b'Question\x06 They are part of our family, and wewhen we moved to Los Angeles. 4 Nobody is arguing thatconsider them two of our eightMore than 33 years ago, when we slavery still exists in Northgrandkids. I looked at all five kidswere living in Des Moines, IowaAmerica, but what claimsand it hit me how Aiden and Isabellawhich, back then, was not a hotbed to superiority does your white skinwill have a harder and more challeng- for multiethnic ministriesJohn provide? Let this question wash overing road ahead because of theirPerkins spoke at our church. His call you for a few days before you answer. skin color. The modern-day slaveryfor Relocation, Reconciliation, and they face is the judgment of whatsRedistribution inspired me to launch Response\x06 on their outsides, not whats on an urban church that followed these Jimtheir insides. principles. Later, I traveled with John ReeseGod is using this to teach me whatto meet with pastors about planting The Atlanta Mission,advantage I have because of nothingmultiethnic churches.Atlanta, Georgiamore than my skin color. I have alsoIn the early 90s, when he and Citygate Networkseen that the more I learn aboutI walked the streets of a Mississippi Past Board Memberinjustice and race, the more I stillcity, John shared that many white have to learn.churches in that area would stop the A couple years ago I had lunch withservice and send everyone home if a young black student who attendedQuestion\x06 a black person happened to visit. The Citadel in South Carolina. She5 Bryan Loritts, who spoke atI responded that they should have was the first scholarshipped blacklast years Citygate Networkclosed their doors for good, because female athlete and a nationallyAnnual Conference andthats not what authentic Christ-accomplished scholar. She brought upExposition, started The Kainosfollowers do.a question discussed in a class of 10Movement, which is committedYears later, I was blessed to serve white students and her. It hit me rightto seeing the multiethnic churchwith Bryan Loritts at Lake Avenue between the eyes, and her answerbecome the new normal in our world.Church in Pasadena. It embraced broke my heart: Have you everIs your church multiethnic? If not,the New Testament model in the dreamed of growing up another colorare you satisfied with that?way that Jerram Barrs, professor of than what you are? She said thatChristian Studies and Contemporary many times she had thought andResponse\x06 Culture at Covenant Theological dreamed about being white. MyAndySeminary, writes: answer to that question was the sameBales as the others in her classroom. No,Union Rescue Mission,If you have not been awakened Ive never dreamt or wished that Los Angeles, Californiato the need for reconciliation I was black. Citygate Network Board Memberin the body of Christ then you For a couple of years, my daughterneed to cry out to God that He and her husbandwho have threeMy wife and I actually are part of awill harrow your heart. Ask the biological childrenhave been fostermultiethnic church. The majorityLord to convict you of what parents of two black children: Aiden,of members are black, but we haveHis Word teachesnot in an whom they got at seven days old,representatives from other ethnicobscure verse or two here and and Isabella, who just turned one.groups. We purposely sought thisthere, but what is taught from 32 WWW.CITYGATENETWORK.ORG SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020'