Sunday, March 11, 2018

Black Church and White Evangelicals


I don’t like President Donald Trump. I think he’s a racist. Furthermore, it pains me that our White Christian brothers and sisters support him – a known racist. How can we assemble together and worship comfortably when preachers are praising the president from the podium to our detriment? It makes me want to sink under the pew. How can they support this man that is prejudiced toward their African American brothers and sisters? I have read that this is separating multi-racial churches because the African Americans are feeling dejected by our White brothers and sisters.

How can we worship side by side with those that demean how racists make us feel as they spew their hateful words towards us? To me, it seems like they are not walking this journey with us and are unconcerned about how it is affecting us.

Pastor Robert Morris (a White pastor) at Gateway Church said that this is because we are not looking at the situation with the same perspective.

I may be wrong, but this could be the falling away that the Apostle Paul spoke of that precedes the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The church is separating and falling away from one another.

The president could not openly renounce the KKK. Yet our sisters and brothers in Christ enthusiastically support him, no matter what, and no matter how detrimental it is to other church members. When we hear “Make America Great Again”, we believe he is actually saying, “Make America White Again” by taking us back to the 50s and 60s. Trump openly praised white supremacists having a protest march, but he severely criticized our brothers for taking a knee in protest at football games.

During the presidential campaign, there was a lot of talk about how the evangelicals were in support of Donald Trump. From that point on I did not want to be labeled an evangelical anymore. But when I looked up the word evangelical, it actually describes who I am as a believer and the values I stand for. Yet, I don’t want to be identified with those that supports Trump. I take issue with their value system that they continue to excuse his behavior and prophesy that he is a man sent by God to the White House. Does God hate Blacks? No.

Pastor Robert Jeffress of the First Baptist Church here in Downtown Dallas said the following: “Evangelicals still believe in the commandment: Thou shalt not have sex with a porn star, however, whether this president violated that commandment or not is totally irrelevant to our support of him. Evangelicals knew they weren’t voting for an altar boy when they voted for Donald Trump.”

And… nothing he can do or say about us African Americans will change their minds about him.

True, Jesus said of the woman caught in the very act of adultery, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” I know I have no stones to throw at Donald Trump or anyone else – as much as I have been forgiven for. The difference in Donald Trump and the adulteress is that she went away cleansed, and to do that sin no more.

Donald Trump said that NFL owners should fire African American football players that kneel during the anthem. Nobody seemed to care why we were protesting, and our stake in this thing, they just want us out of the way. Any attempt on our part to peacefully protest and petition the government for a re-dress of grievances, makes us look like the divisive bad guys.

White evangelical families are not the ones losing loved ones to trigger happy police officers. Perhaps if they saw it from our point of view, we might not look so divisive.

I read an article where an African American woman attending a predominantly White church was addressed as divisive because she brought up the young African American teen Trayvon Martin that was killed by George Zimmerman for walking through his apartment complex wearing a hoodie. They had not even heard of Trayvon Martin. Once again, they don’t see this from our point of view.

In Revelation 7:9 the church in heaven is described as a great multitude which no one could number of all nations, tribes, people, and tongues standing before the throne of Christ. It is sad that we are so separated down here, and we cannot assemble together down here in that way.

I live in a neighborhood that is about 50% Hispanic. I recently noticed that I was feeling resentful of them. All the businesses in our immediate area cater to them… the grocery stores, salons, and restaurants. I have to go outside of my neighborhood or order online to get the things I want and need. The Holy Spirit convicted me of that and even with that knowledge, it is taking me some time and prayers to shake off my resentment. I don’t want to think I’m a racist because one of my very good friends Maria is Hispanic, but I’ll admit that my love is not pure. If it was, I would not have negative thoughts toward my neighbors, or stereotype them as I do.

Jesus said, “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are My disciples.”

We all have the right to choose our political party. It is my opinion that neither side (Democrats or Republicans) are 100% lining up with the word of God. If we choose Republicans because they are pro-life, they fail to treat the poor as Scripture commands. If we choose Democrats because they support the poor and needy, they are pro-choice and support abortions. Neither side is perfect, obviously.

I have a close friend Rhonda, that just happens to be a White evangelical, who supports Donald Trump. Two weeks after his inauguration, her post on Facebook said, “I wished people would stop rioting and hurting people who voted for President Trump. He’s only been in office a few weeks, he needs our prayers, not opposition.” Because I love her, I had to take a closer look at the woman in the mirror. Am I not praying enough for this president? Did God hear the prayers I have already sent up for him? Is unforgiveness hindering my prayers?

I have seen photos of ministers in the Oval Office laying hands on President Trump and praying over him. Were their prayers heard by God? Most of all, I do not want a falling away to come between me and Rhonda because of my dislike for this man.

Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you?” He encouraged us to love our enemies. He admonished us to bless those who curse us and pray for those who despitefully use and persecute us.

So, here is where I stand today, confessing that my heart needs a transformation, that I may put off  this old woman and put on the new woman – and be renewed in my mind and in my spirit – and that I may grow and develop in His likeness and be that Christian walking in the light as Christ is in the light.

Father, forgive me. I pray Your blessing upon the church that we will band together and love one another as Jesus had prayed to You in the 17th chapter of John. With all my love for You, in Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.