Welcome to our celebration of Black History 2003. We take out this time because we believe History is important. When we look at the Biblical Record we see that History plays an important role in the development of God’s Children. History is a source of Faith. From History we can learn what God has done for others and have faith that He is able to do the same thing for us. When Moses tried to give the Children of Israel reasons to trust God, he begins his writings not with the Exodus story but rather with the Historical Book call Genesis. That tells the story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. History is also a source of Hope. Daniel, while living behind enemy lines, seeks a reason for hope does not search the future but the Historical Writings of Jeremiah. History is a source of Understanding. When the Apostle Paul addresses the need for a Savior, he does not use personal or present sins but connects the need of a Savior back to the first man Adam and the original sin. Finally, History is a source of Vision. The vision of Greater Mt. Moriah is rooted in the historical vision of the church being the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The Vision of Greater Mt. Moriah is grounded upon the vision of God for His Church
Not only is History important generally, but Black History is important particularly. Black History teaches us about the numerous contribution made by individuals of African descent. Contributions in the fields of science, politics, world affairs, and education. Lessons about hard work, faithfulness, and “You can make it if you try”. The history of the Black Church can also teach us a lot. The History ob the Black church can teach us about faith in God in spite of conditions and situations, about the power in prayer, about holding on to God’s unchanging hand, and the amazing grace that God has shown toward us. The Black Church was born in the Slavery, reared in Segregation and Discrimination, now in the prime of its life The Black Church is standing at a crossroads, between ways of its former Oppressor and the way of its foreparents. The choice we make will determine our future. The Black Church is dangerously close to losing its soul.
The national theme for 2003 is “The Souls of Black Folk” based upon the 1903 book by WEB DuBois by the same title. In that book, DuBois makes the statement that the problem of the Twentieth Century is the problem of the color line . From a purely sociological perspective we can say today, the problem of the Twentieth-First Century is still the problem of the color line. The line has just gotten a little browner. However, from a spiritual perspective, the problem of the Black Church in the Twentieth-First Century is the problem of the love line. For this Black History Month Celebration, we would deviate just a little from the national theme and use the subject for this discourse, “The Soul of the Black Church,” based upon Revelations 2:1-7.
When we examine John’s letter to the church of Ephesus we find some interesting similarities between the church of Ephesus and the Black Church of America. The first thing we notice is that the Lord says, “I know thy Works, and labors and patience.” We can be assured that God sees and knows the works and efforts extended by the Black Church. The Lord watches over the Black Church. He takes note of our works of gratitude. The Lord sees how we work not in order to gain salvation but out of thankfulness for the free gift of salvation. The Lord knows that The Black Church have worked long hours under some of the most difficult situations. He knows our work of faith, our labor of love, and our patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Black Church has been busy working hard in the areas of Evangelism – Spreading the Gospel message to generations after generations. In the area of Mission – by visiting the sick and shut in. By offering Religious Instructions about Love, Forgiveness, Grace and Mercy. The Black Church have told and Retold the Old, Old story about God’s love for Humanity. The Black Church have been busy in Civil Matters such as the Abolishment of Slavery, The Civil Rights movement. The Black Church have organized around Voting Rights and Human Rights, making their members concern and active.
The Black Church have worked hard in the areas of Education, teaching their young to read and by offering affordable Child Care. The Black Church has worked in Personal and Communitial Development. Developing Faith in times of sickness and death, and Patience in times of Injustices. The Black Church has nurtured marriages, and offered spiritual healing in the times of divorce. The Black Church has been busy working hard training leaders and giving people much need opportunities to develop skills and talents. The Black Church can rest in the assurance that the Lord sees and knows our works.
The Black Church have come a mighty long way. But, The Black Church still have a long way to go. From the Invisible Institutions of the Bush Harbors to the most Visible Institutions in the Black Community. The Black Church still have a might long way to go. Not only must the Black Church be involved in Intercessory Prayer – but The Black Church must also be involved in Intercessory Service. As technology grows the African American community is getting further and further behind. The Black Church must be involved in Intercessory Training. As Education becomes vital to the success of our young people the Black Church must be involved in Intercessory Education. As drugs is sweeping the black community and our young people are going to a Jail campus more often than a college campus the Black Church must be involved in Intercessory Intervention, and Intercessory Rehabilitation.
Simply put the Black Church must stand in the Gap. The Black Church must stand in the Gap for Single Mothers. As the baby boomer become older their will be a greater need for the Black Church to stand in the gap for the Elderly. Stand in the Gap for the Education of our Youth, where we find a growing apathy towards the community. The youth of today have a growing lack of concern, indifference, lack of interest to the development of their own community. The Black Church must stand in the Gap. The Black Church have come a mighty long way but The Black Church still have a mighty long way to go.
The soul of the Black Church rest upon its ability not only to get people out to vote but teaching people the importance of voting and how to vote. Teaching people how to discern between candidates, platforms, and records. Not only telling parents to train up their child in the way they should go, but also, take the lead in Parenting Classes. Not only telling children that Education is important but taking the lead in After-School programs, Tutorial programs, and Computer Classes. The Black Church must take the lead in teaching its young not only to be consumers but producers. Not only employees but employers, not only spenders but savers, training them about making money but also investing finance. The time has come for the Black Church to move to the next level. YES, The Black Church have come a mighty, mighty, mighty long way, but The Black Church still have a mighty long way to Go. The Black Church must never become satisfied with just getting out of Egypt of Inequality but The Black Church must continue to strive to reach the promise land of Equality.
As with the works of the Ephesus Church so it is with the Black Church. Although their works were good and commendable, their motivation was not pure. Not only must our ends be excellent the means to which we reach those ends must also be excellent. I can hear the Lord of the Black Church saying, “Nevertheless I have [somewhat] against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”(Revelations 2:4 KJV) Rather than staying with the Love of God and the Love of Neighbor as we Love ourselves, the Black Church have gone after the strange gods of this land. The Black Church has worshipped the creation with their hearts while still singing to the Creator with their lips. We have worked for the creations with their hands while still talking about service to the Creator with their words. We have made sacrifices of out Time – Talents – and Treasures to the creation while deliberating about the Tithe to the creator with our language. We say, time has made a change, people don’t love like they use to, but the question is what are we doing about this change, what are we doing about this downward slide?
The Black Church has allowed the spirit of Cain to replace the spirit of Christ among its members. While we ignore the Spirit of Love with her tattered and torn garments of humility and modesty, the spirit of Envy and Jealousy has marched in wearing the finest of apparel. While the Spirit of Love have been voted out and her meek voice has been silenced, Envy & Jealousy holds prominent positions in the Black Church and their voices dominates our meetings. The spirit of Completion among black churches have replaced the spirit of Cooperation. More than one black church ensured the success of the Underground Railroad. There was more than one black church working to bring about the Civil Rights, and there will be more than one black church working together with God to bring about the much need change in the black community and the world.
Note with me that the Lord says, left thy first love. Not lost, but left thy first love. The first love of the Black Church is not misplaced the black church has chosen that which is not love. Our love has waxed cold. Our motivation has shifted. Our incentive comes from another source and the wind beneath our wings is neither the Love of God nor the Love of neighbor. Despite all the good the church at Ephesus has done, they have left their first love; this can be described as a sad departure. The Black Church stands on the threshold of this same sad departure.
The distinction between leaving and losing love is important; something can be lost quite by accident, but leaving is a deliberate act. As well, when you lose something you do not know where to find it, but when you leave something, you do know where to find it. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NIV) tells us “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Without love, all is vain. This church left thier reason for existence and when a church leave left love or when that love grows cold. They have left their the very reason for their existance. Leave love, leave all.
The Black Church must go back, go back to the Altar, fall down on her knees and go back to her first love. There are two things the Black Church must do in order to regain her rightful place and her rightful influence in the world today. The Lord tells us two things. The first is Remember. That what this Black history month does for us. That is why Dr. Woodson saw the need for this month. Remember where you were and who brought you with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. Remember who picked you up even when you were down. Remember who was your friend when you were friendless. Growing up I remember the people praying, Dear Lord, take me back to the place where I first believed. The Black Church need to Remember from whence we come and who brought us safe thus far. The second thing, the Lord says is Repent. Repent means to turn away from and to turn toward. The Black Church must turn away from the lures of this world and turn toward the God of our weary years. Turn away from the false gods of money and turn toward the God of our silent tears.
Finally, this passage ends with a promise. The promise is made to individuals. “To Him that overcometh.” (Revelations 2:7 KJV) God knows the Soul of the Black Church is made up of the Souls of Black Folk and makes the promise to such folk. The promise is a promise of Return, Restoration and Reward. The promise is a promise of a return to Eden, a restoration to former position, and the reward of eternal life. This is meant both in the eternal sense of making it to heaven, but also in the sense of seeing the effects of the curse rolled back in our own lives though walking in Jesus’ redeeming love. Paradise: originally, this word meant "a garden of delight;" eventually, it came to mean the place where God lives where God is, that is paradise!
In the words of one of the Black Church sons, Martin Luther King, Jr. “We shall overcome, because God is on our side” . Even when Technology threatening to Digitally Divide the haves from the have-nots, The Black Church Shall Overcome. Even with the TAAS Test retaining the youth of the Black Community, The Black Church Shall Overcome. Even with Affirmative Action receiving Death Threats, The Black Church Shall Overcome. Racial Profiling, Disproportional Unemployment, The unjust Criminal Justice System, Wars and Rumors of War, shall not succeed in hold us down, The Black Church shall overcome, deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome. The Black Church shall overcome because the God of the Universe will deliver you out of financial and chemical bondage. The Black Church shall Overcome because the promises of God are sure, you shall reap what you sow.
"When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul."
One Bright Morning the Black Church will stand on God’s celestial shores, and say to her children, we made it. There in paradise we The Black Church shall be with God, as the Bride of Jesus Christ Our Lord
Amen
