The Beloved Church
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke often of something he called, the beloved community. This was the title given to describe a reality where freedom, love, justice, and reconciliation would reign. In many ways this was a mainstream way for Dr. King to speak of the Kingdom of God being advanced within a sin-filled world. Today, there is still a need for the beloved community. The question becomes though, “can there be a beloved community without a beloved church first?” Another question to consider would be, “can there be a beloved church without beloved children of God in intimate relationship with God thru Christ Jesus?” These questions must be reflected on deeply, if the church is to be a force of Kingdom advancement in an ever-increasing multi-ethnic and multicultural world.
Though we live in a world that is becoming more and more diverse by the day, the church in the United States of America is still one of the most segregated institutions there is. It’s funny how the church in the United States of America, through its many denominations, sees itself as a leader in world missions but can’t consistently develop churches that look like that world or the Kingdom of God where we will live eternally. Though collectively financially resourced, the church is socially bankrupt when it comes to living outside of the race matrix of this nation. Why is this?
This reality of the segregated church continues for two reasons. One reason is, many are in denial that the Christian church in this country was planted in a soil of race and racism. The treatment of Native Americans and Africans in the beginning of what became known as the United States of America went against the very gospel message being preached by some Europeans carrying a Bible in their hands and racism in their hearts. We must explore this history on a regular basis that we might re-plant the Christian church in this nation.
The second issue is that the church in this nation is still evolving in a race-based soil, which creates comfort in racially segregated churches. Though many people would not see themselves as racist, they attend churches based on race values even though they don’t realize it in most cases. The not realizing factor is true for many European-Americans. Many African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians proudly attend racially or ethnic specific churches. For many of them this is about being in a community of empowerment in a society where they collectively hold little power even in light of a minority president. Yet, this reality is a major obstacle to the beloved community. There will never truly be shining examples of the beloved community as long as we Christians have a taste for the segregated church. As a pastor of a multi-ethnic and evangelical church, I cry out in the wilderness like John the Baptist. I cry out to prepare the way for a movement of churches think look like the Kingdom of God and not the race-based society of this earthly realm. I cry out for the beloved church. What is your heart cry?
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Pastor I understand the point you are trying to make, but some of the things you say in this blog concerns me. The content of this blog raffirms one of the reasons why me and my family do not attend woodland anymore. The reason being like this blog I got tired of being made to feel like I am a racist because I am of european american. I’ll qoute you “Though many people would not see themselves as racist, they attend churches based on race values even though they don’t realize it in most cases. The not realizing factor is true for many European-Americans. Many African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians proudly attend racially or ethnic specific churches”. So what I get from the statement I am being villified for being white and going to a church that may be attended by more white people and African americans latinos and Asians “proudly” attend the gender specific churches because of years of racism I this fair to say? I’ll give you an example of what I feel is one of the most racist churches in America and it happens to be Considered a “African American Church” by which there theology I would never step foot into because I would not feel welcomed there. I am talking about the Trinity United church of christ. I’ll qoute a part of their mission “We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian… Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain “true to our native land,” the mother continent, the cradle of civilization.” Thet doesn’t sound to welcoming to euro americans such as myself.
Pastor E….if the Church were closer to what it should be (the Beloved Church indeed!), I would probably be more libertarian or moderately conservative in my political life. Especially in America, the Church is NOT the Beloved Church, although I take hope from the cries in the Church wilderness you and other Pastors/Leaders are voicing.
I agree that the Beloved Community will not be realized until the Church becomes the Beloved Church first. The Beloved Community will be the result of the Church getting it right, but the Church acts like it’s the other way around — ie, the community and political and cultural life of America needs get “get right” first. (no political pun intended…:)) My heart cry is that the Church would start acting like IT is God’s intended catalyst for Kingdom growth, not the political or cultural process. The Church is supposed to be the loving EXAMPLE that inspires, invites and encourages others…not the STANDARD for membership in “God’s Country Club.”
Andrew, I used to feel like I was falsely accused of being racist just for being white too! I’m only second generation born in America on my dad’s side and third generation on my mom’s side. No one in my family tree has owned slaves or been members of the KKK. My dad was a Lutheran Pastor in rural Minnesota and never earned more than 20k/year his entire 42 years in the ministry. During visits to my grandparents, I became accustomed to walking up the hill to the outhouse in winter when you had to pee in the middle of the night because they had no running water in their house. How could I, coming from this background, be accused of being racist?
My wrestling with all of this is a long, long story that is still unfolding, but my point here is that I understand a lot of white folks feeling “falsely accused” of being racist when we don’t do anything in our lives we consider racist, and when many of us have had our own hardships and struggles in life.
What I hear Pastor Efrem and others questioning is not whether you or I are personally racist strictly because we’re Euro-American. But, especially as Believers confessing Jesus Christ, to what extent are we willing to affirm that there IS a race matrix still active in America? We might not feel personally responsible for the race matrix, but to what extent might we be unknowingly, even with good hearts, perpetuating the race matrix? Are we willing, as Believers, to question ourselves on these things? To what extent are we willing to suspend a little judgment and comfort in order to understand and engage with others who’ve experienced the race matrix in a different way than we have?
Yes, my “Wisconsin hillbilly” side of the family went through a lot of hard times back in the day. But, at least they weren’t as bad off as those &*(#^#^*s down the road. I heard this often as a young child — which, ironically, affirms that things WERE worse for black or brown folks down the road. And the implication was that those folks down the road were at fault for their own miserable circumstances….and eventually, as the “bootstrap theory” of American economics didn’t pan out very well for most of my white relatives, those folks down the road were somehow at fault for that too.
Growing up in America, we are sold a “white card” regardless of whether we wanted it or not, and regardless of our personal conduct or attitude. Some of us exploit that card for all it’s worth, and some of us haven’t yet discovered that our social and spiritual accounts are being charged regularly for this card without our consent.
What I hear Pastor E and others questioning is the level to which we are willing to remain comfortable with how segregated our Church in America is.
And I hear him challenging our black and brown Siblings about this also! His entire stream of thought that you partially quoted is:
“Many African-Americans, Latinos, and Asians proudly attend racially or ethnic specific churches. For many of them this is about being in a community of empowerment in a society where they collectively hold little power even in light of a minority president. YET THIS REALITY IS A MAJOR OBSTACLE TO THE BELOVED COMMUNITY.”
I added the capital letters for emphasis. I read that to mean that the “Church segregation” BY ethnic groups — while understandable in light of American history still playing out — is also unhealthy toward the Beloved Church the Church should be. And our black and brown Siblings are challenged to wrestle with this also.
Grace and Peace,
Mark
This is a good word, pastor. But here’s my question: what do we say when the issue of race is complicated by issues of language? For example, there seems to be a growing trend of churches that are mostly white, but that also have a Hispanic or Chinese or Hmong service that is still a ministry of the church. Personally I find the trend disturbing as it seems to be institutionalizing the segregation of the church, but all under the friendly-sounding language of “sister congregations” and “ministry partners.” But maybe my view is influenced by my speaking the dominant language and being able to go to any church I want and understanding everything that’s said. How can churches be about reconciliation in this context without essentially requiring immigrant congregations to assimilate before entering the dialogue?
And in response to Andrew and Mark, I also know many white people who resent the implication that they are racist because they are white. I think this resentment stems, in part, from the primacy of the individual in Western thought. There are still people who are personally racist, but I think for the most part, racism is now a question of systems and structures. When legitimate criticisms are leveled at institutional racism, I think many of us immediately revert to the individualistic paradigm, and assume that the target of accusations is individuals like ourselves. Obviously there are a lot of constructs that need to be dealt with, but I almost wonder if our construction of the individual needs to be deconstructed before we can deconstruct race.
I would agree with you Efrem. Up until February of this year I have lived, come to faith, and journeyed in mostly white – middle/upper class – neighborhoods and churches. I have experienced God’s grace, redemption, and transformation thru worship, small groups, and service both inside and outside of the churches in my suburban enclaves. But I became aware of a “holy discontent” about living in what seemed to be a white, Christian, suburban bubble(wrapped?) environment.
I read a few books – The Beautiful Struggle by Coates, Same Kind of Different As me by Hall/Moore, and Letters Across the Divide by Anderson/Zuercher. My best friends family adopted a little boy from Etheopia. I began to feel called to really get to know others that were different than me – different on economic, cultural, and racial levels. As God would have it my wife was ahead of the curve with me and we began worshipping at Sanctuary in February. We attended the City Matters class and that was the first time that I truly began to understand the privilige/advantages I have been given and the struggle/walls/barriers that have been erected for non-white/poor people. The best analogy for me was that my life has been a bit like playing the game of “Life” but at the end of the game I get to keep the money/wealth I have accumulated and begin the game again while others who are not like me have it all taken away before they can play again….repeat….repeat….repeat.
Since coming to Sanctuary I have become involved in a small group that is racially, ethnically, and culturally diverse – with a wide range of ages and stages in life present. I have been tremendously blessed and am having great conversations within this safe space to explore issues that I haven’t looked at before. I am also serving in other ways thru opportunities presented at the City Matters course that would not have been on my radar before – activities I hope will help break the cycle of injustice / poverty. I am changing – because of the grace of God and experiencing a richer…and more challenging….faith journey in these days. Thanks for being a voice in the wilderness – keep crying out and know that others are crying out with you. Striving for the beloved church….to help advance God’s kingdom….and see a beloved community.
David Maus, I couldn’t agree with you more on the individualism thing…excellent point.
Dave, I think I might have been in the City Matters class with you and your wife.
Hey Mark! I believe you are correct – loved that class! One of the things I wanted to add was that one of the best aspects of experiencing Sanctuary, City Matters, new small group is that I have been able to have great conversations with my 4 children – ages 11-24 – and hopefully this will help them be better reconcilers than I have been….and get an earlier start!
Efrem, I really appreciate your vision, it’s part of the reason we continue to attend Sanctuary.
My hope for the Beloved Church of Sanctuary is that besides meeting together on Sundays, that the church body would be an example of a bold answer to the question you presented above:
“can there be a beloved church without beloved children of God in intimate relationship with God thru Christ Jesus?”
Let’s see Sanctuary facilitate and lead and provide space for real talk and real relationships to form.
Racism is largely being replaced by classism. It’s a shame that more of our pastors aren’t talking about this shift.
The European-American pastor at my church speaks frequently about racism and race relations. He speaks of MLK Jr. and the need for us to reach out to those who are of different ethnic backgrounds. Many churches are making great strides to welcome visitors to join, who look different from the majority of church memebers.
Sadly, there is a largely unspoken struggle regarding class. In many small groups, I have frequently heard people speak about the prosperity gospel. For those who are struggling financially or facing poverty, there is little forgiveness or understanding. Many Christians today can “forgive” racial differences, but not economic ones.
“God never intended for one group of people to live in superfluous inordinate wealth, while others live in abject deadening poverty. God intends for all of his children to have the basic necessities of life, and he has left in this universe “enough and to spare” for that purpose. So I call upon you to bridge the gulf between abject poverty and superfluous wealth.” (MLK Jr)
Hopefully in the months to come, in light of the economic challenges facing our nation, more pastors will speak biblically about classism too.