Black Church

It gets hard sometimes, but I'm holding on! We all have been in the middle of a struggle that makes us wonder if we can hold on. We may even wonder if it is worth holding on. It may be a physical activity that taxes our strength. It may be an economic challenge that seems poised to sink our ship of hope. It could be physical ailment that even causes the doctor to shake her head. Whatever it is, we all have come to the point where we at least think about succumbing to the preasures, but Dorthy Love Coates reminds us to just hold on.

There comes a time when we should name our faith, as Coates does in this song, and then celebrate holding to it no matter the problems or challenges. Satan may be busy stirring up wrath and our enemies may be digging ditches for us to fall into, but we should do just like Coates and celebrate our holding on. We may not always feel like holding on, but there is strength in singing about holding on. So today, lets celebrate holding on in spite of the challenges and difficulties that we face knowing that God is always there to strengthen us in our efforts...

I shall not be, I shall not be moved
I shall not be, I shall not be moved
Just like a tree, Planted by the waters
I shall not be moved.

Sometimes the sick think of the blessing of God as a cure. Other times the one who has suffered job loss may see the blessing of God as getting that job back or finding a new one. In these cases the blessing is a reversal of fortunes. The blessing is God taking the problem and eliminating it.

But in our lives we often don't get the cure. Sometimes we have to live with the diabetes till we die, sometimes we have to learn how to handle the migraines, and yes sometimes we have to learn how to manage with the arthritides. In addition, some of us may have to recognize that a new job may not be soon on the horizon and happy days may not be here again.

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Acts 4:20 (KJV) For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.

I believe that these words uttered in antiquity by Peter and John have much to offer those of us wrestling with the pressing circumstances of modernity. Particularly the quandary pertaining to the necessity of the Black church. There are those who seem to believe that the institution known as the Black church has run its course, and is no longer necessary. This paradigm seems to make sense, after all there is little doubt that African Americans, as a collective, have achieved wealth and social status equal to any other ethnic group within the United States. In addition, society has seemingly erased the color line. There is no longer legislated segregation. Hence the question arises, why do we segregate ourselves, particularly on Sunday morning; is there a need for the Black church?

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What are the sermons that are preached in the Black church? In this audio we discuss three of the types of sermons that are operative in the Black church.

Download the audio at this link.

Don't be fooled by the truncated gospel of those who would prostitute the Black Preaching Tradition. In this commentary, Pastor Cox discusses the importance of preaching the full message if one is to preach in the Black tradition.

Download the audio at this link.

Fanny Crosby wrote this song over 100 years ago. In the meantime it has become an important component of the Christian church. It has provided a way to express the deepest emotions. "Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to the Cross where thou hast died."

These words have been played slowly with a pipe organ, but this rendition is in the style of the great 1950-1960s Black Gospel sound. But, no matter what style the song is sung, it still calls us to a closer walk with the Master. Come listen to the Gales as they take us to church.

Everyone has heard of Sam Cooke. Many Gospel music lovers know that he began in Gospel singing some of the greatest songs that can even still be heard today.

From "Wonderful" to "Jesus be a Fence to Touch the Hem," you can still hear the music made and remade. However few know of the man that influenced both Cooke and much of Gospel music. The man's name is R. H. Harris. Cooke followed R. H. Harris in the Soul Stirrers.

You can listen to an audio podcast on the Down in the Flood website. The podcast provides commentary on the contributions of R. H. Harris to that influential group that made Sam Cooke famous.

Listen to the soaring movement in and out of the falsetto by R. H. Harris on the audios. In addition listen to Paul Foster trading lines with Harris like he later did with Cooke. You also might want to purchase an album of Harris' contributions to the Soul Stirrers from amazon.com entitled Shine on Me.

Preachers in the Black church tradition preach many messages. However there are a few that jump out at you. In this series we first looked at the idea that God Will Hook You Up. That message is definitely in the tradition and we cannot forget it. However, in these days, many are ONLY preaching this message. In addition, some are preaching a distorted caricature of this message. But, God skillfully used this message to help Black folks through some dark days in America. In addition, many people of other ethnicities have been helped as their preachers have preached this message.

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H. Beecher Hicks in the second chapter of his book entitled Preaching Through a Storm has a sermon entitled How to Silence a Preacher; or, Shut Your Mouth!. Rev. Hicks preached this sermon at the ordination of a new ministry. The sermon gives a few ways that a preacher's mouth can be shut.

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As we noted in the previous post, God Will Hook You Up is one of the messages that one will find in various configurations in the Black church. Another message in the Black church is God will Fix it Up.

Here we see that God has control of events and will not only hook us up, but God will fix things up. The systemic structural problems that place many people on a road of underdevelopment will be fixed by God. Racism will be overthrown by a sovereign God. God will crush wicked structures that keep people down. Sexism will not be allowed to totally overthrow the desired good of God for our sisters. God will not allow the poor's lack of resources to kill their hopes and dreams. All of this is implicit in this message.

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