Race and power: What do Jesus and the apostles say?

Jesus' ministry
It is undoubtedly true that Jesus’ earthly mission was first and foremost to the Jews over the Gentiles (Mt. 10:5-6, Mk. 7). Nevertheless, his ministry was not exclusively to Jews; we know of at least five times when he healed or ministered to Gentiles (Mt. 8; Mt. 12:10-21; Mk. 7:29; Lk. 17:16; Jn. 4), oftentimes commending their faith as greater than that of the Jews (see also Lk. 4:27). Likewise Jesus’ parable of the good Samaritan, his clearing of commerce from the Gentile court of the temple (Jn. 2:11ff), and other Messianic fulfillments and references to Gentile inclusion (Lk. 2:32, Jn. 2:1-10) show Jesus' intent to show love to all peoples and bring them into God’s kingdom (Mt. 12:17-21).
In exploring models of theological reconciliation, White explains one important current view (liberation theology) in which “Christ’s whole ministry,” including the incarnation itself, “is a continuous offer of reconciliation toward the sick, poor, sinful, outcasts, insane, underprivileged, Samaritans, Romans, and (by implication) other Gentiles.” Following in the Master’s footsteps, then, the church’s mission is to exist “not as a cozy fellowship of the likeminded but as an agency of unification, to go out into all the world with Christ’s reconciling message.” Ostensibly White is here thinking of the global church; yet if local congregations do not engage in this going-out, there will be nothing but many “cozy fellowships of the likeminded.”
Of course, other theologians and biblical scholars would question the unwavering emphasis of liberation theology on what they see as only one tenet of the Kingdom of God. I would count myself among these. Nevertheless, I can agree with White that

“if [liberation theology’s view of reconciliation] should ultimately prove to be an overemphasis on partial truth, to the detriment of other equally valid truths and values, it nevertheless contains insights, and a challenge, that the church must not ignore.”

Acts of the apostles
The early church was from the beginning diverse, first comprised mainly of both Palestinian and Hellenistic Jews – linguistically and culturally distinct despite a common religion – and later of both Jews and all manner of Gentiles. It appears that even early on (Acts 6) there was a dispute that, legitimately or not, was partly blamed on cultural differences when the Hellenistic Jews complained to the Hebrews about the neglect of needy Hellenistic widows. Even in these early, idyllic days, divisions existed among the small group of believers. Yet the apostles dealt swiftly with this issue, and Hellenists and Hebrews had to continue to co-exist.
In Acts 10 and 11, Peter receives a dramatic vision from God that salvation has come to the Gentiles – and since it has, every right enjoyed by Jewish Christians is afforded the Gentiles as well. Peter even eats with a Gentile convert and his household, a symbol of intimate fellowship, and defends his actions before his colleagues until they understand the radical paradigm shift of this new covenant – the Spirit is given to all equally, and thus there is no excuse for the kind of segregation practiced by Old Testament Jews. Finally, in Acts 6 and 13:1 we see that leaders of many ethnic origins were appointed over the church and labored side by side for the gospel.