What is Reformation for the African American Church? An Introduction

Well, first of all my wife has informed me that the actual readership of this blog is diverse, if at the same time small...the latter being my own observation and humble acknowledgement. But her main point was that I should not assume that we all have a shared understanding of the meaning of "reformation" as it pertains to the church. This led to the further realization that many of the core terms for "reformation" should be carefully explained with biblical support and clarity, and using very simple language. So, since she's as wise as she is beautiful (here seen dining in her favorite city: London), we'll yield to that counsel.

What is meant by Reformation in the African American Church?
At it's core, "reformation" is a rediscovery of the bible, it's fundamental teaching and it's full disclosure about God, grace, Christ's person and his work, and by extension the mission of the church. The main tenets of this biblical rediscovery is the centrality of God, the supreme value of his glory, the preeminence of Christ in ampliying God's glory through grace, and that we stand before God as the trophies of grace...receiving all of its benefits. In a major way, Reformation means placing God in Christ at the real center of all our preaching, teaching, singing, witnessing, working, etc.

But how do we get there, how is Reformation in the African American church achieved within actual local congregations? I would like to suggest 3 pillars of reformation that are needed for the African American church to walk in the fullness (Eph 4:13) that Christ has called her into:

1. Biblical literacy and interpretation
2. Discipleship and devotion to Christ
3. Awareness of congregation, community, national, and global needs.

I will address the first item very briefly now, and then save the second two to be addressed over the weekend.

Quick Aside: I feel it necessary to briefly address the obvious question: why target these items to the Black Church when they are all well enough relevant to all Christians everywhere? This is a good question and I'm aware of Lionel, Thabiti, Quincy A. Jones and Xavier speaking to this item in other places, and I agree with some of what has been shared and I disagree with others, but let me just say the following as a "defense" for why this is targeted toward the African American church community:

• This is not intended to exclude but to aim. For example, when we talk about problems with the "American" church we don't mean that it is ONLY the American church, or that it pertains to ALL American churches, but only that there is a pattern to problems within the American Christian community. I give this as an example because no one ever gets upset about discussing the "American" church but feathers often get ruffled for some when you mention the "Black Church". I give this example just to say "hey, we do this kind of thing all the time and I'm not trying to exclude one group (say, non-Black Churches) or condemn another one (like, all Black Churches)...cool?


• There is such a thing as a Black Church community, tradition and set of associations that feels like a community and a world. Many of us grew up in it and still worhship and serve Christ in that context. This is the typical weekly church experience of many. No one should feel as if it's racist or Afro-centric, it's simply a way of speaking about a particular reality: the Black Church. Make sense?


• So any and all should feel free to assess this from their own cultural experience, whether it is multicultural and integrated, or largely ethno-centric...both of which can glorify Christ fully. Now, back to our main point...

1. Biblical Literacy and Interpretation

There are a lot of preachers who lift up the bible as symbollicaly and who never really deal with its contents. Joel Osteen is the best example, launching every sermon with his trademark "verse" about the bible and then loosely connecting scripture to his recurring themese of positive thinking and personal uplift. Why is it that many believers even in bible-teaching churches fall under the spell of this worldly sheen? Why is it that when biblically grounded pastors retire or are called home to the Lord, younger mammon-obsessed men come aboard with the congregation totally unawares about the dangerous new worldly teaching? Why do many respond to truth and error with the same zeal?

After Christ-centered preaching, our congregations needs to be taught how to read and properly interpet scripture, i.e. let the bible speak for itself and don't run it through the filter of what you think you already know. Let the bible be our guides...but again, it is necessary to teach people HOW to read scripture in context. We often talk about the importance of contextual bible reading, but I think more importantly we need to teach and show how it's done.

Biblical interpretation is always trying, but I would suggest not as difficult as it has to be...if we can rely more directly on what the biblcal texts actually say. As an example, many people struggle with the doctrine of election not because the bible teaches it in an obtuse way or that it's difficult to understand, but it is largely because people refuse to believe what the bible says about it! A word of advice to a Reformed-minded pastor called to takr over a new congregation: Teach your congregants how to read and understand the bible.

This gets to a second point: I'm not convinced our most common Bible study models are effective for actually learning what the Bible says...I know I often don't feel I am as effective as I need to be while conducting Bible studies. The model I typically use is an outline of a text, with questions thrown out to the class for feedback and discussion. I think this can be very fruitful, I've done it for years, but what about the following instead:

• A lecture approach that allows the teacher to get out with clarity the context of a passage, it's meaning, connecting it to parallel passages and bringing our clear application; kind of a sermonette but with cool analysis and presentation. Then this would be followed by an extended period of group thoughtful examination of the text and what was presented and of course more meditation on application.


• An advanced approch where there is really more of a group study where each participant opens their bible and there is a searching and discussion for meaning. Relevant and challenging questions are noted, and the group explores the answers together. This should be less of the teacher "giving the answer" and more of the group "searching for the answer"...with the results of answers being captured with an effort to arrive at group consensus. It is important for churches, especially leadership, to strive for agreement on major doctrinal and practical themes, I believe unity in doctrinal thought is achieved by working for it through the labor of group study. It is so important that we recognize that doctrinal unity is only achievable and preservable when there is a shared understanding...not just a shared confession, or even merely a shared hearing.

This weekend's posts:

• 2nd two pillars for reformation
• I need to complete the posting of my sermon notes from a few weeks ago...Sorry!
• I will be preaching this weekend, Lord willing, and will post a BRIEF summary and the audio under the theme: Christ, Our Model

Prayer Needs

• My Mom is still battling health issues, please pray for her
• Our congregation has several members who are battling health concerns as well (Erni, Brenda, Juneirene, and others...please pray for them
• Lenny: I believe the Lord still wants to use you mightily...remember Moses was 80?! We need your service...and I don't mean in the kitchen...[Romans 12:1-2]
• Pastors Dennie, Burrows, and Anthony Carter and his new Church Plant
• The Reformation!!!

Reconsidering the Wright Effect

First, let me commence with the obligatory blows against the Rev. Jeremiah Wright piñata: buffoonery, self-absorbed, incendiary rhetoric, cacophonous ranting of the worst kind of anti-American speech imaginable, and worst of all, trumpeted from a [nominally] Christian pulpit. There is much to disparage here. For evangelical Christians, especially for those of us who have and value our multi-cultural and diverse fellowship communities, Rev. Wright’s bombastic irreverence demand we say the obvious: this brother does not speak for me!

For those interested in a sound, biblical and pastoral assessment of how Jeremiah Wright might have responded differently, I point you to Thabiti’s excellent and Christ-exalting post here.

I, however, would like to speak to the leadership vacuum within which Jeremiah Wright’s voice finds eager ears. For those who have been watching, the metrics indicating the state and stature of the African American community do not reveal a scorecard of tremendous progress or of great prospects for economic future in an increasingly competitive global market place. Consider:

• 69% of African American children born out of wedlock ensures that, without decisive and coordinated action driven by insightful vision, the next generation of black teens and young adults will be even more greatly debilitated by un-fathered sons and daughters.
  
• College matriculation rates for African Americans, especially for young men, continue to decrease…and this in inverse proportion to incarceration rates
  
• The academic achievement gap, forcefully addressed by John McWhorter and by Claude Steele’s recent work on Stereotype Threat, continues to befuddle educators. Economic class, recently thought to be the real-determinant of academic performance, is now being eclipsed by the re-insertion of race into the equation as middle class black students perform behind their white peers

In the wake of Rev. Wright’s Detroit-hosted NAACP speech, many mainstream pundits decried his loud claims that black people are neurologically-wired differently…or at least there is a cultural component to the learning process that causes black children to learn differently from everyone else. I don’t buy into that assessment, but not only should it not be controversial, but it speaks to the simple fact that people are rummaging through the scraps of hackneyed theories to figure out what the jeepers is going on with the achievement gap?

Aside: A good friend of mine, a PhD from MIT’s renown Media Lab who sports a mathematics degree from Harvard…and I might add a sound evangelical believer, recently shared with me his thoughts about the need for a pedagogical redirection for African American kids because they learn differently. Take a look at some of the writings about Bob Moses’ success with Algebra education in Mississippi, or Marilyn Frankenstein’s work on mathematics education in the inner cities, or even the late Paulo Freire’s thinking about how to educate marginalized communities, and you will find a willingness to shed conventional wisdom and practices for hoped for results: desperate times require desperate measures.

Wright’s voice is echoed by amen’s for a variety of reasons, and I would submit to you that theological immaturity in the black church, the uncritical lionization of pastoral leadership, and the simple lack of practice of thinking smartly and prudently about these things are all secondary factors. Wright’s sermons ring loudly because in many ways his voice rings alone. For all of the good done by many simple churches in outreach and down-home helping, and with the good preaching of an increasing number of reformed-minded, evangelical pastors, there is a real dearth of answers as to why the black community is in the statistical tatters within which it finds itself…and how to change it.

Enter Rev. Wright and the Chorus of Liberation Theologians. Did you hear the NAACP speech? It was full of lessons on cultural musicology, ethnic vernacular practices…and all this stated in clear language that common people could understand! In fact, it was also stated in terms that would allow intellectuals and educators to build programs around them. For instance, if black children are creative, intuitive and dialogical, then one could build an educational program that connects with those traits [The problem, of course, is that national universities and the global economy doesn’t really make room for culturally-centered learning styles...you have to read, write, speak with clarity, and solve problems accurately or the premise of interconnected society fades fatally.].

I’m not aware of a similarly fashioned model of social and community praxis that originates from an evangelical or reformed mindset, where these items have been thought through as repeatedly and deeply as many on the African American theological left have done:

• I completely agree with Bill Cosby in his running feud with Michael Eric Dyson, but who will doubt that Dyson has a better appreciation for the force and relevance of rap culture as a means to motivate. Though most of Cosby’s assessments of the genre are caricature, Dyson is able to highlight the genius of the form and his apology for what is in reality a pejorative social phenomenon[in my opinion] resonates with many as truth.


• Cornel West’s claims to be a Christian speaks to all the reasons why I have shared with others the label “Christian” for me is fast becoming a non-distinguishing title. Anyhow, while maintaining his Christianity, along with Wright, Cornel loudly speaks against many of the objective pillars of biblical revelation all in the name of relevance. But, most biblically-centered churches don’t speak to the concerns raised by West with the same degree of conviction, and we have not typically connected these concerns to the core message of the gospel.

The last statement in the previous bullet is the main point I want to raise: there will always be a haven for Wright’s self-absorbed speechifying when it aims its guns at the marginalization of a people and raises a standard of the better possibilities, without any comparative message from more biblically-minded pastors and theologians.

Reformed-minded believers need to get over the specter of the gravity pull of the social gospel and effectively connect the doctrines of grace to the larger needs of the African American community and worry less about how it’s perceived by others. As an excellent model, we need to examine Lemuel Haynes’ connection of the Doctrine of Man [as an expression of human liberty] with his early 19th century calls for abolition and with his further convictions around the nature of a republican democracy. I am struck by how brother Lemuel labored in theological discourse and civic dialogue, while maintaining a pastoral focus; we need that!

Can we say that empowerment…economic, educational, institutional…is a major thrust of the reformation movement within the African American church, though taking a backseat to doctrinal reform around the doctrines of grace and a great emphasis on Christ-eumulating discipleship soaked in genuine Christian love?! Here’s my question to our mentor and friend Pastor Ken Jones: Might the church merge into its principal emphasis on “The City of God” to include a vision to ameliorate our situation in the so-called secular sphere?

The Black Church is the only pervasively independent institution in our community, therefore is it uniquely positioned, through the launching of discipleship programs on the ground, guided by a theological / biblical hermeneutical principle that connects with economic and sociological necessity?

There are many examples outside our culture as well that serve as precedents, e.g. the English Puritan movement, the relationship between protestant anthropology and capitalism, Abraham Kuyper, etc.

We would love to make Jeremiah Wright and his ilk irrelevant, on the foundation of sound biblical thinking, preaching and living, in a spirit of humility and mutual consideration, with full consideration of the local, national, global and cultural forces that are confronting our congregations? Is this a vital element of a multi-generational pastoral program?

Thoughts?

Aside: For a good review of the life and work of Lemuel Haynes, I recommend Black Puritan, Black Republican by John Saillant and The Faithful Preacher by our brother Thabiti Anyabwile

Another Aside: I use "evangelical" and "reformed" together above largely to simply expand the commmuity of believers to be considered in this discussion, but I am thoroughly and unequivocally Reformed! :-)

Exhortation to Lionel

Ran across this blog post on the Black and Reformed Ministries site...excellent site and excellent post, check it out!

http://blackandreformedministries.com/2008/05/01/young-black-and-reformed-where-do-i-go-from-here/

The Permanence of Christ's Priesthood (Hebrews 7:23-25)

In continuing our discussion of the Lord's priesthood as presented on Sunday, let's take a look at the first advantage mentioned, namely its permanence.

Earlier in chapter 7, the writer began his exaltation of Christ's priesthood by explaining that it does not follow the model of Aaronic or Levitical priests:

• The Levitical priests served based on their ancestry, law and regulation, but it was wholly ineffective (7:18), therefore in a mediatorial the sense , their priesthood doesn't really implement and sustain peace between God and his people, and does not truly deliver them from their sins. This is made powerfully clear by the blunt fact that even though the Levitical system and the Law were established by the Lord himself, Israel nevertheless continued to fall into sin and idolatry, eventually landing in exile


• So clearly, theirs was merely a symbolic priesthood, which points ahead to the need for a more effectual model

Christ's priesthood, on the otherhand, rests on the power of an indestructible life, that is within himself! This is probably the most significant differentiator which in someways summarizes the distinctive difference between the two priesthoods: there is no cultural or traditional qualification that is generously applied to Jesus, he is uniquely [thanks, Mark H.] qualified within his person to achieve as our mediator what the previous priesthood lacked the power and reach to achieve: win our peace and make God's people safe from their sins!

The writer begins to expound on this by dealing with the continuity problem of the old priesthood, namely the person standing in for the people was always changing, consider...

• Even though Israel had several godly kings, prophets and priests, godless leaders often seemed to surface, examples of this include Hophni and Phinehas. And even though Samuel led Israel in a godly way, but he died and then even Samuel's sons did not follow in his ways, and of course Israel [and eventually Judah in the divided kingdom] managed to always leave her people exposed to bad leadership


• What we need is a priest that is permament and consistently available to intercede for God's people at all times; priestly "turnover" makes this impossible...this is the writer's point in v.23

Praise God, Christ lives forever...his priesthood is not subject to interruption! The big gains for this are the following:

• He is able to save completely those who come to God through him [v.25]...this "save" is not speaking about redemption, but really means to sustain, keep, deliver: his intercession brings us all the way home ["saves completely"]!


• In my opinion, this tells us a lot about the nature of the Lord's intercession at the seat of Majesty in heaven, that in additon to his defending us based on the work he has done, Christ also appeals to the Spirit's sustaining work to help the saints remain in him [again this is my opinion, it does not emerge directly from the text, but the "save completely" phrase implies practicality and considering the persistent emphasis in the epistle on endurance...it makes sense to me! But I won't quibble with objectors... :-)]

The bottom line is that the permanence of the Lord's priesthood results in the people of God always receiving the help and grace they need to walk successfully and not fall prey to the very pitfalls that threw off those under the old covenant.

It is this grace, I believe, that will help us understand the purpose and effect of the warning passages in the epistle [thanks brothers Caneday and Schreiner!] and to reconcile real warnings with real assurance. But that will come later...the big news here is that Christ's priesthood is always active and continues forever...and that is a real advantage!

Next, we'll very briefly profile the Character of Christ's Priesthood...

Sermon Notes: The Superior Priesthood of Christ (Hebrews 7:23 - 8:2)

Hello members of Living Faith and others: As promised, I am posting a summary and recap of this Sunday's sermon and I would like to do it in 4 posts, the first focused on the introductory items and then the next 3 on each of the aspects mentioned that speaks to Christ's Superior Priesthood, which Lord willing I will add over the next 3 days. I look forward to comments and questions from those who would like to weigh in.

For Christ!

Introduction: The theme of the book of Hebrews:

Hebrews is centrally about the absolute sufficiency and superiority of Jesus Christ as the revealer and mediator of God's grace.

By sufficiency we mean Christ is wholly adequate to:

• Account for the gulf betwen God's holiness and our sinfulness
• Absolve the white hot wrath of God's justice in dealing with our rebellion against his glorious rule
• Address the real material needs of his people in this broken world
• Provide a sense of godly purpose in a world bent on self-exaltation and carnal satisfactions

By superiority we mean Jesus is gloriously and overwhelmingly the best option for living in true peace and satisfaction/joy, overcoming what one philosopher (Jean Paul Sartre, for those interested) called the nausea of living in a world of pain and unpredictability. The writer of Hebrews note his superiority specifically in the following:

Hebrews 1:1-3, Christ is superior to the prophets

• The prophets relayed God's message / Christ is God's message
• The prophets spoke for God in the 2nd person / Christ speaks as God in the 1st person
• The prophets could only share what God said to them / Christ speaks what he has seen and experienced with the father, and authoratatively shares what he is privy to in his knowledge of the secret counsel of the triune God

Hebrews 1:4, Christ is superior to the angels

• The text does not appeal to Christ's deity for the exclamation of his superiority over angels, but instead looks to what came out of his ministry (he became, he inherited)
• It's the achievements of Christ that are in view here, it is his guardianship of the plan of redemption and grace that is focused on...

Hebrews 3, Christ is superior to Moses

• Moses was a faithful servant, made equivalent to a hired hand or employee
• Christ is faithful as a son, i.e. as an owner...his is a personal stake in the outcome

Jesus is superior to all competition for our devotion or religous commitment

• He is superior to the Koran and its vision of a military and its vision of a military God who will submit the world through conquest, Christ wins through the reformation of hearts as the Spirit regenerates people, writing God's laws on their hearts...not by power, not by might but my Spirit says the Lord! [no offense to potential muslim readers here, just making honest comparisons...don't come at me with a fatwa...let's talk instead!]
• He is greater than the Declaration of Independence and its vision for political democracy and human liberty...democracies are imperfect, witness the spectacle of this year's election, or what we observe around the world in post-liberation democracies, but when the Son sets you free you will be free indeed...
• He is greater than all economic systems: Capitalism can only provide reaches that are insecure and Marxism claims to be for the people but only Christ said come unto all that labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest...

So, the writer of Hebrews is lifting up the superiority of Christ to Jewish Christians receiving his letter so they will not abandon the faith and fall away [this is not "losing one's salvation"...editorial note]...but will persevere in the faith and thereby actually inherit what has been promised.

Aside: I do not believe the writer of the Hebrews is addressing two different camps within this congregation or congregations, as many suggest, i.e. that there were some in the number of recipients who were not really committed or saved. Though this is true in most if not all congregations, there is nothing to suggest in the text of the letter that the writer was trying to evangelize the marginal. Instead, he addresses all in the same way, assuming they all share the same standing in Christ.

Another aside: There is nothing to suggest in the letter, I humbly offer, that the writer is addressing a special temptation on the part of these recipients to revert back to Judaism or to become Judaizers. The comparison of the two covenants was simply to emphasize the superiority of Christ and not warn against reverting to legalism as we see in Paul's letter to the Galatians.

So, I believe the book of Hebrews has a universal objective and therefore a universal principle and application for all believers everywhere and at all times, namely by lifting up the sufficiency and superiority of Christ, the writer wants Christians to see and wholeheartedly commit to Christ, thereby we are kept forever safe in the faith. This would be a good time to summarize the book of Hebrews again:

• Theme - The sufficiency & supremacy of Christ
• Objective - Exhort believers to enduring faith

So, wrapping up this post, there are three advantages to Christ's Priesthood which will explore in later posts this week:

• The Permanence of His Priesthood
• The Character of His Priesthood
• The Location of His Priesthood

Looking forward to the dialog...if you want the full audio version, you can get it here (it's a bit distorted, we're still working on our audio recording facilities): http://www.mediamax.com/dwilliamso012/Hosted/The%20Superior%20Priesthood%20of%20Christ%20-%20audio.wma

The Burden of Reformation - Philippians 2:1-3

Paul's exhortation to the Philippians at the beginning of the second chapter of this epistle makes it clear that the abundance of grace is made evident by its communicability; it cannot be contained and it must be shared! Grace necessarily leads to fellowship and reciprocity, first because it transforms the heart and then the new heart is restless to expand and connect with others to exult in this great work God has done in them all! Grace does not create loners (personality notwithstanding), and it is so very amazing that grace is both the means and impetus for fellowship!

We cannot lose the fact that fellowship is not just friendly conversation. When the grace and power and love of Christ have become for us not just a doctrine to uphold but an experience to enjoy, this grace is perfected in unity, at least this is what Paul calls these Philippian believers toward, and it is with considering the two principles he laid out for them that I would like to initiate this blog.

First Principle: As believers, we should share the same outlook
The fullness of the apostle's joy in the Philippian saints' love-centered like-mindedness is rooted in the realization that real Christian unity is nasty hard. Unity is a triumph of the Spirit, it is the spoils of a great achievement of Christ-abiding that is much more rare than we care to admit. We need to stop disparaging those who fall short of it, but we also can't reduce unity to the level of "nothing special" which is not worthy of the Spirit's indwelling presence or the power of Christ's blood.

As I consider the reformed minded blogosphere, this purpose of the Spirit is often set back by meanspiritedness that tries to pose as a commitment to truth. We can't lose sight of the priority love-guided dialog has in the Spirit's work when we share the gospel and aim to speak apologetically on behalf of him who redeemed us.

No doubt, this blog will sometimes offend...but my prayer is to let that offense be Christ and his word and not my attitude or impatience! Everyone should feel comfortable to share here in the safety of Christian affirmation, but also know that the truth (as revealed in scripture...and interpreted, albeit imperfectly) will be defended with force and grit...lovingly, but unequivocally.

So the outlook we share as believers is not that we come to the same conclusions about biblical matters, but that we are committed to the core purposes of Christ in the larger objective of loving unity...something only achievable by the Spirit.

Second Principle: Mutual Service
Friends, we are posting on this blog to exhort, challenge, and to correct one another in the great mission of gaining clarity of our Lord's great statement about himself. To meditate on his agenda and how it plays out in the church's unique mission in history, for both this age and the age to come. To that end, let's not just aim to make our points but to teach one another patiently. This I believe, is the burden of the modern reformation, i.e. to hold truth and fellowship on an equal mutually-reinforcing footing.

Of course, truth is never sacrificed for unity...but truth properly appropriated and handled well (2 Tim 2:15) should forge unity...over pain-burdened time and through the many inconveniences of the cross-bearing life.

Lastly, no one should take any criticism here as rejection or a lack of affirmation, let's think hard, pray dutifully, and search the word intently...yet preserve the greater cause of Christ's ways being found in us.

Upcoming Posts
1. Considering the social and ecclesiological challenges of multi-cultural ministries that are NOT white-led

2. Rethinking Tithing: Why most of our teaching on financial stewardship is inadequate and how John Wesley can help us with this

3. Book Review Series: John Frame's The Doctrine of God

4. Book Review Series: Schreiner & Caneday's The Race Set Before Us

5. The Banckruptcy of Liberation Theology and How Christ Empowers both Ethno-centricity and Spirit-centricity

6. The Need for a Christian Intelligentsia and why pastors should stop taking cheap and harmful shots at theology and theologians...

Posting Structure
Weekend Posting - Theological, Social, Cultural or Scientific Reflection

Midweek Posting - Devotional, doxological and pastoral focus

Thanks for joining in...

Deedub