From Pastor Jim –

In our series, “Why are Churches Divided?” we have looked at one reason – the quest for doctrinal purity.  This coming Saturday we will dive into the next way churches are divided – racial lines.  In the days between now and Saturday, I would encourage you to reflect on a quote from the Apostle Paul and a quote from the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Paul in wrote in Galatians 3:28 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile . . . for you are all one in Christ.”  In 1963, Dr. King said, “It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning.”  Additionally, consider this finding from the 2012 National Congregations Study:  80% of churches have a single racial or ethnic group that comprises at least 80% of the congregation and, as such, are considered homogeneous.