Reviewed by Pam Hinrichs

This is a God-honoring, faith-filled, how-to book—how to have conversations about race, how to listen to others (both alike and different from ourselves), how to listen to ourselves, how to listen to God, how to listen to what Scripture has to say to us. The author describes the book as showing us how, to "faithfully combat the racism so many of us say we hate, while mastering the unity so many of us say we want."

In the first part of the book, the author presents fictional scenarios and conversations. He follows each scenario with questions for reflection and discussion. The author then counsels the people in the scenarios as a pastor/counselor would. He also makes observations to help us better understand where the people in the scenarios are coming from.

In the second part of the book, the author tries to answer basic questions many Christians in America are asking right now. He addresses both the "why" and the "how" we need to talk about race, always relying on scripture and all for the purpose of the glory of God.

The author does not pretend to have all the answers, but he has keen observations and advice regarding communicating about the sin of racism.

Was there a quote that was meaningful to you?

There were a number of quotes that I found meaningful. My first reaction to some of them was "ouch", but in a good way. They are:

• "I believe that addressing issues of the mouth can helpfully highlight problems of the heart." (p. xix)
• "So, as we seek to love one another across racial lines, it is useful to remember that there is such a thing as asymmetry in history. If we don't remember this, I fear that many white brothers and sisters will continue to engage in ideological debates and polemics on race as conversations that are largely intellectual, individual exercises, free from the freight of history." (p. 15)
• "We often seem more troubled by the accusation of racism than the presence of racism…" (p. 87)
• "The trend toward multiethnic evangelical churches is that minorities attend predominantly white churches, not vice versa. Until we see the trend going in both directions, where whites will attend faithful gospel churches where they are not in the racial majority, conversations about race will continue to be difficult." (p. 137)

New thought or key takeaway

How informative and practical scripture is about all aspects of communication.

What action will you take as a result of reading this book?

I will strive to listen better, ask better questions and dig deeper in conversations about race. I will try to remember that racial justice is not, as they say, a sprint but a marathon, and that the glory of God is the goal.