Megachurch pastor Bishop TD Jakes has called on the Church in America to embrace multiculturalism and "embody the very definition of unity".
Writing for the Huffington Post the senior pastor of The Potter's House church in Dallas says that the Church must respond to the country's changing demographics and the shape of Christianity in the West.
He highlights the increase of minority groups, the increasing polarisation of political debate and the decline of churchgoing in America and Europe, in contrast with the growth of the Church in Africa and Asia, and asks: "how will the church find relevance in the marketplace of competing ideas?"
"Looking ahead, it is clear that the 2025 church cannot be a cultural monolith, nor can eleven o'clock on Sunday morning remain the most segregated hour in the week," Jakes writes.
In response, Jakes suggests that Christians should set an example of unity, and love as Christ loved us. He calls on the Church to seek to "end the racial, doctrinal, gender and ideological feuds".
"In the past, the church had been the epicenter of cataclysmic change," he writes, referring to the Church's commitment to social justice and educational reform, adding that the Church "must renew its connection to society".
Jakes refers to 1 Corinthians 9:22, which says "I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some."
If Christians are to follow St Paul, he says it will mean seeking to understand those from different backgrounds and being prepared for a rising generation with different cultural expectations.
He concludes that the thing which can save the Church from becoming disconnected from society, is "selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love", which should include engaging meaningfully with those who "don't look like us, worship like us or vote like us."
