Yesterday I had the privilege of meeting with a group of youth workers and other pastoral leaders from South Africa. As we shared together about several topics, including engaging youth in concern and action against injustice, one of the group members said something that hit close to home.

Talking about racial integrationobviously a tough topic for South Africahe said, Our inability to integrate the church cuts off our hands to be able to do justice because the community and the government dont trust us.

When schools have integrated and churches havent, it silences the churchs voice about injustice. I shared that here in the U.S., the churchs glaring inability to integrate has similarly disabled our role in advocacy and action (and it also doesnt help that in some communities white Christians have abandoned entire integrated school systems).

The good news is that we all have the opportunity to prove public opinion wrongwhatever our color or background. But gaining that voice back might mean facing ourselves and our fears first.