As a multiethnic church, deeply rooted in the love of Jesus, we recognize that it’s important to celebrate contributions of the nations and generations in our church body and in our community. For Black History Month, we want to take an opportunity to celebrate various African American and black leaders who have impacted the faith journeys of some of our own staff members. Each week throughout the month of February, we’ll share some reflections from different staff members. We hope this inspires you to continue to learn more about these influential leaders and the countless others God has used to build his Church!
If you missed the reflections from last week, you can check them out here!
Who are some black artists/creatives who have influenced your faith?
Gospel musicians! Kirk Franklin; Jonathan McReynolds; Tamela Mann; spoken word artists. I have really grown to love the different tones and musical arrangements. I also love the embodied call & response character of the way these musicians lead worship – really drawing out the people’s worship. The music is also comfortable with lament and real expressions of hardship.
— Mitchel Lee, Lead Pastor
Who is a black leader who has influenced your faith?
A few years ago, at IF:Gathering, Jackie Hill Perry spoke on the holiness of God and how that should be what we look to as we pursue our own holiness. She taught that God’s holiness means that He cannot sin, which seems obvious. But then she pointed out the also obvious but not always soaked-in truth that He cannot sin against me. And because He cannot sin against me, I can trust Him with my own pursuit of holiness, fully, completely and without doubt that His desires for my holiness are pure. Pointing out that one small truth – that God cannot sin against us – has increased my trust in Him. Because of the world that we live in and the sinfulness of humans, it’s hard not to project what my experience of humans has been onto God. People can sin against me, but God cannot. That truth is part of what separates God from humans, is a piece of defining His holiness, and has recentered me when I struggle to be holy. I’m so thankful for Jackie Hill Perry for hearing from God and sharing those truths about God’s holiness.
— Amita Mackin, Senior Director of Finance and Operations
Who is a black pastor or theologian who has influenced your faith?
Throughout the years my faith has been influenced by several black pastors and theologians beginning with my grandfather. I have fond memories of sitting on the wooden pews at the church that he built and listening to his deep, melodic voice as he read Scripture and prayed. This is where I learned the spiritual disciplines of fasting, praying, and Scripture memorization. On my current journey through Divinity School, my faith has been tremendously impacted by Howard Thurman (1899-1981) who was a theologian, professor, author, spiritual advisor/mentor to civil right leaders and co-founder of the first multi-ethnic church in the United States. His teachings on the importance of spending time in solitude and silence with God have had a profound effect upon me and provided the tools needed in the ministry work that I feel called to do in dismantling ecclesiastical racism. In his writings we are introduced to the Jesus of the Scriptures vs. the Jesus of the Culture. He portrays a Savior who cares deeply for the disinherited and marginalized while imploring us to do the same. His life is a testimony to the power of faith, resilience, and fortitude in the face of racism, bigotry, and hate.
— Katrina Murphy, Executive Assistant to the Senior Director of Adult Ministries
Who is a black author (or what is a book by a black author) that has influenced your faith?
I have read several books by Pastor Author Dr. Derwin L. Gray. Derwin is an ex-NFL player who came to faith late in life. He has taken his passion for the gospel and desire to unite all people by creating a multiethnic church. I recently read two books by Dr. Gray, How To Heal Our Racial Divide and Building A Multiethnic Church. He has influenced my faith in seeing more clearly that Scripture is laden with breaking down walls of hostility and uniting all people through Jesus Christ. He has created in me a desire to learn to love all people and be curious about others and their faith journey through their unique upbringing. He has given me a gospel vision of grace, love, and reconciliation in a divided world.
— Chris Wolf, Executive Pastor