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7DECEMBER2014BODYOFCHRISTNEWSCURRENTAFFAIRSThroughouttheFallof2011IwasinthemidstofnetworkinginpreparationfortheplantingofTheEmbassyChurch.DuringthisprocessapastorinmycityinvitedmetoagatheringthatfeaturedhismentoraprofessorofMissiologyatalargedenomi-nationalseminaryasthekeynotespeaker.WhenweweredoneheaskedthatImeetwiththeprofes-sorandshareinsightsregardingthechurchthatwewereabouttoplant.Ihadtheobligatorystumpspeechthatallowedmetowalkpeoplethroughourmissioninanexpeditiousmannerbuthedidnotallowmetofinish.WhenIexpositedoneofourdis-tinctivesDiversityandIntegrationtheprofessorstoppedmeandsaidThatwillneverwork.YouareAfricanAmerican.AndIbetyoupreachinablackstyle.BlackpreachingwillappealtoAfricanAmericans.Thatshouldbeyourtargetaudience.Iexplainedthatmyneighborhoodisdiversifyingduetogentrification.Theblackwhiteandbrownpopulationsarealmostevenlyrepresentedinthecommunity.HerepliedThatsirrelevant.Ifyoutargetevery-onethenyouaretargetingnoone.YoushouldsetouttoplantablackChurch.IaskedIfthechurchdoesnotintegratethenhowwillweeffectivelyaddressdivisionsamongus.Intheabsenceofdia-loguebetweeneternalfamilymemberswewillnevereffectivelyrepresenttheKingdomthatJohndepictsinRevelation79.HerepliedFirstthedivisionsamongusareoverstated.Theriftbetweenblackandwhitehasdiminished.Secondthechurchwillbeperfectlyintegratedineternity.YoushouldfocusongettingpeopleintoheavenwhereGodwillbetheintegrator.IntheaftermathofFergusonthewordsofthepro-fessorcametomind.TheriftisdiminishedReallyThepresentdividewhichcarefullytracesalongracialculturalsocioeconomicandevenChristiantheologicallineswouldseemtounderminetheveracityofhisopinion.Inresponsetothesamenewswehavecampsrejoicingwhileothersbattleirrepressibleheartache.IfanationcanbedividedinsuchapreciseandextrememanneritseemsthattheChurchtheordainedembassyoftheKingdomshouldremoveitsself-imposedblindersanddisplayasincerebeliefintheMastersmodelprayerYourkingdomcomeyourwillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven.IfMatthew610isamantraisitappropri-atefortheChurchtobesolongsightedastofixateongettingpeopleintoheavenIftheyarepresentcitizensoftheKingdomwhywouldwewaitbeforecallingthemuptoKingdomlivingWhatisthecomplicationWeareinherentlymyopicandtooarroganttoseethevalueofengag-inganyonefromadifferentperspective.WhyBecausewerecognizeTruthascoldandobjective.Infactweboastinourcapacitytoacceptitsobjectivitywithoutflinching.ConsequentlyweonlywishtoknowthedetailsofanencounterbetweenapoliceofficerandateenagedboyonaFergusonstreet.Wecontendthatweneedonlyassessthisencounterinavacuumandletthechipsfallwheretheymay.Itisnotuncommonformajor-ityculturepunditstoassertthatanyprotestsandangryretaliationamongminoritiesisadisplayoffoolishnessracialbiasanddenial.IwishitwerethatsimplebutitisnotLikeallmomentstheencounterbetweentheofficerandtheteenwasthemomentaryculminationofhistory.Ideasandsentimentspredatedthemomentastheywerederivedfrompreviousexperiencesandopinions.NoteveryoneinFergusonexperiencedhistorythroughthesameeyes.Whiletruthisobjectivethemannerinwhichhumanityassessesitisnot.Iammaleblackandlarge.Iamalwaysamongthemostobviouspeopleinaroom.RecognizingthismyfatherandunclesatmedownandtaughtmetheruleswhenIwasapreteen.TheysaidBoyyouaremaleblackandlarge.Oneofthosegetseveryonesattentiontwomakeyouasuspectbutallthreeofthemmakeyouadangeroussuspect.Youneedtoknowtherulesofgettinghomesafely.AsatwelveyearoldIdeemedmyselfall-knowingsoIdidnotneedtheiradvice.Theirconcernseemedextremeandunnecessary.AfterIcommunicatedthistothemmyfathersaidKeeplivingyoulllearn.Hewasright.WhenIwasfourteen-years-oldIwatchedfourpoliceofficersbeatamanfortenminutesonlytoreleasehimaftertheyrealizedhewasnotguiltyofthesuspectedcrime.Theydidthisknowingthattheywereactinginthepresenceofatleasteightwitnesses.WhentheydroveawayhewalkedovertousandinmyyouthfulfuryIsaidWeshoulddosomethingHelaughedandsaidWhoareyougoingtocallThepoliceAtseventeenyearsoldwhilethreefriendsandIwereonourwaytoapartyhostedbythemarchingbandIwaspulledoverbyaDallaspoliceofficer.Heapproachedthevehiclewithhisflashlightinhandandneversaidaword.Afterhesilentlyshinedhislightthroughoutmy1987PlymouthVoyagerheturnedandwalkedaway.WeaskedwhyhestoppedusandhesaidYoulookedlikeyouwereuptonogood.Wewereseatbeltwear-ingspeedlimitobservingcollegeboundhighschoolseniorsonourwaytoapartythatwassponsoredbytheMARCHINGBANDWhenIreturnedhomeIrehearsedtheencounterformyfatherandheaskedDidyouobservetherulesWhenIansweredyesherepliedKeepliving.Mywhitebrotherswhoflip-pantlydisregardtheideaofwhiteprivilegeareabletodosobecausetheyhavenotexperiencedmomentsofthissortmorethanfifteentimesinthirty-nineyears.IhaveneverbeenarrestedbutonseveraloccasionsIhavehadtoprovethatIamnotacrimi-nal.Thisrealityhasfashionedme.Iseeandapproachlifeinamannerthatiswhollydistinctfrommywhitebrothers.Iamfarmorecarefulthantheywilleverbe.Ihavetherules.Thisdidnothap-peninonemoment.Mypresentmomentisthetemporaryculminationofhistory.Iseethemomentthrougheyesthatwerebirthedfromthathistory.Themostarrogantthingyoucandoistellmethatmyobservationsareinvalidwithoutfirstcommuningwithmetogainanapprecia-tionofmyeyesperspective.WeshouldtreatFergusonasanopportunitytohearrationalpeopleexpresstheirheartache.Aneighteen-year-oldboyisdead.Howcouldwedaregoonwithoutpausingtogainunder-standingItsokaytolistenyoudonothavetoalwaysbeheard.WiththeaboveinmindIappealtothoseofthemajorityculturetoappreciateanoften-overlookedpoint.ThepresentdiscontentamongminoritiesisnotduetoasinglemomentinFergusonandbynomeansisittheresultofrationalhumanbeingsignoringtheobjectivenatureoftruth.InsteadmayIsuggestthatwearepresentlyexperiencingthelitkindlingthatisourhistory.Itisnotaneventitisaseriesofevents.Andthosewhodonothaveeyesthatassesstheseriesfromtheperspectiveofanotherwouldbeunwisetooversimplifythecircumstancesandcritiquetheoutrage.AndIwouldcontendthatwearrivedatthismomentbecauseweagreewiththeadviceoftheprofessorofMissiology.WearecontenttoremainsegregatedfornowbecauseJesuswillcleanupthemesslater.ButwhatifChristsdeathwasdevisedtoaddressitnowHisdeathnotonlyreconcilesustohimitreconcilesustooneanotherEph.21-22HevaluestheintegrationofhisChurchsomuchthathediedtopurchaseitItisthiscom-munitythatinitiatesthediscourse.Itisherewherewegainanappreciationofhistorythroughtheeyesofothers.Itisherewheresincereandhumbledia-loguepreemptsracialriotsinsteadofreactingtothem.TheprofessoriswrongWhilehisevangelisticsentimentsarewellintendedhehastruncatedtheGospel.Jesusdidnotdiesowecouldmerelygotoheaven.Hediedsothatallthatisbrokencouldbemadewhole.ThatisthecomprehensiveGospel.HeiswrongandtheGospelaccuseshim.FergusonistheresultoftheChurchreplicatinghiserror.Itistimeforustocoursecorrect.Otherwisethepresentcircumstanceswillbeournorm.Prayingforunity-Grievinguntilitcomes.BrandonWashingtonIammaleblackandlarge.Iamalwaysamongthemostobviouspeopleinaroom.RecognizingthismyfatherandunclesatmedownandtaughtmetheruleswhenIwasapreteen.ByBrandonWashingtonFergusonAnOpportunitytoHear