, "The world is changing! Demographers say that the world of the twenty-first century will be more globally connected than at any other time in history. Communications, technology, media, immigration patterns, educational institutions, and travel are bringing diverse racial and ethnic groups into more intimate association than at any other time in history." I like to describe the change taking place as a train headed downhill, and we can do one of three things—get on, get left behind, or get run over!  

In my experience with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, we generally track five to ten years behind world trends in multiple areas. We have reached many language groups and have provided ministries and resources that have impacted the lives of the people of the groups; however, our methods lag behind the best practices of reaching people. I don't want to sound too simplistic in this brief article, but the best practice is the one that came from the lips of Jesus centuries ago, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself." There in Matthew 22:39, Jesus quotes Leviticus 19:18 and it goes to show us that God never changes.            

Ellen White in The Desire of Ages, page 823, states that, "Christ tears away at the walls of partition, [and] the dividing prejudice of nationalities, and teaches a love for all the human family."  A love for all! Not some who you like. Not for the group that does your bidding, but ALL!  A Caucasian friend of mine in ministry once remarked that he would have loved to be a classmate of mine during the sixties.  As you know that was a period when ‘equality and fairness’ were hard to find in America. My response was that he would not have liked me. “Why?” he asked. “Because I did not like your people,” I quickly said.  He retorted with, "What changed? Because you don't exhibit any of kind of hostility now?" I raised my eyes towards heaven and cried, "I met Jesus and He changed my heart."  

"I love you" must become more than lip service if we are to embrace diversity and do ministry in and among the expanding people groups. We have regional conferences because prejudice and racism was prevalent in the Seventh-day Adventist Church at their formation, and now as I find myself as leader of one these conferences, on my leadership watch we will affirm and confirm, embrace and encourage all people groups within our territory. For far to long we have lived side by side without getting to know each other. I challenge each of you to forge an opportunity to learn and understand another people group. Begin dialogue that will exhibit the breaking down of the dividing partitions. As an organization, we need to stop patronizing and offer real solutions, such as administrative autonomy to all people groups within our territory to foster a greater and more impacting “telling of the Gospel.” I challenge all leaders to embrace Jesus’ best practice.