[Risewithus]

Thankfully more and more churches are realizing this is a subject we can’t stay quiet on. I was proud to see so many white churches having conversations about racism and racial equality today.

Why white churches and black churches? Let's worship together

Awesome post. I know what he meant but your post is spot on.

[TH Spangler]

Thankfully more and more churches are realizing this is a subject we can’t stay quiet on. I was proud to see so many white churches having conversations about racism and racial equality today.

Why white churches and black churches? Let's worship together

Awesome post. I know what he meant but your post is spot on.

It's bugged me for a long time.

[Jonathan Carone]

Thankfully more and more churches are realizing this is a subject we can’t stay quiet on. I was proud to see so many white churches having conversations about racism and racial equality today.

Why white churches and black churches? Let's worship together

Because the church hour is still the most segregated hour of the week in America. Most churches are not multi-ethnic unfortunately.

[TH Spangler]

Good place to start. Pastors need to lead it. I remember years ago in Virginia Beach two giant churchs, pretty much the same denomination, setting across the street from one another. One all black and one 95 % white. I always thought the two pastors should find away for their congregations to fellowship. What better way to move forward.

[JK37]

Wars are fought in churches and places of worship before they’re ever fought in streets or battlefields. The only way this will ultimately be solved is through Christ.

[Purple Haize]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

[flameshaw]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

Agree 100%. Some of my favorite pastors to listen to are black. But I am not going to attend a black church very often, if at all. They worship differently than I want to. Lots of white churches worship differently that I do. I am not going to attend there either. I don't hold it against them and I am sure they don't care either. Everyone is free to do what they want.
Getting worked up over % of racial make-up of any organization is racist IMHO. Should we make the NBA and NFL have a certain number of white players? How about NASCAR making a rule that x% of drivers must be black? What about Asians? Silly stuff. smh.

[TH Spangler]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

That's why my post read, "pastors should find away for their congregations to fellowship".

[Jonathan Carone]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

Who said it was?

[Purple Haize]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

Who said it was?

You heavily inferred it.

[Jonathan Carone]

No. No I didn't. I was pointing out a sociological fact to answer a question why I specifically referenced white churches. You even confirmed that fact and why it was happening.

The black church in America has been talking about racial equity for decades. The white church in America has largely avoided the topic. This weekend we saw tons of white pastors talking to white churches about why racial equity has to matter within the Church. I was proud to see that.

[Purple Haize]

Thankfully more and more churches are realizing this is a subject we can’t stay quiet on. I was proud to see so many white churches having conversations about racism and racial equality today.

Why white churches and black churches? Let's worship together

Because the church hour is still the most segregated hour of the week in America. Most churches are not multi-ethnic unfortunately.

Your follow up was much more clear than this statement which was certainly could be be seen as inferring racism

[ballcoach15]

I have attended services at black churches in Virginia, Georgia, and Missouri. The major difference I saw was mostly the music/songs. There's a black Baptist church near Danville that is 95% the same as a white Baptist church.
The worst church I have been to was a church in Augusta, GA that was about 50% white, 50% minority. The day I went, they had a guest speaker, a black female preacher The regular pastor was a white guy. he came out , looking as if he just came off the golf course, said a few words and left.
My lady friend told me later that the church had a special fund raiser going on to buy the pastor a Corvette.

[flameshaw]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

That's why my post read, "pastors should find away for their congregations to fellowship".

Why?

[ballcoach15]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

It's not racist, Many white churches worship in different ways. Many black churches worship in different ways.

[Risewithus]

People prefer to worship in different ways. I’m not sure that’s racist

It's not racist, Many white churches worship in different ways. Many black churches worship in different ways.

100% correct. Not racist at all, just different. Churches are made up of the neighborhood they are built in for the most part. This is why some are predominantly black and predominantly white. Over time, many build new churches elsewhere and take on the characteristics of the new neighborhood. As long as we all welcome each other and not see color, but love one another and recognize we are all sinners in need of a savior, we can bring glory to God. I truly am enjoying this dialogue. This is what we need more of.

[thepostman]

I disagree that we shouldn't see color. To pretend race doesn't exist often creates blindspots to subtle racism. That is why it was so important for all churches to speak of racial injustices from time to time and not just when it is a little easier to.

With the said, i completely agree that churches tend to look like the area in which they are located. It speaks more of our racially segregated past and how we still have a long way to go.

My church is probably 70% white and it is important for those minorities who do call our church home to feel like they belong but also that we don't hide from race.

Pro Wrestler Cody Rhodes who is in a bi-racial marriage was asked about the diversity in his wrestling company AEW and why it waa important to him. He talked about a moment when he told his wife that he didn't see her skin color. Her response? "Then you don't see my experience". To claim we don't see skin color doesn't do any of us any good.

Just my 2 cents.

Here is that clip of Cody Rhodes:

[Purple Haize]

I disagree that we shouldn't see color. To pretend race doesn't exist often creates blindspots to subtle racism. That is why it was so important for all churches to speak of racial injustices from time to time and not just when it is a little easier to.

With the said, i completely agree that churches tend to look like the area in which they are located. It speaks more of our racially segregated past and how we still have a long way to go.

My church is probably 70% white and it is important for those minorities who do call our church home to feel like they belong but also that we don't hide from race.

Pro Wrestler Cody Rhodes who is in a bi-racial marriage was asked about the diversity in his wrestling company AEW and why it waa important to him. He talked about a moment when he told his wife that he didn't see her skin color. Her response? "Then you don't see my experience". To claim we don't see skin color doesn't do any of us any good.

Just my 2 cents.

Here is that clip of Cody Rhodes:

I’m not sure your first sentence is wrong. However you have a Generation of people my age and older who were taught and told that the GOAL is to not see color and treat everyone equally. That only racist saw people by the color of their skin and that we are to judge people by an impartial scale. So to turn around and label people as insensitive or Racist or whatever ( it that you have) is going to come across as bizarre to a lot of people.
Now we are being told that UNLESS we first see someone’s skin color we are wrong. That allowances must be made because of ones skin color. Yet no one addresses the soft bigotry of lowered expectations that can manifest.

[thepostman]

Who is saying unless we see skin color first you're wrong? I'm honestly asking because I haven't ever heard that.

[Jonathan Carone]

We were also taught two spaces after a period was the best way to go about things as well.

Occasionally in life we learn that what we are teaching people isn’t best. On the matter of color blindness, minorities have said they want us to see their color and appreciate their black and brownness. It’s partially why the language has shifted to black and brown people and not African Americans. We listen and we learn. Yes it is hard. Yes it is confusing. But if we want to love our neighbors well, we have to put the work in and listen to how they’re telling us they want us to love them.

[Purple Haize]

We were also taught two spaces after a period was the best way to go about things as well.

Occasionally in life we learn that what we are teaching people isn’t best. On the matter of color blindness, minorities have said they want us to see their color and appreciate their black and brownness. It’s partially why the language has shifted to black and brown people and not African Americans. We listen and we learn. Yes it is hard. Yes it is confusing. But if we want to love our neighbors well, we have to put the work in and listen to how they’re telling us they want us to love them.

I almost quit reading after your first sentence. Because that is the most asinine comparison I think I’ve ever heard. I read the rest. But the absurdity of your first statement overshadowed everything else you wrote.

[Purple Haize]

Who is saying unless we see skin color first you're wrong? I'm honestly asking because I haven't ever heard that.

I’ve seen it all over social media. “You must first see me as a PoC before ....”. Or the fact that someone is a PoC is THE overriding attribute that is supposed to be acknowledged. If that’s going to be the paradigm shift it’s going to take awhile and I’m not sure it’s a step forward

[thepostman]

I have spent a lot of time on social media recently and haven't seen that. Maybe it is how we are interpreting thing or maybe I'm just oblivious.

The overall sentiment that I have seen from a lot of the black evangelical leaders is you can not understand the black community until you listen to their stories and to pretend skin color doesn't exist doesn't do them or us any favors.

I have started following a ton of black evangelicals this past week and even though some of what I have read has been uncomfortable, i have learned a lot.

[TH Spangler]

Here's one example of our problem. I started working for a major airline in the late 70's. My work group was 95% white. We made a solid middle class paycheck. In the 90's they started outsourcing our work to vendors. The vendor paid half what we made for the same job. Guess who the vendor primarily hired. Yep, brown people. What should have happened? A reasponable cooperation would have hired a more diverse staff at the original wage. As far as I'm concerned that is corporate racism. And if they could hire illegals for half what they pay the vendor they would. No wonder we have so much Income inequality today. No wonder corporate leaders are feeling guilty. They are. At some point you have to consider the social fabric, not just corporate profits.

[Purple Haize]

I have spent a lot of time on social media recently and haven't seen that. Maybe it is how we are interpreting thing or maybe I'm just oblivious.

The overall sentiment that I have seen from a lot of the black evangelical leaders is you can not understand the black community until you listen to their stories and to pretend skin color doesn't exist doesn't do them or us any favors.

I have started following a ton of black evangelicals this past week and even though some of what I have read has been uncomfortable, i have learned a lot.

Probably a little of both. I’m not hearing it from Evangelical leaders so that could be where our differences are. I’m hearing it from my Super Woke friends etc.
learning is good. I’ve found myself doing the same