Walking in Unity: Biblical Answers to Questions on Race and Racism

by Krista Bontrager, Monique Duson

Biblical Guidance for Tough Conversations on Race

Early in their friendship, Monique and Krista faced what felt like insurmountable barriers in their discussions about race and racism. Rather than retreating into avoidant silence or escalating tension until they burned down their friendship, they learned to face those difficult conversations together—because as children of God, they saw each other as worth it.

Walking in Unity is about bringing Christ-centered answers to issues of race and racism. Drawing a clear distinction between the secular culture's instructions for agreement and Scripture's call for unity, authors Monique Duson and Krista Bontrager explore what the Bible really says about racial harmony and how Christians ultimately find their common identity in Christ.

Avoiding cheap platitudes, Monique and Krista help you explore the tough issues that the larger culture has brought into our churches, such as historic racial injustices, systemic racism, and the call for reparations. As you employ this Christ-centered model for unity, you will find nuanced insights and practical guidelines for engaging the divisive issues of today with the love and truth found only in Jesus.

Genres: Christian, Theology, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Christian Living

240 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2024

About the author

Krista Bontrager is a fourth generation Bible teacher. She is an author, podcaster, and former university professor. Krista has a unique ability to connect theology with real life. She has dedicated her life to helping others discover how to love God in Spirit and truth.​

Reviews

[Samantha | samanthakreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and helpful resource for navigating the cultural climate and conversations on race through a Biblical perspective. It’s well-written and steeped with Scripture, research, and history. I loved the integration of Krista and Monique’s friendship, how they came from different backgrounds, and how they would go on walks together while wrestling with questions.

This book was encouraging and honest and showed how we are all created in God’s image, that there is beauty in different cultures, and that we can come together and thrive when we follow and put Christ at the center.

I have read other books on this topic in the past, and I found this one was easy to follow and straightforward, leading me to open up my Bible and read specific verses. If you’ve been looking for a great place and resource to start, I highly recommend reading this book!

[Granne52 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well-written and engaging, this book is an excellent resource for anyone concerned with the issues of race and racism that confront us on every side.

[Victoria Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Christianity says reconciliation comes through Christ, not our works, and that striving ceases at the foot of the cross”. What a gospel centered way to describe the biblical unity model that Krista and Monique curated. I love their ministry and this book reflects the heart of their work.

[Yasenia · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The beauty of Christianity, in contrast to secular worldviews, is that it offers a better hope for healing, justice, and unity. Where culture encourages contention and resentment, the gospel brings peace.
The world says that reconciliation comes through favoritism and unity comes through striving. Christianity says reconciliation comes through Christ, not our works, and that striving ceases at the foot of the cross. This is good news for everyone, of every ethnicity and skin tone! It is Jesus who restores all things and makes us one family. He is the foundation of our unity…”

Walking In Unity is steeped in theology, research, encouragement, and education. It’s a resource that I know I will turn to time and again for its benefits. I pray the Center for Biblical Unity’s continued work in spreading the good news of true unity in Christ reaches far and wide.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a hard copy as well as the audiobook of Walking in Unity. I am so happy I purchased both! I loved that the audiobook is read by both Monique and Krista. It felt like they were in my living room having a conversation together. Their humility and friendship is such a blessing. I learned so much about these ladies from this book even though I have been following them on social media since 2020. When I finished it, I wanted to give them a standing ovation. They handled the material with wisdom, grace, and humility. I believe they have laid out (and walked out themselves) what true biblical justice looks like and how Christians should engage in it. Thank you, Monique and Krista!!! Bravo!!

[Jennifer DeFrates · Rating 5 out of 5]

No hard questions skipped. If you’ve wondered _____ about racial conversations, this is the book to read. Race is a tough issue. It can feel impossible to talk to your friends of different ethnicities about it. Krista and Monique do not gloss over the challenges. They are real and raw, and discuss the sticky wickets of the racial dialogues that they had and still have as they continue to walk in biblical unity as family. From their unique perspectives, we hear them in humility being honest about arguments and hurt feelings. They fought through all the ways our culture has broken the bonds between believers of different ethnicities to find their way to becoming truly unified family. Every perspective they share is held up to the standard of scripture to test it for truth. You will not find a better resource to read on race and unity and walking in the reconciliation of Jesus.

[JJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a breath of fresh air in our racially divided culture. In 2020, many of us felt the impact and tensions of the Black Lives Matter movement. But where were the Christian voices to guide us to biblical truth? What a confusing time in our culture and even now there’s a lingering uneasiness in how to navigate racial tensions and conversations.

Monique and Krista have written a biblical guide that quite honestly should have been preached from our pulpits four years ago. I am thankful they have written this guide that gives practical advice and tools for the church to talk and walk out biblical unity. It’s always been there because God’s Word has always been the standard. But God is using Krista and Monique’s friendship to show this standard in a tangible way. I pray God uses this book and their ministry to heal racial divides and remind the church that Christianity (not the divisive cultural frameworks) is the way forward in bringing unity.

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1 NIV)

[Karen Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Krista Bontrager and Monique Duson have written a book that is extremely helpful in navigating today’s often-confusing cultural climate. I love the format of the book. Each chapter opens with a real-life example from the authors’ relationship with each other as they wrestled with differing opinions, definitions, and understandings of issues related to race and racism. They are very transparent in the struggles they faced as they walked and talked together. Each chapter clearly lays out the secular culture’s answer to a specific question, followed by filtering the answers through the lens of Scripture. Bontrager and Duson are honest about where points of agreement exist, yet clear about where cultural answers fall short of God’s standard. One of the most helpful features of this book is the careful attention to definitions. This helped me finally get a grasp on what specific words and terms mean that I frequently hear in conversations both outside and inside the church. I highly recommend “Walking In Unity” to anyone seeking to understand issues of race and racism from the perspective of two sisters in Christ who refused to let the culture divide them and chose instead to walk together as family.

[Andre Cadieux · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book that addresses racism and navigating conversations about race from a truly biblical perspective.

[Melanie Cuffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so encouraging and honest about how we can come together as family and not be divided by the man made concept of race. We are one people group with different cultures and when we come together to learn from one another we will thrive in unity.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the bold, biblical perspective this book gives. This book is quite detailed, and gives biblical clarity on the racial divisions running rampant in the United States (and beyond), cutting through all the racialized jargon and practices. The insights in this book are informative and also cause introspection. Let your heart be changed.

[Brittany Shields · Rating 5 out of 5]

“For believers, unity is our starting point, not a destination to be achieved.”

“Regardless of one’s political or ideological affiliation, culture will always fail to bring about true unity. Any culture that is not rooted in Christ can only foster more division.”


I heard Duson & Bontrager discussing their book on a podcast, and I went and bought the book because I wanted to hear more. I’ve done a lot of reading on the topic of race since 2019 and am interested in how people have actually lived out what the authors call ‘biblical unity’ with people of other ethnicities.

What I loved most about this book was that it was written by friends— one white, one black— who had to wrestle through all the questions because they valued their relationship. They are both followers of Christ, yet were approaching these issues with very different viewpoints. They had to look at what the Bible said and see where each of them needed to adjust their framework and understanding.

The title is perfect because they had all of these conversations while they were literally on walks together. The Bible uses this type of terminology regularly in regards to our faith journey— walking with the Spirit, running a race, etc— and so we understand that it’s an ongoing process. It’s not one day, one action, or one decision that accomplishes unity. It’s a daily, active walk.

Alisa Childers offers a great summary of the book in her foreword:

“Duson and Bontrager have risen above the noise to provide the body of Christ with a practical resource that doesn’t just teach ideas and concepts. It lifts the lid off their own personal journey of friendship and invites the reader to join them as they wrestle through inflammatory topics like racial reconciliation, systemic injustice, the multiethnic church, corporate repentance, and reparations. Their story serves as a beautiful example of two sisters in Christ realizing that this identity is more important than any other.”

There are a lot of good books on this topic and a lot of unhelpful ones. What makes this one helpful are the real life examples of their conversations. They share their conversations, sometimes verbatim, in a transparent and honest way, showing how each of them responded strongly at different things.

As someone who is white, I related with a lot of the struggles and frustrations Krista had with wanting to care about her friend’s lived experience without allowing it to dictate what is true or right. I’m sure there will be a lot of readers who identify more with Monique trying to explain to Krista how racism is not a thing of the past.

But whether you relate more with one author than another, they carry you along on their journey to find unity and common ground. You will see that our shared identity in Christ is far more important than our racial identity.



One major thing the authors tackle is the concept of ‘racial reconciliation.’ This is basically the ‘Christian’ term of trying to repair race relations.

I hear this phrase a lot, and I’m sure you do too. It sounds right. It sounds biblical. Reconciliation is definitely a biblical term.

In their second chapter they look at the Racial Reconciliation Model and then contrast it with what they’ve deemed the Model for Biblical Unity. This biblical model is what has been the basis for The Center for Biblical Unity they co-founded where they try “to create a place where injured travelers of all ethnicities can find a safe space to discuss race, justice, and unity according to the rules of Scripture.”

Heavily summarized, they describe the general principles most racial reconciliation advocates agree on:

- the problem behind racial division are the “large-scale systems of oppression created by white people to hold back people of color” that have continuing effects that “perpetuate racial injustice”

- the solution is to “do the work of antiracism” and pursue equity via wealth distribution and reparations and repent of whiteness and the colonization of Christianity

- racial reconciliation can only be achieved “when all racial groups reach a shared agreement about historic injustices and required remedies” and work is done to elevate the voices of the marginalized


“As I (Monique) have read widely… I’ve come to believe that, in most cases, racial reconciliation is antiracism with a few scriptures layered on top.”

If you are unfamiliar with antiracism, it is what is promoted by Ibram X. Kendi and Robin DiAngelo, and then within Christian circles by Jemar Tisby (The Color of Compromise) and Latasha Morrison (Be the Bridge).

They spend time explaining the flaws they see with this racial reconciliation model in more detail but basically:

“It fails to interpret key biblical texts accurately, takes the wrong starting point, and heaps undue burdens onto the shoulders of all Christians to ‘do the work’ that only Christ can do.”



They follow up with a description of the biblical model. The biblical model is a framework based on four principles:

- Creation Identity (being created in the image of God as male and female, deriving our dignity and worth through him; also part of this identity is our sin nature and how it affects the world)

- Salvation Identity (through the work of Christ on the cross, we now have a path of reconciliation by joining God’s family where we find unity)

- Matters of Providence (secondary things like the circumstances surrounding our birth and life that are governed by God’s sovereignty and providence)

- Walking in Unity (unity based on grace, not works)

“This framework gives someone like our friend Ryan Bomberger, who was conceived in rape (a matter of providence), inherent dignity from the moment of conception (creation identity) and the opportunity for a new identity as a child of God (salvation identity).”



Throughout the rest of the book they apply these principles to concepts like intersectionality, colorblindness, definitions of racism, intention and impact, microaggressions, systemic injustice, reparations and redistribution, representation, multiethnic churches, and multiethnic families.


I thought Duson & Bontrager did a good job of defining terms and identifying complexities within these issues, not just rejecting anything wholesale but looking at individual situations to see what is at play.

Antiracism says that racism never goes away and it is present in every interaction, but the authors show the dangers of using this lens.

“Media, social systems, peers, and institutions regularly categorize us according to our skin color and thereby label us as ‘privileged’ or ‘powerless.’ Constant reinforcement of these categories can keep us divided, like parallel lines that never intersect.”

“Our ethnic division, at its foundation, is rooted in the sin and division of humankind’s first family. Racial division is a byproduct of sin, and that sin starts in the broken hearts and bent nature of human beings.”

Therefore,

“The ministry of reconciliation that Christians are called to entails proclaiming the good news that the Messiah has come, and inviting people from every nation to come be a part of His new community… Whatever cultural or social identity we may have as a matter of God’s providence, including our ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or sex, must take a back seat to our salvation identity.”



Their chapters on multiethnic churches gave me some things to think about; I hadn’t really thought about the history behind black churches.

I’ve also wondered how we do multiethnic churches if people have different preferences on worship music.

They make good points about how the Church is already multiethnic and how the primary goal of the church is spreading the gospel, not achieving the ideal demographic makeup. Yet, at the same time, they ask churches to look at the communities they are located in and identify how they can serve and reach the people groups they are already living around.


I especially enjoyed their chapter ‘How Do We Talk about Race’ where they provide nine principles for healthy interactions with others about race. They were convicting and helpful and, if applied, will definitely change the landscape of these conversations.

The authors did an honest and careful job looking at historical and present-day realities. I felt like they did a great job acknowledging the experiences of various sides of the issues and showing how all of us can grow in our understanding and interactions on this topic.

Unlike a lot of books on race, this one offered so much hope, encouragement, and tangible help to readers. The ultimate truth that is so often missed or understated is that when we misidentify the root of the (real) problem we misidentify the deeper solutions to that problem.

“The beauty of Christianity, in contrast to secular worldviews, is that it offers a better hope for healing, justice, and unity. Where culture encourages contention and resentment, the gospel brings peace. The world says that reconciliation comes through favoritism and unity comes through striving. Christianity says reconciliation comes through Christ, not our works, and that striving ceases at the foot of the cross. This is good news for everyone, of every ethnicity and skin tone! It is Jesus who restores all things and makes us one family. He is the foundation of our unity.”

Recommendation

This is definitely a book I would recommend. Especially if your thoughts on race or racial reconciliation have been formed by people like Kendi, DiAngelo, Tisby, Morrison, or Eric Mason. This book may not change your mind, but Duson & Bontrager ask some very vital questions about these writers’ works that would be important for you to hear out.

If conversations about race overwhelms you, I think you would find a lot of clarity and peace in this book.

If you’re in the camp of people who wave off conversations about race, not wanting to be overly focused on it, I think you’re still missing out on some essential truths about sin and reconciliation and what it looks like to be part of God’s family. There is still something valuable for you here. Plus it will help you understand your brothers and sisters in Christ who do relate to Monique’s struggles.

If you want to check out more of what Bontrager & Duson have to say, you can peruse these articles on their website or check out this podcast called Off-Code where Monqiue and Kevin Briggins “ignore the cultural codes and have real and intriguing conversations regarding the black community and ways we can move forward to a biblical vision for human flourishing.”

One other book that has typically been my go-to recommendation is Thaddeus J. William’s book- Confronting Injustice without Compromising Truth.

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[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good! Grateful for these two friends being willing to have these hard conversations and then share with us what they learned.

“Our cultures’ racial reconciliation and antiracism frameworks can’t deliver unity, inside or outside the church, because they rely on deficient and unbiblical ideas for their vision to be achieved. We cannot meet culture on its own terms and expect it to result in unity. The path to unity involves Christians participating with one another as Christ commands. It also involves bringing the gospel to those who are outside the family so they can be invited into biblical unity as well.

God's plan for unity-ethnic or otherwise—is accomplished through the blood of Christ. Unity is lived out first within His family, the church.…The beauty of Christianity, in contrast to secular worldviews, is that it offers a better hope for healing, justice, and unity. Where culture encourages contention and resentment, the gospel brings peace.”

[Bethany Schultz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I forgot to finish this after our ladies book club discussion! So now it is officially finished.

I really enjoyed this book. What a wealth of wise and gracious insights. I also deeply appreciated the “tips for talking about race with other people” in the last-ish chapter. Most of those tips are very useful in ANY difficult conversation - very easily adaptable to a different circumstance.

Def read!

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource. Thought-provoking, thorough & Scripture-based. I follow Krista & Monique's podcast & appreciate their viewpoints & teaching. Highly recommend.

[Joel King · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciate books like this one, written with care, out of a desire to equip believers to seek unity with one another. A top-notch, biblically-grounded resource.

[Kenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biblical, engaging, and helpful. I love Monique and Krista, and they have a wonderful ministry!

[Luke Grossmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best Christian book I’ve read on race issues in America!

Krista and Monique come from very different backgrounds. As Christians, can they find unity? What does it mean to come to the table? Whose table is it anyway? How do we listen to one another? The co-authors discuss these questions, the role of reparations, systemic racism, race, creation and salvation identities, and many others through a biblical lens.

They discuss the racial reconciliation model and what the Bible says about justice. Great job, Krista and Monique, for literally walking through many hard conversations and showing that, with Christ, we can lay down secondary issues and walk in unity together as a family!

[Tammy · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you don’t know what’s going on with race in our culture, this is a great book to read. It gives you the overall history why it is so powerful in today’s conversations Siri you’re home and how to navigate through it as a Bible, believing Christian.

I really like the section on the difference between racial reconciliation and biblical unity. I really enjoy hearing the stories of how the relationship formed in the back-and-forth struggle of communicating until there was understanding between each other.

It’s a quick read. I’m so thankful for their ministry and how opened my eyes back in 2020 to the realities of what we’ve been battling for quite some time.

[Andra Wilkerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was challenging and encouraging all at the same time. I love that they integrated their own experience into each topic and always brought it back to scripture. It really is a must read for the church!

[Kelly Krause · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking in Unity fills a huge gap in the discussion of race issues from a Christian perspective. While there are books and voices currently being promoted in the church, most (if not all) of them are rooted in the umbiblical idea of Critical Race Theory. Monique and Krista challenge these ideas by turning directly to God's Word to flesh out where Christian identity comes from and what true unity looks like.
This book is an easy read and hard to put down. Each of the authors share candidly how they overcame the obstacles of ideology that hindered their friendship, so not only is it a manual for how
to address issues of race, but it serves as a practical example of how all Christians should seek to walk in unity.
This book is a must read and truly one of a kind!

[J.R. Brady · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent and accessible book for thinking Biblically about race and racism! It’s the personal story of two friends from very different backgrounds who literally walked together while wrestling with questions of identity. There are great books out there to challenge the critical theory model, but this is a great one to start with!

It’s packed with scripture, history, data, as well as the raw story of friendship and the birth of a ministry. Each chapter ends with reflection questions. This is great to read with a small group at church or a bookclub!

🎧 I highly recommend the audiobook as well, it’s read by both authors so you get a sense of thier personalities.

I have followed The Center For Biblical Unity for several years now and they have been such a help and encouragement to me. I’ve participated in many zoom bookclubs they have hosted and learned so much while discussing apologetics for identity, race, and sexuality. I have interacted online with both the authors (and took one of Krista’s live online theology classes.) They are humble and genuine believers❤️

[Tammy Cunningham · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was sooooo good that I wrote the following review for our church's monthly publication and thought I'd share it here, too. You will not want to set this book down once you start reading!

As I finished Walking in Unity I set the book down on the table next to me, looked at my husband across the room, and said “What a refreshing book!” With the rise of critical race theory in the secular worldview and creeping into churches, I have been looking for clear biblical understanding on race and racism. Especially after my beautiful granddaughter was born, the need to know the answers to the questions was imperative.
Krista and Monique, two very different women, in terms of worldviews, theology, terminology, history, melanin content, and upbringing, share how they became friends. They entered into the hard work of discussing issues and sorting out misunderstandings. They searched out God’s word for not who is right but what does God say about the topic of race and racism. When emotions ran high, they pushed past barriers as sisters in Christ to seek to know the truth and not give up on their friendship. They learned to listen from the perspective of the other. Terminology is not always mutually understood, so questions needed to be asked before jumping to their own conclusions. I was immensely blessed by their intense research on understanding racial issues and solutions, and discerning the information gathered through a biblical understanding. What does God say? I was encouraged as I observed both Krista and Monique were determined to work hard on their friendship, no matter how high the emotions ran when disagreements or misunderstandings came up.
At the end of the introduction, Krista and Monique “invite you to walk with us as we seek to conform our thoughts, feelings, and opinions on race, ethnicity, and culture to God’s Word and His vision for unity. We pray that God will use the journey of our friendship to help you see the beautiful simplicity of His plan for racial unity: family. May this book inspire you to boldly proclaim the hope God offers for racial unity—a better hope than anything the world has to offer.”
Did you catch that? Simplicity. As we see so much racial division portrayed in the media, social or otherwise, racial unity can almost appear to be beyond our reach. But as Christians, we know that nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
Sadly, both secular antiracists and Christian racial reconciliation advocates do not start with a biblical foundation. According to George Yancey, a Christian sociologist and professor of sociology at Baylor University “Christians have generally taken secular concepts and given them a Christian makeover.” Krista and Monique believe this approach is failing the church today and leading to more division and separation. Racism is sin, and just like other sin, it is a heart issue. After working through scripture, they both agreed that the gospel is the only answer to racial reconciliation.
What does the biblical model look like? What about systemic injustice? Should we repent for the sins of our ancestors? How do we talk about race? These and so many more questions are answered in their book.
This timely book is accessible, including some U.S. history that may not be well known, and laying the biblical foundation to understanding the answers to questions on race and racism.
I loved this quote:
“When couples from diverse backgrounds come together, they display the reality of Jesus’s work on the cross as the great unifier of His people. A Christian interethnic or intercultural family provides an earthly picture of the new creation in which members of every nation, tribe, and tongue will worship the Lamb. And that’s a beautiful thing.”
No matter the amount of melanin you were given, what nation you came from, or what language you speak, those whose identity is in Christ shall come together as one people before the throne of God. This is the family of God.
Refreshing? Even better, this is freedom.
After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and the Lamb!” (Rev. 7:9–10).

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

The church desperately needs this book. Bontrager and Duson bring a solidly biblical approach to issues of race and racism. The book explores the racial reconciliation/antiracism model, based on the critical social theories, that has migrated into the church from mainstream culture. But instead of simply poking holes in antiracism, they present an alternative framework—biblical unity—based on their study of the scriptures. While not minimizing our nation's (or the church's) sordid past in these areas, they offer a true, hope-filled call to participate with one another as the family that Christ died to make us. In Christ, unity is our starting point. This book makes a strong biblical case for that and offers practical guidance on how to live as brothers and sisters in the family of God.

"The beauty of Christianity, in contrast to secular worldviews, is that it offers a better hope for healing, justice, and unity. Where culture encourages contention and resentment, the gospel brings peace. The world says that reconciliation comes through favoritism and unity comes through striving. Christianity says reconciliation comes through Christ, not our works, and that striving ceases at the foot of the cross. This is good news for everyone, of every ethnicity and skin tone! It is Jesus who restores all things and makes us one family. He is the foundation of our unity" (pg. 223).

While the book's theological framing is thorough and sound, it's also an extremely readable book woven around the story of the authors' unlikely friendship. They spent a lot of time walking and talking together, engaging with each other through misunderstandings, disagreements, and fun times alike. The way they persevered with each other is a powerful testimony and encouragement to me—and, I think, exactly the example believers need to set in a culture that encourages "canceling" those who don't agree with us. I want to walk this out, too, with the people the Lord has placed around me:

"Instead of retreating permanently into avoidant silence or escalating until we burned down the friendship, we learned to enter those difficult conversations with more grace and humility because the other person was worth it" (pg. 21).

[Joe Kitchen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a time when the world, and even the Church, are looking for ways to reconcile and build bridges the resolve our cultural and ethnic differences, Krista and Monique offer this timely book. Written with clarity and based on Scripture, they remind us that, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we start from unity. It is up to us to walk in it together.

Each of the 11 chapters answers a question regarding race. Some of the questions are: 1) How did we become so divided?; 2) What is racism? 3)Should all churches be multiethnic? 4)Should we repent for the sins of our ancestors?

They answer these questions and more from their personal experience in walking through these issues with each other.

The highlight for me in the book was Chapter 2, "How Should Christians Think About Racial Unity?" In this chapter, they walked through their Model for Biblical Unity and contrasted it with the "Racial Reconciliation" methodology. This model demonstrates:
1) Our Creation Identity, we are all created in the image of God
2) Salvation Identity: "For believers, unity is our starting point, not a destination to be achieved.
3) Matters of Providence: God ordains the circumstances or our birth and life, and these should be secondary issues;
4) Walking in Unity.

I also had the privilege of participating in a book club with the authors. Thanks to them and the other participants for all the insights and personal reflections during our sessions.

[Madalyn Wichmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my church’s book club book of the month. I really enjoyed reading it. It hit on some really hard topics but never disregarded other people’s opinions/feelings/experiences. But it did not back down from speaking biblical truths. Bottom line: a world without Jesus is a world full of sin. We can fight back and protect ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ using biblical strategies but unfortunately we live in a broken world with sinful people. This book is a great example of Christians living and speaking with grace AND truth. They gave me more compassion towards certain topics and new ways of thinking about others!

[Tilwana Stringer · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF’d.

The topics, and book itself, are helpful for people who have had their heads in the sand. It is difficult talking with someone who has different views than yourself. So, I can see this being a resource for someone, that someone isn’t me. This book did not have any interesting takes on race and racism, and that within blossoming friendships. It was a lot of info dump and exhaustive anecdotes. This was disappointing. I really wanted “meatier” content from the proposed topics. It definitely was not what I was expecting.

[Adrienne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot recommend this books more!

It opened my understanding to things I thought I understood correctly, it provoked deep thinking and it gave me hope. We can be unified if we have the right starting point . These topics can be approached without destroying us if we approach them with grace, mercy, forgiveness, and a pure desire.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this is necessary reading for Christians of all races and ethnicities living in 2025! The authors do a great job of using scripture to point out God's will for true unity - something that can only be obtained by following Him TOGETHER as a family with Him as our Everlasting Father. Great job, ladies!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Monique and Krista for this timely book. Unlike so many others on the topic, this provides a Biblical perspective and actual tangible solutions. I am thankful to have this as a resource to recommend to others. And as a mom of two toddlers, I especially appreciate the audio version!