How Can I Be Black And Christian?
by George Moore
How can we be Black and Christian knowing all of the evil things done to us in the name of Christianity? If we are honest, we can admit that Christianity has a controversial history. Slavery, colonialism, and other atrocities are stumbling blocks to the faith for many minorities. We know all too well the negative narratives and objections that people hold against Christianity. In light of these issues, I want to take this time to share a few reasons why I am still proud to be Black and Christian using God's Word to shape my position.
I am proudly Black and a Christian because I see a place for myself in the family of God. I’m amazed at how the God of the Bible has orchestrated the events of time and history, and how He sees the end of all things from the beginning. One of the best examples of this is found in the book of Revelation. The Apostle John receives a prophetic vision from Jesus Christ and sees “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.” (Rev. 7:9) In this passage God, himself gives John a peek into eternity and he sees Christians of every race, ethnicity, and gender throughout human history. What does that mean for us? That means that as the Sovereign Father unveiled this amazing scene, every people group is accounted for. Furthermore, John is seeing the promise God gave to the prophet Joel hundreds of years earlier when He says, “I will pour out my Spirit on all people.”(1) Not only is John seeing this truth in a vision, but we also know it became a reality. In Acts 2, the Apostle Peter quotes God’s word given to Joel at Pentecost. During this time, the Holy Spirit came down on the disciples and Peter preached a sermon so powerful that thousands of people were saved. Among those souls were people from all over the ancient world, many of them from Africa and other parts of the Middle East who believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I can proudly be Black and Christian because, since the beginning of the church age at Pentecost, black and brown people were present (2) and filled with the Spirit of God.
I can proudly be Black and a Christian because there was a dynamic group of black and brown prophets and teachers in the early church as seen in Acts 13:1. The text tells us that "...in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers...". Some of them were from places like Cyrene (Egypt), in addition to a man named "Niger" (3), whose name gives us a hint of his darker skin complexion. Not only were these men leaders and prophets, but they were among those who laid hands on the Apostle Paul and Barnabas (4), sending them on a missionary journey that would change the world.
If you are still wondering how can I be Black and a Christian, it is because it was Black and brown followers of Christ that were first given the name “Christians” (5) at Antioch. Their faith was so evident to the world around them that people gave them a name that had never been uttered in history. Their life, their walk, and their faith are not only an example for Black Christians today, but it was evidence of the fact that God didn’t just care only for the Jews. On the contrary, He opened his arms to a dying world that needed redemption. (6)
So, as we celebrate Black History Month and are reminded of the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Barack Obama, and others who pushed our nation forward, I encourage you to take a look back at Christian history. I implore you to learn about and honor those whose faith was the seed from which our spiritual lives have reaped the benefits. We truly have all overcome because of their collective testimony. (7) Because of them I can proudly say that I am Black and Christian.
Notes:
Joel 2:28
Acts 2:8-11;
Damon Richardson. “Church History is Black History.” Feb. 8, 2021. https://www.facebook.com/100000287422987/videos/4060309630655244/
Acts 13:1
Acts 13:2
Acts 11:26
1 John 2:2
Revelation 11:26
1 John 2:2
Revelation 12:11