[[Funny thing... This blog had a completely different beginning but I had to delete it because it had nothing to do with where this blog ended up.]] So I'll just start here...
I adore my home church.
We have our issues; just like every single other church in America, but
overall First Baptist Church Atlanta [FBA] is seriously awesome! I was raised in that church. I was baptized at that church. I went to beach
camp with that church. Lol. Amazing times! I learned about God at that church. I’ve been attending that church for 20
years. [woooow… 20 years]
Anyways, upon returning home from college I decided that I
wanted to find my own church. Why? IDK. FBA is an awesome church but it has been hard
to get plugged in because it is 40 minutes away [and when I’m not feeling well, I don’t feel like driving 5 minutes, let
alone 40 minutes]. The biggest
problem is that I live on the “black side of town” and all the churches are
“black churches.”
Now, don’t get me wrong.
I identify as a black woman. I
don’t have a complex regarding skin color.
But black churches operate a little differently than the white churches.
[I
know, I’m generalizing A LOT here.]
For instance, at FBA we sing two – MAXIMUM three – songs
such as Great is Thy Faithfulness, How Great Thou Art, I’ll Fly Away [that’s my
jam], etc. We don’t really use drums, we clap sometimes, we have a full
orchestra… Also, FBA is a mega church…
So that might have a lot to do with it.
But I grew up there and it will always have a special place in my little
ol’ heart.
In comparison, the “black churches” that I’I've been to
operate a lot differently. [And that’s
okay… I’m just not used to it.] So
sometimes it brings out my anxiety problems.
For instance, we don’t shout at my church. If someone at my church is shouting, you
should RUN! But “black churches” have a whole swag about them. I feel underdressed—like WAY
underdressed. I don’t know the songs—or the
claps to go with them. I don’t
understand why I have to stand as a visitor—I’ll never come back. I don’t understand the whole Pastor says a
phrase then the church says a phrase. [The most Dr. Stanley does is say, “If you
listening, say ‘Amen.’” And in unison we say, “Amen.” ] It is two distinct experiences and nothing is wrong with it…
Here is where my problem lies…
Just because I grew up at a church that was different than
yours doesn't mean that you shouldn't embrace me as your sister in Christ. Since I got saved in 2011 and really started
interacting with the body of Christ in 2012, I’ve mostly encountered black Christians
[And I’m cool with that… I really don’t
care what color you are] but the shade that gets thrown because I don’t
understand your church practices and lingo is REAL.
Examples:
-------------- I've been called a “New Testament Christian”…
-_- Seriously? Really? How st---- nevermind. You get the point. I was called that because I don’t celebrate
the feasts or something from the Old Testament, I believe that I don’t have to
go through all the laws in Leviticus and I believe that Jesus’ blood covers all
my sins… [looks left, looks right,
shrugs.] According to the inerrant
Word of God, Christians weren't even called Christians until Acts 11:26. So BYE FELICIA!
· --------------Just today, I was talking to some of my brothers
in Christ on Twitter and they were discussing Watch Night Service. My church hasn't had a Watch Night
Service. I didn't even know exactly what
occurred at one until my Twitter family educated me BUT upon doing more
research on what a Watch Night Service was I was intrigued. I’m not going to type it all out but it had
to do with slaves awaiting emancipation together at a church on 12/31/1862because the Emancipation Proclamation was to be enacted on 1/1/1863. But the other problem that I had with Black Christian Twitter was that subtweet
shade was thrown because I didn’t know what a testimonial was. [looks left, looks right, shrugs.] Look
past my skin color and realize that I didn’t have the same upbringing. How am I supposed to know what that is? I tell people all the time what God has done
for me—not in church—so I’m not ashamed, my home church doesn't participate in
that [at least not in the sanctuary.]
· --------------Praise and Worship… The year 2013 was the first
time I ever heard of “real worshiper”… PAUSE. Pause. pause. So, who decides who a “real worshiper”
is? They said, “I need all my real worshipers to the floor right now!”
WAIIIIIIIIIIIT… So, I’m not a “real worshiper” because I’m not on the
floor, I’m not running around and I’m not screaming to a song that I’m supposed
to be singing along to. Clearly, it’s
levels to this. -_-
I said all of that to
say…
Christians, when you encounter people who are younger in
their faith or from a different upbringing than you try to interact with them
and don’t treat them like they aren’t a “good Christian” because they don’t
know your lingo or practices. Embrace each other. Love on each other. Build each other up in their walk. One of my favorite passages from Acts [since I’m a New Testament Christian -_-]
is Acts 8:26-40. That passage is
entitled “Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch.”
I suggest you check out the WHOLE passage for yourself but my favorite
part is Acts 8:30-31 “30 So
Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you
understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit
with him.””
I’m not sure if you believe in predestination or what but I
know a lot of people get turned away from God and use the body of Christ as their
reasoning. They say we are too
judgmental and to a certain extent we are.
I believe that a sin is a sin and in calling a spade a spade but let’s
not make people feel some type of way
because they don’t completely understand what this walk with God is about
yet. Let’s reach out to the different
denominations, the strippers, the thugs, the college educated, etc. Let’s save the “judgment” [holding a fellow Christian accountable]
for an actual sin.
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