I Have a Dream for the Black Church

The Black Church in America is perhaps the most victorious institution in the African American community. Yet, when it is compared with sacred scripture, we find that the Black Church is falling short in very significant areas. This book not only highlights where members of the Church have strayed from the truths of scripture, but also offers a message of hope for those who are willing to embrace the need for biblical reformation.

The material below is adapted from the book Standing True to Our God? A Young, Evangelical’s Perspective on Reformation in the Black Church.

“There are those who are asking the devotees of biblical reformation, “When will you be satisfied?” We can never be satisfied as long as preachers within the Black Church are disseminators of the unspeakable doctrines of the prosperity gospel. We can never be satisfied as long as our minds, heavy with the skeptic’s criticisms of the Bible, are not being taught how to defend what we believe. We cannot be satisfied as long as black churches emphasize the importance of tithes and offerings more than evangelism and apologetics. We can never be satisfied as long as our children are merely taught Bible stories and given shallow answers to their serious questions. We cannot be satisfied as long as black church members in Mississippi cannot explain the gospel and black church members in New York have not even heard the true gospel. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until the Black Church undergoes a radical, nationwide, biblical reformation of the highest order.”

“I have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the New Testament dream.

I have a dream that one day the Black Church will rise up and live out the true meaning of its anthem: “Shadowed beneath thy hand may we forever stand, true to our God…”

I have a dream that one day on the pews of A.M.E. churches, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will sit down together in the church as brothers.

I have a dream that one day even the A.M.E. denomination, a denomination sweltering with the heat of its heritage, sweltering with the heat of tradition, will drop its racially identifiable name because of its love for the brethren.

I have a dream that my niece and nephews will one day visit a black church where they will not be taught about their African heritage but will be taught the transforming truths of sacred scripture.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, over in New York, with its liberal seminary, with its professors having their lips dripping with the words of ‘the social gospel’ and ‘Black Theology’ — one day right there in New York liberal black pastors and theologians will embrace true biblical teaching and join hands with evangelical pastors and theologians as followers of Christ.

I have a dream today!”

For more information, and to see the video presentation of ‘I Have a Dream for the Black Church’ visit the home page of jlmoorepage.com.