Ebook
Diversity is God’s idea—and unity is how we honor God.
Our heavenly Father calls us to unite, but Christians remain some of the most divided people on the planet. It seems we mistake God’s call for unity as a command for uniformity: We split along political and denominational lines and prefer our churches, neighborhoods, and other spaces to be filled with those most “like” ourselves.
Our segregated habits may satisfy our need for comfort, but division breaks God’s heart. We are called to embrace the miracle of unity, when what was once separated due to difference comes together—when people from every group, nation, and tongue praise the name of Jesus.
In Mending Sunday, Skot Welch offers a pathway for putting on the mind of Christ when it comes to diversity and division. God’s unity doesn’t mean giving up our unique identities and the gifts of ethnicity, family, language, or tradition. Rather, when we put Jesus at the center of our lives and communities, we experience a grace and power we’ve never before known. In a culture bent on division, a church that embraces differences becomes the biggest witness for Christ the world has ever seen.
Foreword
Introduction: Diversity Is God’s Idea
Recognize
1.Name False Identities
2. Defeat Religious Racism
3.Examine Black Culture
4.Unveil White Culture
5.Steps to Transformation: Recognition
Repent and Redefine
6.Overcome Disunity
7.Avoid Cultural Ditches
8.Defy “White Privilege”
9.Abandon “Black Inferiority”
10.Steps to Transformation: Repentance and Redefinition
Reconcile, Recompense, and Restore
11.Build Friendship
12.Appreciate God’s Mosaic
13.Understand Our History
14.Redeem Our Spirits
15.Steps to Transformation: Reconciliation, Recompense, and Restoration
Additional Resources
Acknowledgments
Notes
The Author
“When I soberly examine the state of the US church and the world, I see relationships torn asunder. In Mending Sunday, Skot Welch not only clarifies the trouble and impact of a divisive church; he offers practical steps to orient our lives toward Jesus, who longs for a diverse, multiethnic, multiracial kingdom. As Welch reveals, a mended church is our mandate and our destiny!”
“In Mending Sunday, Skot Welch seeks to go beyond naming the problem of disunity by offering guidance toward a unified church. Welch’s unique perspective is born from a familiar shared experience. Simply written, the truthfulness of Welch’s words make this is an important read. Focusing on racism, Welch exposes the broader ideologies that divide the church while challenging us to take action that is faithful to the biblical mandate for unity. Welch proposes an opportunity, rooted deeply in Christian understanding and cultural knowledge.”
“Mending Sunday is a courageous and pastorally grounded book for this moment in the church’s life. Skot Welch speaks with theological depth and lived wisdom in naming division not as a minor inconvenience but as a spiritual crisis that demands transformation. He resists easy slogans about unity and instead offers a rigorous and hopeful path rooted in authentic relationship, truth-telling, and reparative action.
Clear-eyed and faithful, this book challenges readers while still holding out real hope for the church. This book is a vital resource for leaders and congregations seeking to reflect the fullness of God’s diverse and beloved community.”
“In a culture plagued by dualistic thinking, Skot Welch presents a much needed alternative mindset. His words reflect an authentic desire to unite our messy-but-beautiful human ‘family’ around a more transcendent spiritual calling.”
“What could it look like to overcome the racial separation, injustice, and disunity that has characterized much of the history of the church in the United States? What could it look like to center our individual and corporate identities in Christ while embracing the differences among us? Skot Welch offers creative ideas for recognizing how we are living, repenting, and renewing our minds to ultimately mend the church. With prophetic language, he holds up a mirror and asks readers to let God conform them into the likeness of Christ.”