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How can we work through some of those tensions? Here is an exercise that can be adapted to either small- or large-group settings, along with some suggestions for learning to move more easily across ethnic differences.

1. As individuals, take a minute to respond personally to the following question:

2. Now take five minutes together in very small groups of two or three to share your thoughts with each other (adjust timing so that everyone can verbalize their responses).

3. In the larger group, let a spokesperson from each smaller group share a few observations about what was said.

4. Move on by asking some of the following questions and getting a response from the group. (Some appropriate responses and thoughts are in brackets.)

a. Who made these people you talked about? [God did.]

b. Does God love them? [Yes.]

c. Do you love them? [Responses will vary, depending on the size and intimacy of the group.]

d. Where do these deep-seated feelings come from? [They are culturally imprinted upon us as we grow up.]

e. How can we change those feelings? [They are so indelibly imprinted on us that we may never be able to remove them. We may see some movement, but we may only be able to ask God to continually forgive us and help us.]

5. Summarize by pointing out that most of us find our security in being with people who are like us-socially, culturally, racially. Differences make most of us uneasy and nervous. Coming to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior does not automatically change the way we look at the people around us. To be conformed to the image of Jesus in this area of our lives will be very painful and very difficult. Will you pay the price?

HOW TO GROW
Racism is essentially our denial that God has made all people in his image. Our reluctance to move from our comfort zones only hinders our ability to understand one another and to discover that image of God in each other. Here are some steps to take, many of which are especially important for those in the majority culture:

• Desire Jesus to change the attitudes of your heart. Express that desire in prayer.

• Listen to people who are ethnically different from you. Read their books. See their films and plays. Hear their music. Consider their perspective on history, politics, economics, culture, language and the future. Try to understand their world.

• Face the history of our nation in the area of race.

• Face your personal history in racial relationships (see the exercise above and the sidebar on page 14).

• Become friends with some people who are ethnically different from you.

• Go and be a minority in their world. Become part of their world. Join a black gospel choir (most welcome people of any ethnic heritage). Spend time with the Asian or Latino clubs on campus. Visit (and maybe join!) a multiracial church or one in which yours is the minority culture.

• Get involved with the needs of real people in urban communities. Take part in an InterVarsity® urban project or work with an agency like Habitat for Humanity.

• Search the Scriptures for God's heart for racial reconciliation. Study with others to build biblical foundations into your life.

• Be open to having your world view changed.

• Be willing to be hurt, to fail and to get up again.