Red, Brown, Yellow, Black, White—Who’s More Precious in God’s Sight? by Leroy Barber

Racism in missions didn’t end with colonialism. Barber shows how it continues to persist, especially in urban missions. People of color in missions are often not given positions of authority. When they have their own mission organizations, they are often deprived of funding. Racism and classism surface especially when white suburban congregations do trips in urban areas. These and other examples of racism undermine what mission is about, which is to represent God’s rule on earth. Barber draws on Martin Luther King Jr. and Howard Thurman to point a way forward for people of all colors to embody God’s reign in mission. Barber, executive director of Word Made Flesh Ministries and board chair of the Christian Community Development Association, draws largely on his own experience in urban mission.