Racial and political tensions are at an all time high. It seems like the left and the right are getting pushed further and further apart. In the midst of this turmoil it can be a struggle for churches and tech ministry leaders to know which way to go.
Regardless of your political beliefs, there is one thing that all churches should be able to agree on. God is love and he has called us to love one another. That love should be extended to everyone regardless of race, religion, gender or age. If love is not our number one response towards people we are in danger of missing God's heart completely.
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:7-8
Did you catch what John said in that last sentence? He said if you don't love others you are proving that you don't know God at all. We prove our love for God by showing love to those around us. So I wonder how well you are embracing diversity on your tech team?
When you are looking to recruit people for your ministry are you only approaching people who are like you? Or do you seek out differences in age, gender and race? I have found that differences are almost always a blessing. Yet so many people get afraid of other people who are different from them.
Many people tend to allow their stereotypes to control the way that they think about people. For thousands of years people have made rash judgments about entire groups of people based on the bad behavior of one or two people. These stereotypes are the very things that spark racism and genocide. Make the decision to not judge people based on the actions of a few.
When you meet someone with a different accent than you or a different color of skin, move towards them and not away from them. Develop a life of curiosity, and you will be surprised at what you will discover.
Your ministry will be stronger by being diverse. God did not intend your tech team or your whole church to be made up of people like you. God made us so that we need to rely on the strengths and abilities of others.
Many years ago I led a video team at my church and one of our main video operators was deaf. He couldn't hear a thing, and as a result he could also barely talk. Yes, that created some complexities, and there were some things that he wasn't able to do. But in the long run he contributed so many valuable things to the team. He also became a good personal friend of mine. I could have immediately disqualified him, but we decided to give him a chance, and we all grew as a result. Although he had certain weaknesses, he had strengths in organization that we desperately needed.
I believe God cares how much we love people who are different from us. Sure, anyone can love people that believe the same way and look the same way. But the real challenge is when we choose to love people who are very different.
Let's treat people the way we want to be treated. Let us work hard to build bridges and build a better future. Don't run from differences, but run towards them and embrace them.
