Just a few thoughts...
While racism, on a global level is a HUGE undertaking to remedy, I believe the greatest influence in our current world, is the church! Racism is an intangible concept that has many different avenues of expression. One may consider themselves a friend of black or brown people, but still possess beliefs, microaggressions, or mentalities that minimize the value or importance of a person of a different race. There are so many avenues that racism exist with high functionality. So, what is a possible solution… I believe that as long as Satan is alive and kicking and as long as there is mankind, the world will unfortunately ALWAYS have racism, as it is an evil from Satan which is bred and fed in the hearts of men. However, I do believe that we can minimize it in the circles we are involved in, in our homes, in our churches, and in our various communities. First, people must come off the high horse of “No, not me. I’m not racist,” and truly begin to look at themselves holistically. I believe that just as we, the church, encourage continuous self-examination in our walks as Christians, we too must continuously examine ourselves in this area as well. No one is exempt from a “heart check” just because they hang out with, or associate with others of a different race. We must be intentional to check ourselves!! I believe that the church is meant to always be a response to the world. Yet, the church as whole, has often failed to respond to these racial issues when they arise, because WE continue to have our own racial struggles from within. Yes…we still have racial issues in the church! Instead of addressing it straight on, in order to be WHOLE for a broken world, we downplay it and rarely address it within the church. This causes the brethren who sit on a pew with a different color to never truly get the chance to share and to heal from their own devastating experiences, for fear of discord or ostracizing. Even more, brethren who harbor these ungodly and unchristian beliefs never get the chance to hear their brothers and sisters in Christ and feel conviction. Conviction, as we know leads to Godly sorrow and then to REPENTANCE, which we all know is NEEDED! We must start by first becoming uncomfortable! Black and brown people must start getting uncomfortable enough to voice when they notice or experience racial injustice or unfairness, and white people must be ok with feeling uncomfortable when they hear it. When you create an environment that allows both parties to set aside their pride, their fear, their guilt, and their shame and have REAL vulnerability and conversation, you foster an environment of healing! You allow Christ to enter the situation and address the realness of both parties. If we the CHURCH, (despite denomination) can create WHOLENESS from within church, we then can give WHOLENESS to a broken world!! When we are WHOLE and modeling the example of what the Azusa street revival and the early Oneness Apostolic movement looked like…then, and only then can we EFFECTIVELY administer the WHOLE gospel to the WHOLE world!