One Blood: Parting Words to the Church on Race and Love

Dr. Perkins? final manifesto on race, faith, and reconciliation We are living in historic times. Not since the civil rights movement of the 60s has our country been this vigorously engaged in the reconciliation conversation. There is a great opportunity right now for culture to change, to be a more perfect union. However, it cannot be done without the church, because the faith of the people is more powerful than any law government can enact. The church is the heart and moral compass of a nation. To turn a country away from God, you must sideline the church. To turn a nation to God, the church must turn first. Racism won't end in America until the church is reconciled first. Then-and only then-can it spiritually and morally lead the way.Dr. John M. Perkins is a leading civil rights activist today. He grew up in a Mississippi sharecropping family, was an early pioneer of the civil rights movement, and has dedicated his life to the cause of racial equality. In this, his crowning work, Dr. Perkins speaks honestly to the church about reconciliation, discipleship, and justice... and what it really takes to live out biblical reconciliation. He offers a call to repentance to both the white church and the black church. He explains how band-aid approaches of the past won't do. And while applauding these starter efforts, he holds that true reconciliation won't happen until we get more intentional and relational. True friendships must happen, and on every level. This will take the whole church, not just the pastors and staff. The racial reconciliation of our churches and nation won't be done with big campaigns or through mass media. It will come one loving, sacrificial relationship at a time. The gospel and all that it encompasses has always traveled best relationally. We have much to learn from each other and each have unique poverties that can only be filled by one another. The way forward is to become "wounded healers" who bandage each other up as we discover what the family of God really looks like. Real relationships, sacrificial love between actual people, is the way forward. Nothing less will do. Review Praise for One BloodJohn Perkins?s new book, One Blood, is an open invitation for the body of Christ-whether a church, denomination, or individual-to take inventory of our progress. Are we living by Christ?s standards, or have we succumbed to those of the world? While the latest research reveals that the average church is stagnant at best, Christ has challenged His church to stay in the race and get His work done! John Perkins?s book poses some tough questions and offers practical advice for doing just that.Tony EvansSenior pastor, Oak Cliff Bible FellowshipPresident, The Urban Alternative ?Perkins rightly states that true reconciliation with our brothers and sisters ?from every nation? has been long overdue, and we continue to witness disastrous results. ... Dr. Perkins's insight and guidance on this subject are well worth considering by today's church leadership as well as individual members of the body of Christ.?Rick Warren Founding pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven LifeI?m not quite sure where to begin with Dr. John Perkins?s latest and, perhaps, final book, One Blood. I think the best way to capture the heart of this book is that, ultimately, this is a love letter to the church. By this, I?m not suggesting that this is a nebulous or fluffy invitation to a feel good, pop psychology about the injustice of racism. Rather, it?s both fierce and tender, pastoral and prophetic, lamenting and hopeful. Dr. Perkins-both through his words and corroborated by a life faithfully lived-invites us to a deeper love for God and for neighbor-including and especially those that don?t look like us, think like us, or feel like us. And in a world today of so much pain, fear, and division, we need to desperately be reminded of God?s reconciling truth, grace, and love.Eugene