For Many of us the Bible serves as the ultimate Global Positioning System (GPS), wherein we are guided and directed by God and his covenants. In the African American community there has for long, been a direct connection between the people and their religion. Dating back to before slavery, Black folks have been known as a people of high faith and spiritual affinity. That high faith and spiritual affinity has led people of color to adopt strict spiritual principals and comprehensive approaches and dispositions to life, relative to religion and it's place. When bringing all of these types of individuals together in the house of the lord, and under the grace and covering of God, African Americans have engaged in corporate worship, which has had a transcending affect on the local community as well. That is to say that for long, the community and the church were married. The church and community were distinctly linked as are husband and wife. This unique relationship over time has produced major social movements, historic black leaders, economic and social infrastructure, political leverage and a beaming spotlight which has captured the concerns of our people.
As an example, we need not look beyond the Civil Rights Movement and it's largest figure: Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King was personified largely by his dynamic spirit, sense of compassion and peaceful message, which was manifested first in the pulpit. The Black church was where the community went to grow and further educate ourselves in a spiritual context and in subsequent life. The church was a place of peace, refuge and hope for many within the community. It is not a secret that in many cities (especially those in the deep south), you will find churches on every corner, or at least you did at one period of time. As a community, we respected the value of spiritual growth and adaptation, but which is more, we made significant work deposits into the church in an effort to touch those who had not been engaged or connected in the way that we were (spiritually). The black church used faith as a binding glue to link us all together in a unique and dynamic way. One thing about life that has not changed over time is the fact that we will all be faced with trials and tribulations. As long as we posses breath in our bodies, we will be exposed to some this world's unpleasantness . The church has served as an institution or training ground for warriors of faith and those who recognize that we can do nothing in this world with out the covering, grace and mercy of Almighty God.
In past generations, this relationship , this marriage was systemic in nature to say the least. The connection spoke to how we raised our children, our mate selection, our professional choices and the like. So what has gone wrong? One of the most daunting statistics to me is that of the Divorce rate in the United States, which currently floats around 60%. While that number is clearly intimidating to young couples or even singles who one day desire to marry and start a family, there is an even greater concern when you examine that figure in the context of this conversation. Just as husbands and wives are struggling through life's journey and are making critical determinations to live apart and not stay together, the same dynamics is impacting the relationship between our churches and the community.
Please do not misunderstand what I am saying. It is not my assertion that there is no connection between the church and the community. That would be an unfair and untrue characterization for me to make. What I am suggesting however, is that , the relationship is not what it used to be and that the binding glue is not as strong and sturdy as it once was. Clearly wear and tear will do that to anything or anyone overtime, but with situations and circumstances which have God at the Head and not the tail and at the centerpiece of what it is we do, there is a great expectation involved. There was a day and age where we looked to those in the church as good family examples, symbols of fatherhood and even finer womanhood. Many within the black community have adopted a paradigm shift and are now looking at more secular examples of success.
It would be my hope that at some juncture we would all see the need for reconciliation. I desire a reconnection and a new sense of intensity, infused by a passion and love for God, coupled with an unrelenting sense of obedience. I think by taking this approach we will begin to restore hearts and minds in so many ways. We will begin to unify the bride and groom as they once were, subsequently putting them back on track. The church is and will remain the Groom. The community is his bride. A marriage rooted in love, covenant and faith is just what the doctor ordered in this time and in this world. Please be encouraged, remain of high faith and moral character and have a blessed week.
Be Kind, Be Real , Be You
Donrich L. Young
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