A Prayer about Being the Beautiful Community

(This prayer is based on Dr. Irwyn Ince’s book The Beautiful Community: Unity, Diversity, and the Church at Its Best (affiliate link)

Beautiful Lord,

As we gather for worship today, whether together or apart, 

may we look around us and consider a crucial question, 

“How well does our community reflect the beautiful community, 

the multifaceted, multiethnic, multiracial culture 

we will know when we dwell forever as your kingdom of priests?” 

We who are in the dominant culture in our churches should also ask, 

“Do I enjoy my dominant culture status? Am I willing to sacrifice 

my preferred and familiar ways of worship

(hymns or praise songs, 

hands raised or firmly clasped, 

kneeling or dancing) 

for the sake of my sisters and brothers?” 

Beautiful and beautifying Savior, 

one day, there will be no dominant culture in your new earth. 

May we actively live toward that day starting today. 

In your transforming name we pray. Amen. 

Read Revelation 5: 8-10, 7:9, 11:9, 14:6; Daniel 3:4