# HOW CAN WE STOP SEGREGATION AND RACISM IN CHURCHES?



## SND411 (Aug 22, 2010)

Any ideas?


----------



## Guitarhero (Aug 22, 2010)

If you love me, you will follow my commands.


----------



## OhmyKimB (Aug 22, 2010)

Segreation?


----------



## SND411 (Aug 22, 2010)

But the churches constantly hear His commandments! Why does this persistent racial thinking still occur? Even amongst people many deem are true believers?


----------



## SND411 (Aug 22, 2010)

Kimbb said:


> Segreation?



Segregation? Yes.


----------



## Sharpened (Aug 23, 2010)

Let the Father take care of them.


----------



## OhmyKimB (Aug 23, 2010)

SND411 said:


> Segregation? Yes.


 

What segregation?


----------



## lacreolegurl (Aug 23, 2010)

I don't necessarily have a suggestion, however, my pastor talked about this yesterday.  Sunday is the most segregated day of the week.  People choose churches based on their senses:  we like how the preacher sounds, the people look like us and we like that, we like the music, they have a picture of the black, asian, or white Jesus, etc.  

Instead, he suggested that we ask God for guidance in choosing the church that He prefer we use to fulfill His purpose and not be lead by human senses/emotions which are fleeting.


----------



## HeChangedMyName (Aug 25, 2010)

All we can do is express love and pray that God moves the hearts and minds of the body of Christ beyond the boundaries of the world systems.

I go to a predominantly black church.  a few months ago.  a smaller white church folded into my own church.  There was no take over, no pressure.  nada.  my pastor has been praying to minister to a church that included all people,  This other pastor did an outreach with my own church once and then came to minister to us one day.  He was FIRE! whew.  the Word was on point and according to the Bible.  about a couple of weeks later, God told both pastors to merge.  

That was it.  made the local news, got some flack from some people, but it was done,  many of the members from the smaller church came, but have since left for whatever reason.  regardless, my church is now predominantly black and not all black.  we like it.  And both men are men of God leading and ministering from a place of love.


----------



## Prudent1 (Aug 25, 2010)

SND411 said:


> Any ideas?


Not to over simplify but here's my response.
Start from a personal view. Make sure that you be the change you want to see. Live a life that exemplifies godly principles. Pray and ask God to reveal his will in all areas of your life. In doing so, God will be exalted and he will draw all ppl to him. That is the only way we will see an end to these issues. The heart must change. Hearts can only be changed for the better by God's love.


----------



## Guitarhero (Aug 25, 2010)

SND411 said:


> But the churches constantly hear His commandments! Why does this persistent racial thinking still occur? Even amongst people many deem are true believers?



The problem is arrogance.  God doesn't like haughty.  Plus, it says that if you truly love God, you will love those among you...other humans.  It's not possible to hate fellow man and love God.  We can't even give respect inside the Church to each other.  

I was going to send you a link and article on St. Augustine Church in New Orleans.  The history of that Church is very important to this nation as a whole and they are struggling to keep alive.   Such an historic landmark.  Not quite sure how a story on that sect would be accepted round these parts.  Lord knows.  


Never be afraid to address these issues.  They are valid and are what Christ calls us to do daily, to live a life of justice and peace.   But who are those working on it?  We can't just pray it away, we have to work on it.  Some would just hide their hands in the sand.  Maybe there is room for yet another group formed where these issues are discussed...some kind of reconciliation group?  

Like there is only one catholic on LHCF. There are many but they are afraid to join in discussions here because of the prejudice.


----------



## JinaRicci (Aug 25, 2010)

I would really like to know this.  

What I've seen is that we (black ppl) have a certain style of worship that is just different & meets our needs and I guess the same is true for other folks.  Probably we all become more accepting of each other's style and find a middle ground.  Ain't no separate black & white heavens so we need to figure it out now.


----------



## Poohbear (Aug 25, 2010)

*Genesis 1:26-27* 
26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

*Deuteronomy 10:17* 
17 For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

*John 3:16*
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

*John 13:34-35*
34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

*Acts 10:34* 
34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality.

*Romans 2:11*
11 For there is no partiality with God.

*Romans 6:13*
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

*1 Corinthians 1:10*
10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

*Galatians 3:28*
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

*Ephesians 2:14*
14 For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

*Ephesians 4:11-16*
11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13 till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, 15 but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ— 16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

*Ephesians 4:31-32* 
31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

*Ephesians 6:9*
9 And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.

*Colossians 3:11*
11 where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.

*James 2:4,8*
4 have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
8 If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well;

*Revelation 5:9*
9 And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.” 


_New King James Version Bible_


----------



## Laela (Aug 25, 2010)

Jinna, good point.. blacks and whites do worship differently, generally speaking (i.e., not all whites are the same, not all black are the same, etc). I went to a "white" church to visit a couple of Sundays ago, and though they weren't worshiping as "excitingly" as we do in our mostly black church   my DH and I agreed the worship was good and we'd received a good Word from that sermon (ironically, it was on the attack on marriage that was being presented at my church as well). 

There's a book, "Conflict in Black and White" by Charles Shockly, that explores the racial bigotry among us. In the Christian world, slave masters justified slavery of blacks in the Bible, when Ham sinned against Noah by uncovering his father's nakedness. Noah in turn, cursed Canaan - Ham's son. The danger in believing that Ham also was cursed is that it was Canaan who was cursed , not Ham. Ham had been blessed by God... whom God blesses NO MAN can curse. That's an example of the kind of deception that goes away from the Truth. As a result, over generations, white Christians were taught in Bible class and in the pews, that blacks were inferior to them and it's in the Scriptures. 
The Bible teaches we are all one human race from Adam, that God "*has made from one blood every nation*" Acts 17:26, that Jesus died for all "the world" John 3:14-16. 

There's only one one God and His Word. In Luke 4, Jesus was driven out by his own, so He can be rejected in the church as well, when we (everyone, including me) pick choose and refuse what we believe.  God's Word may appear contradictory but it is not. 

I agree with Prudent ..._any _change anyone wants to see must start from Within.  *1 Corinthians 11.* God says He will set in order what needs to be in order when Jesus returns...

God bless



JinaRicci said:


> I would really like to know this.
> 
> What I've seen is that we (black ppl) have a certain style of worship that is just different & meets our needs and I guess the same is true for other folks.  Probably we all become more accepting of each other's style and find a middle ground.  Ain't no separate black & white heavens so we need to figure it out now.


----------



## Guitarhero (Aug 25, 2010)

I think the OP is also talking about something like this....seeing an 8-month pregnant Black women try to be seated on the end of the pew where there was certainly room if they scooted down.  Everything was packed to capacity and the usher sent her there.  No one budged.   In fact, the person on the end refused to look at her and the others saw but ignored it.  She was respectful and quiet in asking.  The row behind them was packed like a sardine and the lady on the end got everybody moving down.  The whole row saw what had transpired and they were very shoulder-to-shoulder.  They also shook their heads in disbelief and disgust at what had transpired in this house of God with the ignorance of one person that multiplied.  But also what multiplied was justice and kindness in the row behind.  I witnessed this happen.  

It's not nec. about worship styles, but how people can respect each other in the same congregation where there are a variety of cultures present and one is dominant and unaccommodating, even slightly racist.  There are worse stories, of course.  In this case, it wasn't necessarily culture and worship style, it was the excuse that some take from outside in the world and bring it in the sanctuary.  But God welcomes all, the good, the bad and the ugly.  He welcomes all under His roof.  Fewer are those who are truly pure in heart.


----------



## Laela (Aug 25, 2010)

-------------------


----------



## Guitarhero (Aug 25, 2010)

Laela said:


> Hmmm... I'm curious..where were you seated and what did you do?




I didn't say it was me...I witnessed it plus it was talked about (not by the pastor or anything).  We were all packed in that day and that was the last remaining seat.  In fact, they could have fit 3-4 people in that row.  She sat down in the row behind the one where the end lady refused to pay her any attention.  I'm sure the entire back section on the west side saw it lol! buz it was VERY obvious and intentional.


----------



## DDTexlaxed (Aug 25, 2010)

Personally, that would indicate that the commands of Christ are not being followed. Jesus never would treat any of his followers that way. He even embraced children and they felt comfortable around him. It is up to the pastor in charge to set the example and fix the problem. How can the spirit flow freely in the church where this is going on. Jesus sees and as head of the church, he will fix it.  God gave him the power and authority and he will use it.


----------



## Laela (Aug 25, 2010)

----------------------------- Nevermind...point is being missed here.


----------



## BlkOnyx488 (Aug 25, 2010)

You can't change the system.  You can love it or leave it!  I left the church system.  Now I attend worship meetings that have blacks, Hispanics, Jews, albainians, whites and more.    When ever new people visit they always remark with delight at the diversity of our gatherings.


----------



## NaturalPath (Aug 25, 2010)

What about the segregation between different denominations; not necessarily black vs white (baptist, COGIC and so on).

The segregation in this aspect is that one denomination believe that they are better than the others. My gma actually made a comment in which she wanted me to stay in the Baptist tradition after I told her that I started liking non-denominational and COGIC churches more.

My idea is that we all worship the same God, just different styles of doing such.

If we eliminate these titles perhaps more blacks and whites will worship together as I do see more whites attending non-denominational churches.


----------



## NinasLongAmbition (Sep 6, 2010)

I agree with the OP there still is alot of segregation in churches. I thank God, I go to such a diverse church we have multiple interracial couples, hispanics, blacks, whites, middle eastern all in the name of JESUS! Our churches should reflect what heaven is going to be like, multicutural!!


----------

