A few years ago I was teaching a leadership conference for church leaders outside of Bangkok, Thailand. The conference had not officially begun. People who had walked and rode commuter buses, a very long distance, were assembled in the auditorium and they were singing acappella. There was no appointed leader. Various attendees spontaneously led out in a song and everyone else joined in singing. When that leader was finished someone else would lift their voice in praise and everyone would follow. In traveling throughout 25 plus nations around the world I have observed this same amazing scenario. I always get a big lump in my throat as I listen to the expression of my dear heavenly family members worshipping the Ancient of Days. The sound was glorious that day and I wept as I imagined what heaven would be like when nations gather before the Throne of God to worship the Holy One who created all mankind.
What language will we sing and declare those songs of adoration in when we are finally home? Who knows, but one thing is certain, it will be more glorious than anything we could ever imagine.
Rev.7:9 – After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne and to the Lamb.
Jesus said, Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. While we enjoy the multi faceted expressions of the gifts that He has placed in His Church, it is my conviction that more tolerating is done than cherishing and often more enduring than encouraging takes place.
On another leadership training opportunity, this time in Africa, I was listening to the African facilitator of the conference speak in his own language to the audience. I was the only person there, that I am aware of, who did not understand the language. The facilitator stopped speaking in his native tongue and spoke in English while taking the opportunity to welcome and introduce me to the several hundred leaders gathered. I will never forget that moment or what was said that day. After he explained why I (Richard) had come to Africa, he had a sustained pause. Then he spoke with a sober, kind tone concerning me – “you can trust this man, my brothers, he does not possess an apartheid spirit.” A greater compliment could not have been given to me than those words. I thought to myself, how did he know that? We certainly did not know each other well. He knew because we can all sense when someone interacts with us who has a condescending or superior attitude.
Living in Africa taught me a lot about what it feels like to be the outsider. I did not know the language, manners and customs when we first arrived. My wife and I were taught the African culture by people who loved and nurtured us because they saw something of value. Making a place for someone fundamentally begins by valuing him or her in your heart. Like grace, it then is seen in the reflection of a person’s life.
I learned a lot about what an “Apartheid Spirit” was and how it impacted the inner workings of people groups. I asked some people the other day what words came to their mind when they heard the word apartheid? Here are some of their responses; superiority, elitism, lording, strife, division, anger, tension, mistreatment, and on and on.
The official definition for the word apartheid is a political system in South Africa from 1948 to the early 1990s that separated the different peoples living there and gave privileges to those of European origin. Apartheid is racial segregations, a policy of segregation and political and economic discrimination. The first part of this word addresses clearly the definition… “apart!”
The struggle of “apartness” is not new. It has been an issue of great import throughout the Bible. The greatest battles in the history of the world had to do with this word apartheid; the drive to be superior, to conquer or lord authority over others.
In recent decades the challenges in South Africa have brought the issue of apartheid into world awareness. Lets draw back from connecting the word apartheid and South Africa for a minute. Lets look at the possibility of this apartheid spirit in Anchorage, Alaska or in the State of Alaska. Is it possible that we may possess the apartheid spirit? How about the attitude of a larger congregation referring to a smaller congregation or vise versa? Is it possible to have an apartheid attitude when referring to a geographic location in our city or state? How about a specific people group who hold differing cultural values than yours? This attitude could radiate from the transplanted people of Alaska to indigenous Alaskans or for that matter one Alaskan tribe against another. The harboring of such attitudes weakens the very fabric of our great state, the place that God has assigned for us to live. An apartheid spirit does not belong in Alaska!
Having distinctives in Christian doctrine and methodology between church denominations or fellowships is not wrong, but the attitude that sometimes accompanies them can be. It is often contrary to the spirit of the heart and the display of unity that should be modeled in our city.
What is interesting is that we can all be blind to our own apartheid attitudes. In our city and state there is no place for arrogance, superiority or elitism. All these attitudes are contrary to Godly love, humility and meekness.
The Body of Christ in Alaska needs encouraging, collaborative, edifying attitudes that foster holy partnerships for the expansion of the Kingdom of God. This is what God says about these matters.
1 Cor.12: 12 – The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part by of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to he body, it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. 17 And if the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. 19 If they were all one part, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, but one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, I don’t need you. And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you. 22 On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. because I am not the eye I have no place. God puts the members in the body as it pleases Him. We are the ones who need to adjust our attitudes from apartness to partnership, from separatism to inclusion. There is one body, one faith one lord and father of all.
Lord, open our eyes to those things that may prevent the very prayer (John 17) and great commandment (Matthew 22:37) of Jesus from being fulfilled. Help us love one another as we love ourselves. By this attitude and action the citizens of Alaska would know that we belong to the redemptive God who reconciles and restores that which is broken. There can be no unity without humility. Humility holds no space for an apartheid spirit. After all, one day we will all (of many colors and customs) stand together and proclaim, with one voice, how great God is!
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