The Ohio Independent Baptist, August 1971

Tlie Black Evan elical Dilemma by Rev. Walter L. Banks, D.D. Three great cha m exi t within the fran1C\\'Ork of the Black Evangelical hurch ~ orld today. The e l1ave vari– ou l}Tbeen ignored or tolerated during the fir t half of the twentieth century, but time and event have pu hed them teadily toward the front in the think– ing of a few leaders during the last 15 year . Despite the "handwriting on the wall" highlighting the fact that we have been "weighed in the bal– ances and found wanting," no im– mediate solution looms on the horizon at the present time . This is only sug– gestive of the fact that being so im– periled on all sides, no solution has aggressively been sought. Much has been written, ancl end– less comment has been made upon the fact of an unfortunate agglomera– tion of protestant divisions within Christianity, and yet within that con– text this three-fold chasm grows even wider year by year. Of more far– reaching significance and greater tragedy is the fact that instead of an apparent program to bridge the gap, the dilemma of which I speak ha been created and is seemingly become fixed and permanent . Through well-meaning, though oft– times weak or incoherent thrusts of a white evangelical witness among black Americans, small evangelical contin– gents have come into existence. But apart from a feeling based upon the philosophy of the few crumbs which fell from the rich man's table to sati– ate the beggar 's hunger, little tangible relationship is sustained between the two counterparts. And having been exposed to and become a part of this "new religion" these black evangelical groups find themselves severed from the old roots and discarded on the barren wastes of a veritable no man 's land in a religious morass. The irony of it all is seen in that the black evangelical community (?) has so im– bibed the divisive spirit of its progen– itors that it can neither act unilater– ally as a force in the Christian world nor exert its influence upon an other- Does your church have .•• a SPURGEON CLUB for prospective preachers? or a CAREY CLUB for prespective m, ssionaries? if so, wi ll you please send helpful information to: Douglas Beason Bethel Baptist Church 402 S. Westnedge Kolamoxoo, Ml 49007 wi e decadent black American pro– testantism. This situa tion h as precipi– tated the other half of the dilemma. Simply stated, the three chasms ex– ist between the black and white evan– gelical· between the black evangelical and black protestantism per se; and within the ranks of black evangelicals themselves. The dilemma is that of a virtually impotent or vitiated group of black American evangelicals which are not vitally related to either their racial or evangelical kin. It stems largely from a well-meaning though often insensate evangelicalism which has produced in great measure an in– sipid half-brother group. There is a fearfully alarming gap between the theory that "the Bible has the answer to every problem," and the actual demonstration of that theory in practical Christian experi– ence between blacks and whites in America. Almost all church groups, both north and south, have made pro– nouncements, but little closing of the gap is being seen. Further insult to injury stems from the fact of the abys– mal ignorance on the part of the white evangelical regarding the black Ameri– can Christian and the almost death– less silence in the evangelical camp relative to the race question. One of the great deterents to har– moniou race relation among black and white Christians is the a ttitude of superiority, which prevents the white evangelical from accepti ng the Negro evangelical as a ocial or pirit– ual equal. God's Word speak un– equivocally and clearly in the matter of equality. "There is no re pect of persons with God." (Rom. 2: 11 ) The task before the white evangelical to– day is to understand what the black experience in America reall y is; to face the question of the rel at ion hip and validity of integration and/ or black separation as a co-existent al– ternative and, with strong purpose and sympathetic insight, work toward that end to the glory of God here and now. • • if not, and you would like to hove a compilation of all the information received, please wr ite same address . I :,, ) _} __ ( 6 AUGUST, 1971 Stryker Church Burns Mortgage The members of the First Baptist hurch in Stryker, Ohio recently held a Mortgage Burning Ceremony. Their building, which was erected in 1964, cost $76,516.76. This amount was paid in full on April 4, 1971. The entire original Building Com– mittee was present for the Mortgage Burning Service. Words of thanks were expressed by Mr. Kenneth Jul– liard, Chairman of the Building Com– mittee, to the members of the church for their sacrificial giving. Rev. D allas Gillespie, pastor of the church, then lit a match to the mortgage. P rayer was offered and praise given to the Lord for His faithfulness . Upon paying the mortgage, the church voted to increase its mission- • • ary g1v1ng. Ordained To Gospel Ministry An Ordination Council met recent– ly at the Bible Mission Baptist Church, Otsego, Ohio for the purpose of examining their pastor, Brother Norman Helfers for ordination. Just prior to the meeting of the Council, the pastors, along with their wives, of the Moriah Baptist Fellowship met at the Heifers home for their bi– monthly fellowship supper and meet- • 1ng. ineteen Council members and a large group from the area churches heard Brother H elfer testimony of conversion, call and preparation to the ministry and his doctrinal beliefs. The Council , moderated by Rev. H . P . Hou e unanimou ly recom– mended Brother Heifers for ordina– tion. A public ordination ervice was held at the church the following Sun– day afternoon. Rev. Heifers is a grduate of the Appalachian Bible Institute. He is married and they have two pre- chool children. This Is The Right Spirit There is no hersey more subtle and dangerous than the somewhat wide– spread one which charge us that the church of God should catch the spirit of the age. The bu iness of the church is not to catch the spirit of the age· but to correct the spirit of the age, and br ing the spirit of the age into har– mony with the mind and the will of God . - Dr. G. Can1pbell Morgar, THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST