It’s important for conversations about race, sexuality, immigration, politics to take place *in* the church. In many gospel-centered churches, we’ve avoided these discussions for fear of being “too political,” or divisive. But it’s in avoiding that we open ourselves to divison.

Why? Because if Christians aren’t talking and wrestling through these issues with Scrupture as our foundation, and in the bond of love and the wisdom of the Spirit, we will invariably find other, polarizing voices catechizing us.

The voices of our culture are polarizing because they differ in their foundations, operate out of different frameworks, and pursue different goals. When these voices primarily shape our thinking on these issues, we will read *these* assumptions back into our theology/practice.

This is troubling, b/c these voices are influential and speak into our lived experience. We can actually begin to associate our primary identity with their “tribe.” Once we do this, we read those convictions into Scripture, rather than letting Scripture shape our convictions.

But when we start in the church, addressing them theologically, in the bond of peace, in the full awareness of our shared union with Christ, we are able to actually pursue understanding, without the pressure to “win” or dominate.

We are able to learn from one another without fear that we’ll be “contaminated” by the right or left.

And most importantly, we can help one another approach these issues first and foremost *as followers of Jesus.*