On March 21, 1930, history was made. The historically African-Amercian, Wiley College, engaged in a formal debate with the all white and Methodist-based, Oklahoma City College. This was the first time a white debate team and black debate team had shared the same platform in the South. The tension was not only thick due to the racial pressures, but also because of the debate topic at hand: "Why Blacks Should Not Be Allowed to Enroll In A White College."
The motion picture, The Great Debaters starring Denzel Washington, beautifully captures the anxieties and emotions of this historical moment. The stakes were high at this debate for good reason. The issue of ending segregation in American colleges was a deeply polarizing issue during that time. Many white Americans during this era had a difficult time imagining a world where someone of a different race or background would share their rights & privileges. Even more troubling for most Americans was the idea of having to live among and associate with those who were different from them.
If we look at the early days of the New Testament church, we read about a scene that does not differ much from the one in 1930. The disciples enjoyed a deep, rich Jewish heritage. The strong foundation of the Torah and Judeo principles had prepared them to understand the need for a Messiah. Therefore, there was a great sense of pride in recognizing, worshipping and following Jesus, the promised Lord and Savior. But there was a problem…
Jesus commissioned his followers to extend their witness beyond the cultural and geo-political boundaries of Judea. A radical idea was introduced: this grace bestowed through Christ's sacrifice was to be extended to Gentiles. To some, this made sense as a natural progression of forgiveness and redemption. But for many, this idea was too extreme. The idea of reaching out, building relationships with and loving those with a different heritage, political view and lifestyle seemed heretical.
The idea of going into the darkness of pagan cultures seemed too risky. The Gentiles didn't have the advantage of understanding the morality of the Mosaic laws or the wisdom of the prophets. The Gentiles lived in ways that were deeply offensive to Jews. The Gentiles many times mocked or ridiculed monotheistic views of morality. Sound familiar?
We live in that same setting. We must now reach out to a generation that does not have the advantage of being raised with Judeo-Christian underpinnings. We must reach out to a world that may not share our political views. We must reach out to a generation that struggles with the concept of a Creator much less a Redeemer.
Are we engaging a culture around us that is offensive to the church and to God? Absolutely…but how else would we expect a people lost in darkness without the light of Christ to act and think? Their eyes have been blinded. This generation is biblically illiterate without a moral compass. So not unlike the Jews of the early Church, we have a choice…
We can board up the windows, declare ourselves the remnant and point our fingers at this godless, pagan world. Or…we can choose to embrace this culture with the only hope they have…the hope of Christ. Does this generation lack a biblical perspective on political, cultural and social issues? Yes, but lets remember: without Christ, a human's worldview is warped. Instead of trying to persuade them to our worldview, let's persuade them to Jesus…He will take care of the rest.
We cannot wait any longer for the world to get their "act together." We cannot wait until the world starts respecting Christian values & ethics. We must go to them and compel them with the life-giving message of the Gospel. The time is now!
