Articles
We post several short articles per month, tackling complicated issues and giving space for Christians to share their experiences about race in an edifying way. Longer essays are a scholarly contribution to UWP. They examine racism in the church in light of historical and theological contexts. Both Short-Form and Long-Form essays are written by people burdened with racial reconciliation in the church.
Embracing Transformation: A Journey Towards Multi-Ethnic Ministry
As a child, my life was marked by racial diversity in almost every aspect, except for one—the church. While my school and social circles were diverse, self-imposed segregation was prevalent within the worship services. This discrepancy puzzled me: why could diversity...
A Barber
You’ve heard, and maybe asked, it before—the common ice-breaker: “If you could choose any career besides the one you already have, what would it be?” I love being a pastor and wouldn’t actually change it for anything, but the answers from folks are intriguing. There’s...
Loving America Well on the 4th of July: It’s Our Christian Duty
I love gathering with family and friends to enjoy grilled hot dogs, burgers, and smoked ribs and to watch fireworks on the 4th of July while listening to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture (and smooth Jazz). It’s also a pretty cool perk to be in Los Angeles, where you can do...
AN OPEN LETTER TO SECOND-GENERATION LATINOS IN WHITE EVANGELICAL CHURCHES
Before you read this title and assume I am here to nitpick everything wrong with white evangelicalism, consider this. I came to know Jesus at a primarily white church that loved Jesus and loved their neighbor as best they knew. I’ve had countless white evangelicals...
LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL: 60TH ANNIVERSARY
Today is the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail. Dr. King had been arrested in Birmingham during a non-violent protest against the segregation of the Jim Crow South. A few things stand out about the letter as we read it today. The first is how...
Book Response: Agents of Grace by Daniel Darling
The best ideas always seem obvious in hindsight. That’s the case with Daniel Darling’s forthcoming book, Agents of Grace: How to Bridge Divides and Love as Jesus Loved (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2023). This is a book of old...
Book Response: In Church as it is in Heaven
In Church as it is in Heaven? It was only several years ago that I had no answer for a question I was often asked: “What should I read on race and ethnic unity in the church?” It wasn’t that there were not good books on race and racism. There were plenty. But many...
Book Response: The Gift of the Outsider
Alicia Akins has been a friend of United? We Pray for years now. I cannot remember how we first met, but she has been writing for us on and off since 2020. I remember right away appreciating her keen insight, both about herself and those around her. She brings those...
A NOT SO SUBTLE SHIFT
Growing up as a black man in rural America, I had the joy and privilege of attending predominantly black churches in my community. My earliest memories of church life involve going to First Baptist to hear Doc Smith and Rev Gentry lead prayer meetings and Bible...
JUDGMENT AND MERCY
The scribes and Pharisees brought her to Jesus for judgment. Caught in adultery, they desired to exact the full penalty of the law against a woman and pummel her to death with stones. Guilty. Exposed. Vulnerable. Her life was at the mercy of the mob and the verdict of...