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Voddie Baucham talks about Racial Reconciliation and the Word of God
Voddie Baucham and Racial Reconciliation
Who nailed it for this week? The subject is racial reconciliation, a topic we all tend to tiptoe around in Christian circles. But one pastor has tackled it head-on. Not with a sociology book or unique cultural perspectives, but instead with the Word of God. His look at Ephesians chapter 2 proves that the Bible has all we need for racial peace.
I’m Joel Fieri, Executive Producer of Christian Podcast Central. And this is “The Best Thing You’ll Hear This Week”
Voddie Baucham is Dean of Theology at African Christian University in Lusaka, Zambia. He’s a former pastor here in the states and has a significant presence on YouTube and other social media. This past January he spoke at the Southeast Founders “Do Justice, Love Kindness, Walk Humbly” regional conference in Florida. His talk on racial reconciliation should be the go-to standard for anyone who dares enter the discussion about race, justice and reconciliation among Christian believers. As usual we’ve attached a link for you to watch. It’s fairly long but well worth your time.
In the video, Pastor Baucham starts by warning against placing anything above the Word of God in attempting to bring about racial reconciliation. Too many people are turning to the latest book or books on the subject (usually written in the useful but not spiritually authoritative language of sociology) for legitimizing their message of reconciliation. Voddie is having none of it! In no uncertain terms, he states that God’s Word is fully sufficient to guide us in racial reconciliation. Because we are all of one race, there are no racial divisions. They are arbitrary. We’re ethnically diverse, for sure. But we are all one race.
In reality, our most critical division is found in Ephesians chapter two. It’s the division between the circumcised and the uncircumcised. Those who are near and those who are far away. Those who have hope, and those who are hopeless and without God in the world. THAT divide is vastly more significant than any earthly divide we now face. And most importantly, and this is key, that division has ALREADY been reconciled. Therefore racial division has already been reconciled – by the blood of Christ! We need to simply walk in that reality. Because of this reality, wherever we go in the world, we have family. Spiritual family. We’ve all been made one by the blood of Christ. This is what the Bible says and it’s all we need to hear on the subject. The rest is just obedience.
I haven’t mentioned Pastor Baucham’s ethnicity. He’s black. If you’re expecting me to say African American, I’m not, because in other video’s I’ve seen online Voddie has made it very clear that he doesn’t like that particular label (he’s also very large and fights in Jiu-Jitsu tournaments, so I’ll refer you to his web site if you don’t like it). I suppose this gives him a certain amount of gravitas or credibility on the subject, although ideally it shouldn’t matter. He’s only presenting the truth of God’s Word. The only reason I mention it is because early on he makes some very insightful remarks about his church background, and why he and his family attended the churches they did in the past and what was expected of him as a black Christian and Pastor. These insights alone make the the video a must-see.
But the main point, the main take-away from this video is this; God’s Word is sufficient! That’s true for all the divisions that exist among us. Christ’s work on the cross and the shedding of His blood has brought us near to God and has made us ONE. It’s not something we achieve, it’s something we believe God has already done!
Brothers and sisters, THAT is the Best Thing You’ll Hear This Week!