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Christianity Today, February, 2007 |

Exit Interviews

Why blacks are leaving evangelical ministries.

Edward Gilbreath | posted 1/15/2007 09:20AM

I used to take a certain amount of pride in being the first African American on staff at Christianity Today. But I was routinely humbled when I realized that being first isn't all it's cracked up to be. ...

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Tom	Posted: January 29, 2007 1:54 AM

We need to catch up with Jesus' intent, that he died for all races. It is the truth we should live by. There is too much prejudice on both sides of the fence and why is there a fence? Saying "Christian" leaders were using the N word, leads me to seriously question their commitment to Christ. Love your neighbor as yourself, doesn't give a racial qualification and is therefore a beautiful thing. Just do it.

Rev A D Powell

Posted: January 26, 2007 3:58 PM


Far too few people will pass this article on to others to use it as a springboard for additional reconciliation. It seems that the only ones who care about this issue are those of us who are black who minister in a predominantly white church or ministry.

Kathy Oyama

Posted: January 24, 2007 3:38 AM

I am a white, evangelical woman married to a Japanese pastor living in Tokyo. When I was a kid, I planned to marry a black man just to set an example, so I guess you could say I have a long-held commitment to the idea of racial equality. When asked my children's race, I answer "human." It has been my experience that as long as people assume that racial prejudice exists, they will find examples of it and struggle to overcome it. Here in Japan, I deal with a whole different kind of racial prejudice. I will always be a foreigner, no matter what I do or how well I speak the language or know the culture. Even within the church, there are many assumptions made about me and about what I say that are entirely inaccurate, just because of my race and national background. But to me, the point is that I have to be faithful to who I am in Christ and to live as the Bible instructs. Like-minded people are not so hard to find, as we learn to listen to each other's hearts. I forget my own face.

trinity

Posted: January 23, 2007 9:49 PM

It is typical for Christians to reduce serious issues such as racism and its effects to a simple "just be who you were created to be" or "we are all just Christians" mentality. We would not utter those words to someone who has dealt with or deals with say sexual abuse. There are outpourings of compassion to assist these individuals with walking through their problems with this. Yet to this courageous journalist we simply imply a get over it mentality. This is a real issue for Black evangelicals like me. We encounter serious and real racial abuse each day and it is ofren dimissed or discounted by the people who are supposed to love the most-Christians. I encounter racism each day sadly most of the time I expect it. But I should not have to expect it from my Family-the church. Nate, your comments are really disheartening.

Gerald M. Reynolds

Posted: January 23, 2007 1:21 PM

I sense Dr. Gilbreath's concerns and am sympathetic to his feelings. I could wish that far more intercultural dialogue occurred among Christians. I enjoyed that rare atmosphere while a graduate student in a highly renowned black university in the eastern U.S. over 50 years ago. My dep't faculty accepted me fully. But I saw open and unrestrained cheating on exams by medical students of predominantly Afro-American ethnicity, but not among Asiatic, or whites in the same class. I was in a graduate course in human physiology, and that part of the final exam, taught by the chair of the dep't was "conveniently lost" thus causing me to be given an "F." That is fatal in grad. school, but the Graduate Council and my dep't chair saw through the scheme, had me repeat the course in another school of the university, earning the highest score and thus completing the M.S. degree. I've seen both sides of this racial discrimination problem. I am thankful that God is no respector of persons

Brad O'Brien

Posted: January 23, 2007 12:22 AM

I had always thought that the black church/white church dichotomy was localized to the old Confederacy states only. I want to live in an America where there is no such thing as "the black experience" or the "white experience" of living in the USA. I think that's what King and his associates were shooting for, wasnt it? Race/pigment politics in the USA have-- instead of increasing the likelihood those experiences merging/becoming identical---only served to heighten and exaggerate them. Its as though we hope to provide healing to a wound yet repeatedly tear it open instead of allowing scar tissue to form . King's plea that folks be judged by their character content gets less and less attainable. Whyso? Because we deny moral absolutes applicability to everyone everywhere, and without those absolutes we cannot judge anyone's character, can we? brad.obrien@us.army.mil

Pam	Posted: January 22, 2007 9:10 PM


Amen, amen, and amen! I'd add on to the "have them over for football" list: Spend the holidays together. That truly lets you in on each other's worlds. And one more thought: It's not just ethnic minorities that experience what you've described. It's women in leadership within the evangalical world as well. Thanks for your thoughts.

Donald

Posted: January 22, 2007 3:20 PM

Thank you for the perspective. It was interesting, and sad, that the "prominent white Christian leader" did not take up the offer by "Darell Davis" to join him and his family for watching football together. I think that was a creative solution. At its heart is relationship, which is an essential part of church community with each other and in fellowship with our risen Lord and Savior. That example reminded me of an anecdote I heard in a sermon. A church from a not-affected area approached a church in the Los Angeles neghborhood in which damaging riots had occurred, asking what they could do to help. The response was "be here (i.e., involved) a year from now". Thanks be to God for His long-suffering with us sinful people. His love endureth forever.

Chris Wallace

Posted: January 22, 2007 12:00 PM

Thank you for you bold and balanced approached to this issue which I've been trying to bring to the attention of pastors, radio stations, Christian record companies and and recording artists on both sides for over a decade now. For some reason we're still not getting it and I'm glad to finally see someone write what's been beating in my heart since I became a believer! May all who have an ear to hear seek the Lord earnestly about what to do, or at least bring a larger dialogue. GOD BLESS YOU BROTHER!

Owusu Asamoah

Posted: January 21, 2007 10:11 AM

Thank you brother for your article. The issues you raised are very true. As a black in Ghana it is very difficult to be accorded any opportunity in the work of Christ by Evangelicals. When I am in Europe and apply for any opportunity it looks promising. The very moment they see that I am from Ghana their attitude changes towards me. I ask myself if these people are really working towards the upliftment of the Kingdom of God. When you are in Africa you are not part of the Evangelicals.

Will	Posted: January 20, 2007 8:24 PM

It''s difficult to stand in anothers shoes, and perhaps we individually will never honestly know the complete feelings of another. I have often wondered in my spirit, will this black and white thing ever be resolved. I hope so, but it sure is diffiult as you have expressed. As one reader expressed, only the LOVE of Christ will ever bridge the distance between black and white, or really between all cultures. I guess it's up to each of us.

Bob	Posted: January 19, 2007 8:27 PM

Thank God for honesty and transparency, two attributes essential for racial reconciliation and harmony. It is a life-long commitment for all of us. The best decision my wife and I made was to join a predominately black church as white folk who had many acquaintences, but few real friends in the black community. We need more pastors willing to lead their churches to be truly multi-racial. Thanks, Edward, for being real with us.

Dan	Posted: January 18, 2007 8:56 PM


Thanks to Mr. Gilbreath for writing such an insightful article, full of both truth and grace. Let us remember, also, that issues of race, racial tension and the need for racial reconciliation, are not just a white-black issue. Let us take this helpful description and powerful exhortation to the church and also apply it in multi-cultural contexts with Asians, Latinos, and Native Americans as well.

C Simmons

Posted: January 18, 2007 12:53 PM

I appreciate the article and understand the conflict from both sides. My greatest concern, though, is the fact that too many believers haven't got it yet. We are who we are because of what Christ had done for us - at Calvary. Being reconciled to God through Christ we have peace with Him and each other - regardless of our skin color, the slant of our eyes or what our "relgious" backgrounds were. I am truly grateful to a family I met many years ago who taught me these truths not with words but with their lives. I can only say to the writer and to your readers that once we have grasped this, there is no stopping what we can accomplish for the Savior through His working in and through our lives. We are one new man, one "loaf" - Jews and Gentiles from every nation - who are the Body of Christ, the Church. This truth is greater than any obstacle that comes our way - and I think we haven't gotten it yet.

Jesse

Posted: January 17, 2007 6:35 PM

Thank you for an article that tells the unlovable truth. I am an African-American pastor of a growing multiculture church. It is high time that the church become and remain the church of Jesus Christ. The time has passed for just getting along and we, black and white Christians, are not doing that very well. Christians, what's at stake is the kingdom of God. Let us take a lesson from Jesus Christ the Savior. You do remember him don't you? Jesus employed love to bridge the racial, religious, and social gap between the Jews and the Samaritans. Since we are Christians, God's love resides in us and we can, with love and determination, bridge the racial, religious, and social gap that both divides us and keeps us from enjoying authentic Christian fellowship. The world is watching.

CWare

Posted: January 17, 2007 12:37 PM

I understand greatly with what is being stated. Being an African-American who has been in missionary (not worshipping eclusively with African-Americans) status, it's difficult to put my finger on it. Whether it be in the professional ranks of the work a day world, or in the Holy sanctuary of the local church, there still is a wall. I call it the natural wall( non-spiritual). At the halls of academia, competition and spirituality meet face to face. European-Americans in the church and church related ministryies on the whole , don't know how to deal with African - American collegues. Why because they have never been put into a place where they had to.(Being the majority). It's a complex issue of the connection of perceived cultures. I think people in power(European-Americans), are afraid to lose the benefits of white ecclusiveness, thus the perks of being white. And there are many, they don't even realize. Nothing will happen in this area until European-American men take up the cause.

Peter

Posted: January 17, 2007 9:20 AM

Good job Ed! Its difficult to be the only, the first or even the next, but it must be done. Having grown up black in a white church that became black over the years but still has a white pastor I have seen many sides of this coin. The key is, as you said, going beyond the event to building a "house to house" relationship with individuals who are different in color, in denomination, in viewpoint, in method. Thanks

Montie

Posted: January 17, 2007 9:04 AM


Change "African American" to "woman" and Gilbreath has described the experience of every "person of gender" who works for an evangelical denomination or organization. Yet in seminary I met evangelical black men who felt biblically justified in treating women exactly this way. In praxis, racism and sexism look, sound and feel very much alike. Welcome to my world, Edward. It's just like yours.

Robin Fisher

Posted: January 17, 2007 4:36 AM

I am a 'coloured' South African bivocational pastor in Cape Town. Your article is so eloquent at expressing the position we are forced to assume. Institutionalised racism is so much more insiduous and evil because no one wants to take direct responsibility for changing the organisation even if it is in order to better represent our Lord's command to love one another. After all, Jesus said that we would be known by our love for one another. What an indictment! Our ministry was independent until we joined a larger grouping which provided me with covering and accountability. Then I discovered that all the leadership was white. For years I have been attending conferences and hoping that the leaders would make some changes to the constitution of the organisation in order to provide for a better system of proportional representation. This issue is not top of their agenda. We have now decided to carry on winning the lost in our communities. Thats top of our agenda for now. Less tiring.

Mr. Boyes

Posted: January 16, 2007 9:50 PM

Honestly, until Blacks stop blaming all their difficulties on their ethnicity, they will never have the respect of most successful Whites and East Asians. So somebody didn't want to visit the writer's home. Did he invite any others? If not, why not? If you want to accomplish a goal, you keep at it until it is a reality. And that is how most educated Whiles and Asians got where their are in life, not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. If you don't want to be a token, then don't act like one!

Pastor Bill Pawlyshyn

Posted: January 16, 2007 9:32 PM

What I personally find amazing is the color of one's skin doesn't make differences in hatred. We forget the American Indian, the Oriental, other peoples of colour, (In American are there are only two colors - "black' and "white"......and then there is the ethnic problems. The XXX hate the YYY who hate the ZZZ, who hate the ..... We continue to write on the same topics. The problem is man's (woman's) sinful nature. Let us seriously look at ourselves with introspection to our lives and ask What would Jesus Do - or better yet, What DID Jesus DO? Hundred's of books written and to what avail - do people ever live what is written? If we claim to be Christian (Christ-like) let us go back to the ONLY guaranted life giving publication by the only author who is truly "color blind"..........(if you don't know, maybe you better get on your knees and find out!)..PS ment to give this article 4 stars but got locked out

Tony B.

Posted: January 16, 2007 9:31 PM

Yemi, as an African you don't "get it." There's a history with church in America that you're not a part of and unfamiliar with. Although, I understand your idealism. Gilbreath nailed this issue correctly and exposes the emptiness and shallowness of racial reconciliation programs: they don't change people's social lives which is what is needed--NOT simply at the level of institution. As a black person, I'm not surprised that blacks are leaving evangelical circles because it was silly to think that racial reconciliation churches and programs were going to actually alter paradigms among cultures. P---LEASE. Can I get a witness?

JM	Posted: January 16, 2007 9:24 PM


Love this article. As a white professor at an HBCU, I have gained a whole new perspective on race. I guess it is a lifelong learning curve.

Tim	Posted: January 16, 2007 6:12 PM


This is a fair article and an honest evaluation of real experience. I empathize. There is nothing I want more than to facilitate racial reconciliation and bring the church together in multicultural harmony. You have given me more courage to keep trying.

Christine Moimoi

Posted: January 16, 2007 5:00 PM

This articles is worth more stars - can't get 'em to work! The experience is not exclusive to one group of people. My husband is Polynesian and when in active ministry in Australia he ran into many brick walls that most in the dominant group couldn't even see. I'm a woman in ordained ministry - white, yes, but wrong gender. Our church has a longer history than some in relation to women's ministry but let's not pretend the issues have been resolved. The attitudes and resentments, and theological boxes, are not to be let go of for some people no matter how "Christian" they think they are. The cost of change is not wanted but let's not be surprised, the apostles Peter and Paul struggled in their context!

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