Desegregating the church
Martin Luther King, Jr. famously declared that “Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week.” Is it still accurate to say that about the American church in 2010?
A Time article recently explored this question and discovered that racial segregation is still a fact in the church… but megachurches like Willow Creek seem to be making the most progress in bridging the racial divide. Willow Creek’s efforts have not met with complete success and raise plenty of questions, but over 20% of its congregation is made up by racial minorities—a ratio that leaves most churches (regardless of their predominate racial makeup) far behind:
Call it the desegregation of the megachurches — and consider it a possible pivotal moment in the nation’s faith…. David Campbell, a political scientist at Notre Dame studying the trend, says that “if tens of millions of Americans start sharing faith across racial boundaries, it could be one of the final steps transcending race as our great divider” — and it could help smooth America’s transition into a truly rainbow nation.
Hybels and his Willow Creek church are already headed down that path. Though Willow is not the most advanced example of multiracial church, it makes an excellent window into the new desegregation because of its size, its influence and the ferocious purposefulness with which Hybels has deconstructed his all-white institution. Willow may also be emblematic in that Hybels appears to have stopped short of creating a fully color-blind church. His efforts illustrate both the possibilities and the challenges that smaller churches may face as they attempt to move beyond black and white.
The key questions are, of course, how segregated is your church today, and what is it doing (or not doing) about it? Simply replicating the success of a megachurch like Willow Creek isn’t an option for the average American church; megachurches have resources and reach that most churches don’t.
My own church, for example, is relatively small and located in a part of town that is predominiately white; the congregation is, by a vast margin, primarily white. Nobody in the church would disagree that “desegregation” would be a wonderful thing for the church, but how does an established, comfortable church (in a city already packed with every type of church you can imagine) take steps toward that goal? And is achieving racial desegregation in the church a a critical end goal in itself, or is it a secondary goal that churches should welcome but not invest too much time in pursuing?
That’s a lot of questions. The article paints a hopeful picture of a desegregated church, but it’s a challenge to connect that dream to the everyday, non-megachurch congregations that encompass most of American Christainity. What do you think?
We should NOT be that concerned about “desegegating” our churches. Just witness the saving power of the Gospel of Christ and God will sort things out. Don’t “qualify” your prospects. There are much more important issues to be engaged in than “desegegating” your church. If one ascribes to the fact that God segegated the three races to begin with – Cp. Acts 17:26-27; then HE will bring things to past in HIS time.
I am a Caucasian from the “south” (USA) and my uncle was the head of the local Ku Klux Klan in my area when I grew up. Needless to say I was raised under the influence of severe racial prejudice. But God dealt with me about that early on in life. In fact in 1990 while on an extended fast God told me to start attending an all “black” church near my home town.
But the incredible part about it is that He said that there was a young black woman there that I was to marry. I obeyed Him and without any help from me God worked it all out. I attended that church for several years and am welcomed by all whenever I return for a visit. I also attended another all black church in that area for several years after that.
Then God changed his strategy. God told my “black” wife and I to start attending an all “white” church in our home area. The pastor and many of the flock were very prejudiced and did not make it easy on us. But God used that to deal with pastor about his racial pregudice and now that church is about half “black” and half “white”. Also it began to have so many “hispanics” attending that they started their own spanish speaking branch church.
My point is this. Perhaps THIS is the BEST way to do away with segregation in the churches. Certain people in churches that are primarily of one race should either take it upon themselves or be sent out to be “seeded” in churches that are primarily made up of other races. No “cliches” can be allowed among the minorities that are doing the “seeding”.
If this is how we are to win the world and do away with the darkness there then how much more should this be our mission in regard to the church. Judgment must begin first at the house of God. This racial segregation is the biggest “cancer” in the church and is in fact a mockery to all that we are supposed to stand for love and unity. We simply should NOT be able to conscientiously be an accomplice to it.
I am proud to be a member of a congregation that teaches desegregation. I am interacially married and to me it is a testimony of my love for the lord.The bible states that there is no longer jew or gentile only those who are in christ jesus! All those who proclaim to love God should love thy neighbor as themselves. This testimony could bring a poor lost soul to christ.May the lord richly bless you!
I tend to agree: “desegregation” smacks of “affirmative action.” God looks on the heart, right? And there are cultural differences that play out largely along racial/ethnic lines, too – tastes in worship style, etc. Our job is to make everyone feel welcome and trust God for the outcome.
I agree that we should seek first the kingdom of God and HIS Righteousness and we will be doing the will of God and HE will lead us. I have been lead by The Holy Spirit to love all people no matter what the state of our outer appearances. God looks to the heart..it is HIS Word. As HE so moved the couple of separated cultures to marry, move from place to place to make a difference, HE will so move us if, we who have ears, hear what The Spirit says..IN Jesus’ Holy Name…Amen