Imagine walking into a church—God’s house, where all are supposed to be welcome—only to be told that you couldn’t attend a fellowship event because of your race. Sounds like something out of the Jim Crow era, doesn’t it? Yet here we are in 2025, and that’s exactly what’s happening at Resurrection Oakland Church in California.

Under the pretense of celebrating Black History Month, the church has decided to hold a “Black Fellowship Dinner” exclusively for Black worshippers, with a separate event open to everyone else. Now, some will argue that this is about fostering cultural solidarity, but let’s call it what it is: division masquerading as inclusion. Worse yet, it’s an outright contradiction of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Gospel Leaves No Room for Racial Division

Scripture is crystal clear on this: there is no such thing as racial segregation in the body of Christ. Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” This isn’t just a feel-good verse—it’s a fundamental truth of the faith. Christ didn’t establish His church so believers could be split into racial categories. He came to unite us under His name.

Ephesians 4:3-6 reinforces this unity, commanding us to be “eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.”

So why is a church—an institution meant to reflect Christ’s love—choosing to segregate believers based on race? Even under the well-intended banner of cultural celebration, this kind of event drives a wedge between brothers and sisters in Christ.

“Separate but Equal” in the Church?

Defenders of racial affinity groups in churches argue that Black Christians need safe spaces to process trauma and worship in ways that reflect their cultural identity. No one denies the painful history of racial injustice in this country. But the solution isn’t division—it’s radical unity.

Look at Acts 2, when the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost. Jews, Gentiles—people from every nation—came together in worship. There were no separate dinners, no racial silos, no “safe spaces.” The gospel shattered human divisions and brought believers together as one body.

Now ask yourself: what precedent does this set? If a church can hold a Black-only fellowship, should it also hold a White-only fellowship? What about an Asian-only gathering? A Hispanic-only dinner? At what point does the desire to affirm cultural identity begin to erode the foundation of Christian unity?

This isn’t just a hypothetical. Paul confronted Peter in Galatians 2:11-14 for separating himself from Gentile believers to appease Jewish Christians. His message was direct: division in the body of Christ is unacceptable. Any church choosing to separate believers by race—no matter how well-intentioned—risks falling into the same dangerous trap that Paul condemned.

Identity Politics Has No Place in the Church

Unfortunately, this isn’t an isolated case. More and more churches are embracing racial identity politics, subtly (or not so subtly) prioritizing ethnicity over unity in Christ. This isn’t just a bad theology issue—it’s a dangerous movement that mirrors the world’s obsession with race rather than reflecting the kingdom of God.

Some claim that racial affinity groups create “safe spaces” for believers. But since when was the church about comfort? The gospel doesn’t call us to stay in our comfort zones. It calls us to sharpen and challenge one another. Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”

True biblical fellowship isn’t about race. It’s about coming together as one people, bound not by skin color but by our shared faith in Jesus Christ.

The Church Must Tear Down These Walls

Resurrection Oakland Church, and any other church walking down this path, needs to take a long, hard look at Scripture. Jesus prayed in John 17:21 that His followers would be one, just as He and the Father are one, so that the world would know He was sent by God.

Segregated church events—no matter how well-intended—undermine that unity and distort the church’s witness to the world. If Christians can’t model true unity, then who will?

Want to honor Black History Month in the church? Then celebrate the contributions of Black Christians alongside your White, Hispanic, and Asian brothers and sisters. Break bread together. Worship together. Stand as one.

Because in Christ, race does not divide us. And the moment we start acting like it does, we’ve lost sight of the gospel.