by Baptist Beacon staff
PLYMOUTH, MI – Detroit Pastor Eli Garza joined the podcast “Punching Holes in the Darkness” recently to discuss the recent racial struggles in a broader context than black and white tensions. Pastor Garza says that is why he prefers to describe the issue as “ethnic conciliation.”
Garza, a trained engineer before being trained as a pastor, has an intense interest in history and especially the history of Detroit and it’s racial divides. He told podcast host, Tim Patterson, that in his lifetime he has seen divisions between African-Americans and Anglos, but also between those groups and Latinos, and even division inside of each other racial group.
The longtime pastor says those struggles point to our sinful natures of “wanting to be around people exactly like we are.” He says Jesus pointed this out when he said that if we only prayed for those who loved us then we are no different than the pagans. Garza says “it is God’s intention that the Church be mixed together across class and ethnic lines.”
The Baptist State Convention of Michigan (BSCM) has launched this new podcast called “Punching Holes in the Darkness.” for conversations like these. The online audio program is hosted by BSCM Executive Director and Treasurer, Tim Patterson. The podcast is a collection of interviews and stories about the ministry of pastors and churches in Michigan.
“Punching Holes in the Darkness” can be found on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts, or at bscm.org/podcast.