Ministers of Reconciliation
How should pastors preach on race and ethnicity? What does the Bible have to say about our current cultural moment? In Ministers of Reconciliation, Lexham Press presents a primer for preaching on race and the gospel.
Preaching on Race in View of the Image of God
Edited by Daniel Darling, this collection of 13 essays calls preachers to continue Christ’s ministry of reconciliation in their pulpit ministry. With contributions from a diverse lineup of pastors including J. D. Greear, Dhati Lewis, Ray Ortlund, and Juan R. Sanchez – the message of racial reconciliation is urgent and one that all pastors must consider.
After a foreword from Russell Moore, Matthew D. Kim begins the book by examining Genesis 1:27 and Preaching on Race in View of the Image of God. It is a fitting introduction to ground the rest of the book in the Bible. Racism is explicitly called out as sin, and fighting it in our sermons is an active way of celebrating the image of God in all persons to the glory of God.
Giving Greater Honor to the “Minority” in Your Midst
Bryan Loritts looks at Acts 10 and How God Addresses Our Prejudices. He introduces the concept of race in the sociological sense, and how it’s possible to preach and be prejudiced at the same time. He concludes that the gospel of Jesus Christ must be preached to offer the community, catalyzing experiences, and content to confront our prejudices and replace them with compassion.
1 Corinthians 12:12-26 is the text that Raymond Chang writes on Giving Greater Honor to the “Minority” in Your Midst. To be without social power and honor, and to be separated in superior and inferior groups goes against God’s design for diversity in the church. Chang challenges preachers to recontextualize and apply the whole gospel message to promote unity and break dividing walls with wisdom and love.
Care Like Christ, Our Chief Shepherd
This book is written with the background of COVID-19, political unrest, and social turmoil. It speaks directly to our time while staying tethered to the timeless truths of the Gospel message. Reading this book will challenge you to preach the whole counsel of God. It will give you courage to address the contentious topics of race and ethnicity in your local church. And it will calm your soul as you look to Christ, our kind and caring Chief Shepherd, who brings other sheep into his fold.
I received a media copy of Ministers of Reconciliation and this is my honest review. Find more of my book reviews and follow Dive In, Dig Deep on Instagram - my account dedicated to Bibles and books to see the beauty of the Bible and the role of reading in the Christian life. To read all of my book reviews and to receive all of the free eBooks I find on the web, subscribe to my free newsletter.