This past Sunday, my wife and I and a few friends attended the non-denominational Bridgeway Church on FM 407 in Copper Canyon. Lead Minister Kyle Cunningham had promoted his 3-part series “Unraveling Racism” on a Facebook video and we were interested in hearing his sermon. Saying that “Eight out of ten congregations in America are basically segregated,” Minister Cunningham, a Flower Mound resident, decided to have a conversation about race, the Bible, the church and how we can come together to be a part of a process of racial reconciliation. During the sermon he talked about what the Bible has to say about race and what’s the vision for multiculturalism in the Kingdom of God. For those who are unfamiliar with him or his church, he sent the following short biography.
“Kyle is the Lead Pastor of BridgeWay Church in Copper Canyon. He holds a degree in English Literature and Business from the University of Oregon and is currently pursuing a Masters of Theology from Fuller Seminary. Kyle and his wife Lizzy have two young sons with a third baby on the way.” More information about the church can be found at: www.bwchurch.org
Inasmuch as we won’t be able to make the other 2 parts of the series, I asked the Minister to come over for an interview to tell our viewers what they can expect. I have great respect for those who tackle controversial subjects and racial division in our country is certainly at the top of that list. In my opinion, there are many people who toss race into political discussions without context, taking full advantage of the non-sequitur prohibition in the general use of the language. Minister Cunningham is to be applauded for having the courage to deal with such a sensitive subject, especially during an era in which the word “racism” is being used for political advantage in national elections.
Asking tough questions is often avoided for fear of reprisals from those with opposite views. Yet, we can never achieve racial harmony until we define what it is that keeps us divided. During the interview, among other topics, he talks about the, perhaps unintentional, racial “segregation” of our churches and how it might affect the way we define our culture.
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