Lately, the above words have been used by many different people and in all parts of the world. Heads of Nations, like Japan and South Africa, not only recognized ill deeds of the past against other people, but also made public and sincere apologies to the offended.

How effective is this attempt to reestablish relationships between nations and people groups who so far were only characterized by hatred, bitterness and despair over past injustices? I believe it’s a good beginning. Yet, to bring healing and restoration to deeply held animosity more than sincerity and apologies are necessary. After recognition, needs to come repentance, that is indication of ones change of mind from, and identification with wrongs of the past, combined with a commitment to a patient process of reconciliation, restoration and even restitution. We as God’s people need to lead the way, because after all, we have been shown the perfect example of reconciliation by our Lord Jesus Christ. It took humility, commitment and sacrifice for our relationship to God, the Father to be restored. The restoration of fellowship with our brothers and sisters and neighbors will not occur without these ingredients either.

  All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and trusting the message of reconciliation to us.       2. Corinthians 5:18-19

O let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace

And let us be a holy nation where pride and prejudice will cease

Let us speak the truth in love to the lost and least of these

And serve the Lord in unity so others will believe

Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace

O let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace

And let us build on one foundation till He comes and the wars of men shall cease

Let us share the love of Jesus without hypocrisy

Let mercy and forgiveness begin with you and me let us be the generation Of reconciliation and peace

Have we not one Father

Have we not one faith

Have we not one calling

To become one holy race

O let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace,

And let us pray for restoration and seek the Lord together on our knees

Let us keep our hearts from evil and cling to what is good

Let us honor one another and love the brotherhood

Let us be the generation of reconciliation and peace

Words by Morris Chapman, Buddy Owens and Claire Cloninger

Music by Morris Chapman and Buddy Owens

Vision For Reconciliation

If we have broken our covenants with God and violated our relationships with one another; the path to reconciliation must begin with individual acts of confession. Paradoxically, the greatest wounds in human history, the greatest injustices, have not happened through the acts of some individual perpetrator; rather through the institutions, systems, philosophies, cultures, religions and governments of humankind. Because of this, we, as individuals, are tempted to absolve ourselves of all individual responsibility.

                However, unless somebody chooses to identify themselves with corporate entities, such as the nation of our citizenship, or the subculture of our ancestors, the act of honest confession will never take place. This leaves us in a world of injury and offense in which no corporate sin is ever acknowledged, reconciliation never begins and old hatreds deepen.

WHY INVOLVE CHRISTIANS

We believe that the followers of Jesus are to step into this impasse as agents of healing. Within our ranks are representatives of every category of humanity. Trembling in our heavenly Father's presence, we see clearly the sins of humankind and have no inclination to cover them up. Thus, we are called to live out the biblical practice of identificational repentance, a neglected truth that opens the floodgates of revival and brings healing to the nations.

The Judeo-Christian ethos present in many national cultures gives us some basis for hope but we believe that reconciliation ministries are primarily the responsibility of the living church because there is no substitute for the atonement for sin provided by Jesus. During the great seasons of revival, the Christian community has always placed considerable emphasis on open acknowledgment of sin and called for changed attitudes and just actions. Today's Christians have the potential to demonstrate a model of reconciliation in the troubled world of the 1990's and beyond.

4 Healing Steps

CONFESSION:
Stating the truth; acknowledgement of the unjust or hurtful actions of myself or my people group toward other persons or categories of persons. (This is often seen as our main theme but this is simply because it is the place to begin and contemporary Christians have neglected it...) 

REPENTANCE:
Turning from unloving to loving actions.

RECONCILIATION:
Expressing and receiving forgiveness, and pursuing intimate fellowship with previous enemies:

RESTITUTION:
Attempting to restore that which has been damaged or destroyed, and seeking justice wherever we have power to act or to influence those in authority to act.[1]

You’ve heard of the Seven Promises, but did you know that there are also Eight principles of reconciliation taught in the Bible? In honor and memory of Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we celebrate on January 17, we thought we would share those principles with you: [2]

The Call:
We are all called to be involved in the ministry of reconciliation, but some have a special call to minister in diverse situations.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation is Mandatory. 2 Corinthians 5:17-21

Commitment to Relationship:
Reconciliation is built upon the foundation of committed relationships.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation involves Conflict Resolution. Ruth 1:16, 17

Intentionality:
Intentionality is the purposeful, positive and planned activity that facilitates reconciliation.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation requires Perseverance. Ephesians 2:14, 15

Sincerity:
Sincerity is the willingness to be vulnerable, including self- disclosure of feelings, attitudes, differences and perceptions, with the goal of resolution and building trust.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation involves Trust and Transparency John 15:15

Sensitivity:
Sensitivity is the intentional acquisition of knowledge in order to relate empathetically to any diverse situation, person, place or organization.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation involves Knowledge and Understanding. Ephesians 4:15, 16

Sacrifice:
Sacrifice is the willingness to relinquish an established status or position to genuinely adopt a lesser position in order to facilitate diverse relationships.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation will Cost  Philippians 2:3, 4

Empowerment:
Empowerment is the use of repentance and forgiveness to create complete freedom in diverse relationships.
Key issue ­ Reconciliation involves Repentance and Forgiveness. 2 Corinthians 8:9