It is Black History Month in the United States.  I was pastor at a black church called Hi Praz in Bellwood for about two years.  I loved the experience.  I loved the spirit and the soul-food.  However, the argument still arizes, “How integrated should a church be?’

I had a stimulating discussion with a colleague called Sam this week at Moody Bible Institute.  The question was whether his previously white church should have more blacks.  I believe that a church should reflect the ratial composition of the neighbourhood.  My church in the suburbs of Chicago has very few blacks, but there are few blacks in the area.  The area seems to have far more Hispanics.  I believe that they are under represented at our church.  The question there is how much of traditional, white, evangelical practice would need to be sacrificed to truly integrate?  This is a difficult question that goes far beyond doing a couple songs in Spanish and inviting a Spanish speaking neighbour.

Somehow the early church at Antioch had someone who was known as “Black” (see Niger below);  They had someone from the north of Africa who would have looked Egyptian or Tunisian; They had a mix of Jews and Palestinians; They also had Turks.  If all of them worshiped at the same church, why are we so segregated?  How many blacks, hispanics, whites, and others do you think your church should have?

Acts 12:25-13:12

²⁵ When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from^[a] Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.

 ¹ Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. ² While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” ³ So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

 ⁴ The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit, went down to Seleucia and sailed from there to Cyprus. ⁵ When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues. John was with them as their helper.

 ⁶ They traveled through the whole island until they came to Paphos. There they met a Jewish sorcerer and false prophet named Bar-Jesus, ⁷ who was an attendant of the proconsul, Sergius Paulus. The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God. ⁸ But Elymas the sorcerer (for that is what his name means) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul from the faith. ⁹ Then Saul, who was also called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked straight at Elymas and said, ¹⁰ “You are a child of the devil and an enemy of everything that is right! You are full of all kinds of deceit and trickery. Will you never stop perverting the right ways of the Lord? ¹¹ Now the hand of the Lord is against you. You are going to be blind for a time, not even able to see the light of the sun.”

   Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he groped about, seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.

Questions

1. Who is listed at the church in Antioch?
2. How would you describe the composition of the church in your own words?
3. Do you think that the mix of ethnicities in the church spurred or hindered people’s concern for missions?
4. How does your church address race?
5. How should the church address race?