As you might know, February is Black History Month.
Most of the churches I circle in (Conservative Anabaptist churches) are predominantly white churches. Every now and then, I find a church that has some mix of ethnicities, but even then, there is usually still a majority of whites.
I am increasingly convinced at the core of the Gospel, as explained in Ephesians 3, is the coming together of all tribes and ethnicities in one body through Jesus the Messiah.
Yet, I don’t see it happening in most churches.
Therefore, one of my desires for this year is to create space on my blog for conversations about race. I am going to listen to many stories, myself, and either let people share their own or share it for them, if they’re okay with it.
And what better way to start than with Black History Month, the second month of the year?
I’ve had a few conversations with black friends, and one of the questions I’ve been asking them is, “How have black Christians benefited the church?”
Most of us don’t consider ourselves racist. And any racism we exhibit is most likely quite by accident. But one way we accidentally express racism is by not recognizing or appreciating the benefits other ethnicities bring to the table in the church. In my conversations with my friends, I have discovered there are five remarkable benefits black Christians give to the church that we often overlook.
#1 – Music
Almost every choir I have heard or been a part of at some point in their repertoire sings a “spiritual.” Grant it, as whites we usually butcher them! But we love them, and we love singing them, right?
Consider “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Go Down Moses,” “We Are Climbing Jacobs Ladder.” We wouldn’t have that music without our black brothers and sisters. The deep, soul invigorating style of music is a direct benefit of black Christians.
#2 – A More Holistic Expression of Worship
Speaking of music, our black brothers and sisters—almost any person of color—give the church a more holistic expression of worship than most of us whites offer. What I mean is that if it was left up to us Caucasians, we’d sing every song sitting down with our hands in our pants or our noses in the hymnals.
But thanks to our black brothers and sisters and their “spirituals,” we are moved to bounce, to clap, to ad-lib in our singing, to raise our hands, to even shout if we get the courage. This is a benefit—a glorious benefit! Not one to be embarrassed about or shy away from.
We are not merely brains. We are wholly emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and physical beings. Let’s learn to give God everything as we come before him in worship.
#3 – Community
Anabaptists do tremendously well at certain aspects of community. But we are not the only ones who know how to do community well.
In fact, I find my black brothers and sisters have an ability to step across cultural lines much easier than I do. Furthermore, they are tremendously loyal and intuitive. When someone else is needing a place to belong, they’ll invite them in and make them family without them even asking for it.
Because we often see ourselves as doing well at community, I think we often overlook what others bring to the table in terms of community. They might do it slightly differently than we do, but their difference is remarkably needed.
Black Christian’s expression of community is a benefit we as a church can appreciate and lean into as an addition to our own.
#4 – A Theology of Suffering
Who knows better about suffering than the marginalized of society? Many of the spirituals we sing deal with suffering or staying strong, pressing on. We as whites are so desperate to have things easy. We run to prescriptions and supplements that promise to take away everything that ails us.
But most of our black brothers and sisters have distilled through their generations a faith that perseveres through suffering. We would do well to begin reading from black authors about what they have to say on suffering.
#5 – A Demonstration of Forgiveness
Our black brothers and sisters have more of a right to an exclusive expressions of worship than we do. They have a right to all-black churches because of the pain and damage white Christians have caused blacks in the past. Yet, how often do you see one or two whites in an all-black church? Contrast that with how often you see one or two blacks in an all-white church.
They have forgiven us. They are forgiving us. And rather than bristling and resisting the idea that we need forgiven of anything, let’s allow them to teach us how to forgive those who have violated us.
There are many more benefits black Christians give the church, but these are five I have noticed most recently in conversations with black friends. If you don’t have black friends, make some. Not for the sake of gaining tokens—for being a good white Christian—but to broaden your social realm.
As you become friends with other black Christians, thank them for what they bring to the table. It’s high time we, the whites of the church, begin expressing our appreciation for them.
Do you have black friends? What benefits do they say black Christians give to the church? Share in the comments below. I’d love to hear!
