Our leaders met this past Thursday to discuss and discern what God would have us to do corporately regarding the tragedy that rocked Haiti.  Although there are some conservative Christians labeling this as “God’s judgment,” we, however will take the high road & pray prayers bold enough to “WAKE… GOD UP.”   Please click the link for more information & join us!

MHBC Response to Haiti Tragedy 2010

What specifically will you do to respond to this tragedy?

These are a few words that come to mind regarding the earthquake that rocked Haiti.  Our leaders will meet tonight to discuss our church’s response to this great tragedy.  I will share our plan of action tomorrow.

Labeling any natural disaster as God’s judgment is nonsense.  True “judgment begins with God’s family” (1Peter4:17), not others.

Peter warned that God judges all people according to their deeds.  He also disciplines and judges his own children in order to refine them, as Peter has explained in 1 Peter 1:6-7.  This judgment purifies and strengthens believers, readying them for God’s Kingdom.  Natural disasters are the result of living in a broken world!  Please pray for nation of Haiti.

“Lord, let your glory reign in the midst of this devastation.”

Racism still exists (even in the church)
That’s right, I said it!

Americans may be poised to elect an African-American as president, but it’s segregation as usual in U.S. churches, according to the scholars.  Only about 5 percent of the nation’s churches are racially integrated, and half of them are in the process of becoming all-black or all-white, says Curtiss Paul DeYoung, co-author of United by Faith, a book that examines interracial churches in the United States.

Personally, I do not believe integrated churches work.
(when they are led by Black pastors)

Having a determined pastor is not enough.  Interracial churches can also implode on issues far more explosive than worship styles — like interracial dating & power.  Some scholars and leaders who deal with interracial issues say it’s not unusual for parents in racially-mixed churches to leave when their teenage kids begin dating.

Some parents talked about the importance of a multiracial church, until their kid became attracted to someone from another race within the church.  As kids began to date, some things get revealed.  They (both Blacks and Whites) don’t want their kids involved in interracial dating.

Next, accepting black leadership is another touchy subject.  Most interracial churches are led by white pastors.  A congregation typically becomes all-black if a black pastor is hired, says DeYoung, the United by Faith co-author.  As long as the top person, the senior pastor, is white, power sort of resides with whites.  But when that shifts, it does something psychologically to people.  White people usually leave.

Black pastors who do gain the acceptance of interracial congregations still have to watch themselves.  Some white parishioners, even progressive ones, get uneasy when a black pastor gets too fiery in the pulpit.  A black church sermon that could be understood as impassioned might be interpreted as angry and defensive by a white congregation.

Most Black preachers who minister in predominately White congregations must modified their preaching style to appeal to all sorts of people.  Many abandon the pulpit pyrotechnics they learned growing up in the black church.  They also carry their authority lightly, dressing casually in the pulpit and consulting with church committees before making decisions.   In conversation, they’re relaxed and accessible.

Honestly, I’m quite comfortable serving the congregation God prepared for me.  Each Sunday I preach with passion and enjoy how we “do church.”  I have no desire to modify my preaching style (White preachers don’t modify theirs) to appeal to all sorts of people.  As the point-man at Mars Hill Baptist Church, I don’t carry my authority lightly or dress casually so I can “fit in” with everyone.  Quite frankly, I “do me.”

Holla back!

Henry Mitchell, former professor of theology at Rochester Divinity School said, “The central figure in the Black church is the Black preacher.  He has no exact counterpart in the white church, and to attempt to see the White preacher on the same plane is to risk confusion, for the Black preacher includes a dimension peculiar to the Black experience.”  In the Black church the Black preacher has perpetually served as a father figure to Black people, seeing to their welfare in all spheres of life whether they were social, political, economic, or the traditionally recognized spiritual aspects of life.

Growing up as a preacher’s kid, I saw in operation the validity of these statements.  The Black preacher commanded the respect and obedience of his congregation.  He was the most powerful man in our community & even today the Black preacher retains most of that prominence.  Many Black Christians look to their pastors as an authority figure who should have a lot of biblical knowledge and wisdom.  They are viewed as being above and a little distant from ordinary lay people.

Question:

What makes the black preacher unique?

As the Black church’s historical origin stemmed from its African heritage, the counterpart of the Black preacher can be found in African traditional religion.  The African priest brought with him into slavery an oral tradition through which he preserved the history and culture of the tribe.  Through his expertise in storytelling, he became a link for his fellow slaves between the past and the present and between the spiritual and the mundane.  In his role as priest on the plantation, he comforted, encouaged, and helped the slave community relate to God.

However, in White Christian environments, their ministers seem to be viewed on an equal basis with lay people.  Some white congregations show their acceptance of and respect for their ministers by being either buddy-buddy or on familiar terms with them.  In many Black Christian environments, keeping the distance or addressing them with formal terms such as Reverend, Bishop, Brother or Sister shows the respect.

Ok, I know the gloves are about to come off regarding this post!

In 1991, Spike Lee released his fifth feature-length film Jungle Fever.  The plot centers on the interracial romance between a successfully married Black, played by Wesley Snipes, and an Italian woman played by Anabella Sciorra.  The lovers come under intense pressure from their friends and family as a result of their interracial relationship.  It’s no secret that even today, interracial relationships are still under intense scrutiny – even when it comes to attending church.

For most of white America, the black church is an alien segment of the nation’s culture, hidden behind the plain facades of large brick churches, the rude clapboard of country chapels, the salvation-emblazoned windows of tattered storefronts.  It is a montage of impressions, some real, some misleading the low-moaning spirituals, the clapping and the shouted amens; the phenomenon of a Bishop TD Jakes and the curious charisma once possessed the Rev. Adam Clayton Powell; the prophetic, nation-shaking philosophy of a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the pragmatic, neighborhood-building politics of a Rev. Jesse Jackson.

There are almost 20 million black Christians in the U.S., and by far the majority find their faith and spiritual comfort in churches and denominations of their own making.  These churches were the first black institutions in the nation: they are still, by every measure, the largest.  Today they reflect the struggle of U.S. blacks for their rightful place in society, and the leaders of those churches differ widely in the role they see for the Black Christian in this struggle.  But whether radical, conservative or moderately liberal, they generally agree that the black church holds a unique place in American society.

Often I question if blacks and whites worship together as equals?  Honestly, at the present time I don’t think so.  Being one in Christ means that all the spiritual things we do are one and the same in Christ, right?  Think again!  A person’s cultural background makes a big difference.  Consequently, one’s culture presents difficult hurdle to conquer.

Cultural Barrier: Blacks and Whites Have Different Worship Styles

Black Christian worship style radically different from whites.  Black people tend to worship with their whole being: body, soul and spirit.  Our worship music stems from our African cultural roots.  So be it fast, up-tempo, with a rhythmic beat; or slower, steadier, with a lot of harmony and a groove, it is music that can be felt and experienced deep within our soul.  Some of the worship music in some white Christian environments tends to feel monotone and maybe even wordy to some Black Christians.  It tends to engage the mind only, and not the total being.

The person leading the worship plays an important role in the process, too. Whether or not he or she lingers with a song-repeating it several times until its meaning and inspiration can be felt within, affects the depth of the whole worship experience.  Sometimes white worship feels rather shallow to Black Christians.  Many are accustomed to either gospel music, gospel R & B, gospel jazz or gospel rap and hip hop.  Hymns in a Black tradition often have a gospel or soulful sound.

What’s your take?

NEXT TOPIC: PREACHING

The absence of a clear identifiable leader has often been dubbed as the next crisis of Black America.  Books have been published, discussions have been held, and news articles have been written.  In Black circles, "Where is our next leader?" is like asking "What is the meaning of life?" 

Allow me to get straight to the point: Even if we had ONE LEADER, everybody wouldn’t follow the same person.

The Civil Rights Movement united and galvanized us to seek change.  As a race, we had one common objective: FREEDOM & EQUALITY.  The issue of class existed, however, it took a back seat to the more pressing issue of equality.  Once intergration happened, Blacks subconsciously divided into distinct classes with each class having it’s own distinct needs.  The needs of the working class are quite different than the needs of the rich.  What’s likely to happen is various leaders from each class will emerge and champion the issues of their respective class.  Grass roots leaders will speak for & represent the poor and working class.  Leaders from the middle-class will seek better housing, education, etc.  Leaders from the uppper-class will devise strategies to break the glass ceiling…etc…

Today’s young Black professionals have attained the sort of education, connections, and experience that those before them could only have imagined.  They have more potential and more opportunities than any generation before them.  This new Black professional sees the business world as the nexus of American power, rather than Capitol Hill.  Instead of seeking to effect change through government, this generation is marching through freshly opened doors in the corporate world or building businesses themselves.  Rather than "fight the power," this new generation seeks to take the power for themselves and use that power to uplift our race.

Therefore, it is not so much that the next generation does not have any leaders.  Instead, THEY ALL WANT TO LEAD.  If there are to be leaders, there must be followers, and that is not what this generation is about. 

Care to comment…

T.W., a member of our blog family enlightened me about Tavis’ disparaging remarks regarding Presidential hopeful Barack Obama.  Here’s her post in context.

"Tavis has made several implications that would make a person (if they
didn’t research and know for themselves) think that Barack is not
fighting for justice or for issues concerning our race. He was very upset that Barack didn’t attend his State of the Black
Union this year and made it seem as if Barack was avoiding talking
about “our” issues. I understood and understand that Barack is in a
fight for the candidacy right now and had to be in whatever state at
that time.

The latest remarks were from Dr. Cornell West saying that he was
bothered and disappointed by Barack not going to Memphis for Dr. King’s
memorial on April 4th. Their sentiments were that he was putting his
candidacy above honoring Dr. King. They stated that he remained silent
on that day yet he spoke about Dr. King and his legacy while he was in
Indiana. 

On the April 8th segment of the Tom Joyner show Tavis ended his talk by
saying “If the cost to occupy the White House is to be muzzled and to
render black suffering invisible, then for me, it’s too high a cost."  I understand that every black person isn’t going to vote for Barack
just as every woman isn’t going to vote for Hillary but what I don’t
understand is why Tavis thinks that he is the spokesperson for black
people on black issues, especially regarding Barack and his candidacy.
He’s received a lot of backlash from his supporters regarding his
commentaries."

Thanks T.W. – very insightful analysis of the situation. 

In my opinion, I’ve decided to nominate both Tavis and Cornell to the "Hateration Federation."  Both Tavis and Cornell can give the keynote address at the annual Hateration Convocation.  Make sure the servers continuously fill their glasses with "Haterade" while they continue to hinder progress. 

That’s right – I said it!

What’s your take?