Do OUR Churches need a Malcolm X-type experience?
In his autobiography, Malcolm X talks about the transformation he experienced going to Mecca. There he saw for the first time Muslims of all nationalities gathered together for one common cause. It was in Mecca he was able to make a global connection with others who shared his beliefs.
In many ways, referring to our churches as “the black church” does more harm than good as it erases our spiritual connection with churches in other ethinic groups. While all churches have a responsibility to their respected communities, it was the prayer of Jesus Christ that the church as a whole would see itself as one body.
If I was to take a quick poll today, my guess would be that more of you who attended church this morning heard about how to be blessed than the recent story where approximately 58 people (mostly Christians) were killed in Nigeria over Muslim outrage surrounding the recently published cartoons that depict Mohammed. Was there any mention of stories similar to the excerpts below?
February 21 (Compass) – Accusing the pastor of an independent church in the northern state of Punjab of “forcible conversion,†an Indian woman from Canada and three unidentified youths on February 8 beat the Christian leader so severely that he required hospital treatment. (more…)
February 23 (Compass) – Jailed since November for allegedly burning a Quran, which triggered attacks against churches in the Punjabi town of Sangla Hill, today a Pakistani Christian was cleared of guilt by an anti-terrorism court.
The Lahore court declared Yousaf Masih innocent on three accounts: committing blasphemy against the Quran, carrying out an act of terror and attempting to burn down a house. Jailed originally for blasphemy in November, Masih had the last two charges added to his case during a February 4 hearing.
At a final hearing on February 12, Masih’s accuser, Mohammed Saleem, told the court that he had not actually seen the Christian throw a match into a Sangla Hill building used to store old copies of the Quran – he had only suspected him of it.
Saleem’s accusations, initially broadcast from mosque loudspeakers in November, triggered a mob of 2,000 Muslims to attack and destroy four Sangla Hill churches on November 12. Local witnesses later confirmed that Saleem made the blasphemy claims after suffering heavy gambling losses to Masih. (more…)
January 20 (Compass) – One Christian has died and at least 11 Egyptians were reportedly injured yesterday morning when Muslims clashed with security police and set fire to a Christian community center in Upper Egypt. Coptic Christian Kamaal Shaker died of injuries he received when a group of Muslims set fire to an Orthodox-owned building in the town of el-Udaysaat, near the city of Luxor. (more…)
Fourteen churches in one town have been earmarked for demolition in one of Nigeria’s northern Sharia states.
Christians in Zamfara report that, as well as the 14 congregations in Gusau town which have received demolition notices, several other churches across the state have had the same news.
The demolition programme is thought to be the work of state governor Alhaji Ahmed Sani, an Islamic hardliner.
In fact, the programme dates back to 2003 when St Peter’s Anglican Church in Governor Sani’s home town of Bakura was destroyed on his orders. The church’s pastor received a visit from a town councillor who announced the church would be demolished the following morning – before Governor Sani arrived later that day. (more…)
Eritrean military authorities have jailed 75 Christians at a military training camp - for ‘reading Bibles and praying during their free time’.
Most of those arrested are students doing their compulsory national military service in Sawa, a remote area in western Eritrea near the border with Sudan. Thirty-seven of the 75 are women. (more…)
Here is a website dedicated on keeping track of all imprisoned Christians worldwide.
While we raise up millions to build buildings that are only fully occupied one day a week, much of that money could go helping fellow Christians worldwide who need it more. If you read in the New Testament, you will quickly find out that the early church PROSPERED under a government that was hostile towards them. What was their secret?
All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:44-47)
In fact, throughout the New Testament, you will find no mention of the early church taking to the streets in protest over what they deemed was owed to them.
Hold up! Wait a minute! Are you saying that we should not become politically active?
On the contrary, we should and need to on a regular basis. But we also need to realize that our ties to our brothers and sisters locally and internationally must be stronger than our expectancy of the government. Church should not just be about getting a weekly spiritual uplift, but a reaffirmation that you are part of a global body of individuals that share your beliefs under one common denominator–Jesus Christ.
Related post: Missing! African-American Missionaries
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Duane, when Malcolm said “by any means necessary,” I believe he meant by “any means necessary.” (For the liberation of African Americans).
Too many of our people really don’t espouse that mantra, however. (I’ll get to the multiracial churches in a moment.) They have a preconceived idea about how the liberation movement is supposed to take place. Like the Jews who thought Jesus would appear on a stallion as a great liberator, against the Romans. Instead, he came as a messiah of peace, teaching spiritual liberation which would inherently manifest in physical liberation.
Like the Jews of old, we’re focused, as a culture, on a myriad of avenues, purportedly, to advance liberation. But a spiritual changing of the heart is what is necessary.
Now, the crux to your post; Blacks attended White-run churches from this country’s inception. But we left to start our own because of institutional racism, in America.
My church, here in Minnesota, is quite integrated, but yes in most of the South and the rust-belt states, segregated churches prevail.
Meanwhile, in order for us to join together nationally with Whites, in the church, we’ll have to like Jeremiah 1:10 … uproot and tear down,” in order “to build and to plant.”
Study the Word Amen — and where it really derives from, and you’ll understand the solution to the Judeo-Christian-Muslim triad — and American racism. Hotep
Comment by Les Lester | February 26, 2006
All we are in religion are cheap converts. It doesn’t identify with our origins. Your religion should be rooted in your original culture. With that in mind what is our original culture its not slavery and its not christianity. We were closer to muslims but I think the scope of religion is dimming peoples ability to do for themselves. Also whites have a different feeling when dealing with the images of christianity, they feel a blood link from all the different depictions of god in their image and likeness. We are the only race of people who are sort of piggy backing everyones religion which is rooted in their race therefore their culture. we have become a people dependent on others for even our spiritual practices. If you look into all our great leaders they spoke outside of religous forum to a truth that is for all humanity. When will we take the mental, therefore spiritual chains off and be liberated to be one with God as “Jesus” (and I do mean quote) taught. We use all the middleman type things to get us to God and no one seems to realize that it was something within us all that Jesus saw. I think religion is not relevant to today and should be viewed in a historical context not one of self guidance for todays world or else we will continue to be led and misled.
Comment by Brian | February 27, 2006
There is a spirtual connection to religion that all other races have that we don’t have and religion is said to have started with us and was copied into greek mythology. Those were our original stories just changed and misconstrued to a point where we don’t even know those stories anymore. The stories of the sacred sun/son Horus/Jesus and so on. So in a nutshell we end up studying and dedicating our lives and spirits to myths without a true link to our religion as the Buddhist, The Jews etc. have. These people are so powerful within because they have that physical blood link that we don’t have to their religion.
Comment by Brian | February 27, 2006
“Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel(black America) is, that they might be saved.
For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.”
King James version Romans 10:1-2
Paul’s people the Jews were ruled by the Romans, justice and equality were not more important then there relationship with God to him. He gave is hole life for the cause Christ.
What we need more than justice and equality is to know Jesus as lord and savor.
Justice and equality is a good thing and we should work hard to make it happen.
But all the money and freedom in world dose not mean any thing in eternity.
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
King James version Matthew 16:26
Comment by Eugene Fisher | February 27, 2006
58 people killed in Nigeria. Are you serious? What about the tens of millions that have been killed in the name of Christianity? What about the crusades? What about the David Koreshs , Randy Weavers and Timothy McVeighs? While 58 deaths are clearly too many to die for any reason it is a drop in the bucket for the lives that have been taken. But to your point of “Do we need a Malcolm X type of experience?†Absolutely not. (not right now that is) We as blacks in America have some in house cleaning that needs to be done. We have some things such as drug addiction, low self esteem, lack of accountability to resolve before we can begin to co- worship on any large scale. We must first learn to worship and follow God’s word and moreover find the God of our people. We must find a way to rekindle the pain and passion that brought us to Spirituality in the 1st place. Our churches must learn to accept each of us at the place we are upon entering the doors. Our Churches must begin to use the monies collected for more than the pastor’s anniversary. They must educate our children, feed our hungry, cloth our naked, etc… Until these things are addressed we have no business co –worshipping with anyone.
Comment by Saudia | February 27, 2006
As far as the crusades go, most Christians have been on record over and over and over and over again stating that it was wrong and have condemned such action. Guess what? Christianity has moved on. Islam on the other hand has not. Justifing a historical wrong with another one is a very bad move. As far as the other individuals go, once again, their actions not only do not reflect church policy, but have been condemned by many Christians.
Just so that I am clear, no I am not saying that ALL Muslims are okay with terrorism. That would be a false statement. What I am saying is that in many (I mean MANY) pockets overseas, terrorising those that do not submit to Islam has become a form of policy.
Can you support that with scipture? An arm cannot self heal. You need all the healing properties the body has to offer.
So do we just omit this scripture and others like it in the case of “the black predicament?”
Comment by Duane | February 27, 2006
The crusades were not done by Christians but by Catholics and Cathlics are not Christains check you history.
Comment by Eugene Fisher | February 27, 2006
Most “churchs are not Christain
2 Peter :1-3
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not
Comment by Eugene Fisher | February 27, 2006
Eugene/all,
I will be doing a post on this whole issue in the near future. I think that this is an important move before this comment string goes into an unknown and uncontrollable direction. So I will be holding any additional comments for now.
Comment by Duane | February 27, 2006
I believe in integration, Duane, but the Bible teaches that we should not set a foreigner over us to rule(Deut. 17:15). Someone of another race or ethnic group simply isn’t going to look out for your interests, or understand them, like a bretheren will.
We really do have some house cleaning to take care of, first. The scriptures teach that God will judge nations (that’s from the word ethnos, not nation states as we know it).
Those resources we’re seeding into another group could be just as well seeded in our own congregations. Not that the body of Christ shouldn’t join together, though.
Jesus sent the Jewish disciples to the lost sheep of Israel first. In fact, he commanded them, “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans; Go rather to the lost sheep of… .Matt. 10:5
Here’s a practical example: Isaiah 18:25 says, “Blessed be Egypt my people…” But if you listen to the average European preacher you would think that everything about Egypt is negative. GOD CALLS EGYPT HIS PEOPLE!
I have more to say on that, but it would tap into my book. But for the discerning, study the word Amen more deeply. In it is the answer to our religious connection with the Hebrews.
Comment by Les Lester | February 27, 2006
“believe in integration, Duane, but the Bible teaches that we should not set a foreigner over us to rule(Deut. 17:15). That was the Law for the Jews.And we are not under the law .Romans 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.
One more time for the record the lord came for one thing and one thing only”For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”Luke 19:10
Comment by Eugene Fisher | February 27, 2006
One thing missing in much of this discussion is that the monotheistic traditions all have similarities. The differences have been exaggerated over the centuries. In Islam, Jesus is considered a prophet above Muhammad as he was “nearest to God” which is written in the Quran (Surat al-Maida, Verse 72). Our ignorance of Christ’s true pre-eminence in the Muslim faith is due to the imams and mullahs preaching only hate and ignoring the surats which state Jesus as the highest of all prophets. I do not believe that Muhammad wanted people to worship him, only his revelation.
Similarly, as Christians and black people, we do not need to try and seek a new expression of our religion but to deepen our existing faith and learn more. Africans were certainly meant to be Christians. The oldest Christian churches are still found in Africa. The Copts were African Christians and they have lived for nearly 2000 years as such. Should they be denied? We need to learn our true history. It is restorative.
Comment by Ned | March 16, 2006