How do you build a "Classroom church" in an Urban area?

[Pastor Andre L. Pickens]

How do you build a "classroom church" in a setting that is not use to deep theological reflection and Bible study? The African American in church is catching up in terms of administration, and church growth technique, but is woefully behind when it comes to  Biblical truth and doctrinal integrity. I see the same Biblical and theological indifference that I saw as a new convert 30 years ago. I am speaking from over 28 years as a pastor, and 15 years in Christian Books retail in the urban community. I met  pastors who thought that the KJV was inspired! Older pastors told me  that I didn't need to learn theology to pastor Black people. African Americans are not interested in theological systems, apologetic s, or Biblical exposition. Accept for a Tony Evans who isn't a product of the black church, there are no large teaching churches in the community. I am not at this point advocating a particular theological stance, although I have one. How do you build a church with a tradition of expository preaching? Where are the Tenth Presbyterian, Grace Community, or First Baptist, Jacksonville, Florida in Urban America? I am looking for honest dialogue and wisdom, not "political correctness"! Please do not be afraid of honesty, I am looking for answers! If you don't know what I am talking about, look at the number of African Americans who are on this site. I once heard Dr. James Montgomery Boice say, "that White evangelicals needed to move back into the inner cities of America and be the "salt and light". That is not my issue. I want to know how I can affect change indigenously!

[Raquel]

There are inner city pockets here in the Seattle area where BSF is WILDLY popular.  Folks are on waiting lists to get in.  My mom attends one in South Park and she's the only white lady in her age group.  What I appreciate about BSF is that the program encourages the discipline of actually reading the Bible.  If we aren't reading the Bible then we don't know where preaching has gone awry or where our beliefs are incorrect.  Once that pattern is established [and God's Word is the sharpening instrument] then comes theology.

There is a 'culture of Christianity' and there is 'a lover of Christ.'  Breaking through that barrier of culture is something only the Holy Spirit is capable of.  I say pray for the community you're in and continue to  offer good, solid teaching.  If God draws them in, learning about Him is something that hell nor high water will stop them from.  All we can do is cast seeds.

[Raquel]

AND I highly suggest that you find a like-hearted pastor and meet weekly to pray for and encourage one another.

[Pastor Andre L. Pickens]

Thanks Raquel!

Raquel said:

There are inner city pockets here in the Seattle area where BSF is WILDLY popular.  Folks are on waiting lists to get in.  My mom attends one in South Park and she's the only white lady in her age group.  What I appreciate about BSF is that the program encourages the discipline of actually reading the Bible.  If we aren't reading the Bible then we don't know where preaching has gone awry or where our beliefs are incorrect.  Once that pattern is established [and God's Word is the sharpening instrument] then comes theology.

There is a 'culture of Christianity' and there is 'a lover of Christ.'  Breaking through that barrier of culture is something only the Holy Spirit is capable of.  I say pray for the community you're in and continue to  offer good, solid teaching.  If God draws them in, learning about Him is something that hell nor high water will stop them from.  All we can do is cast seeds.

[Pastor Andre L. Pickens]

If theology doesn't work then maybe the Pragmatists are right, and we should  jettison theology from the practice of ministry. 

[Jason]

Wow, brother! What a breath of fresh air! I love how your heart seems to beat for the truth of Christ.

Are you seeking to make a new church plant near the church you are in now, revitalize the one you are in now, or establish a new church in a new area?

I think part of the answer would relate to that.

The other side makes me think that you could establish friendships and have informal Bible studies in your home, or some other comfortable place and proceed from there.

Of course, I've ministered in well established white folks' churches all of my ministry. I have no church planting experience.

I'd love to see the answers of some who were church planters.

[Alex Guggenheim]

When a person become a believer, race, ethnicity and culture become anecdotal with regard to spirituality. There may be, to some, a prioritization of race, ethnicity or culture as it relates to spiritual things - or as if it matters regarding one's spirituality - and there may be a theology which is centralize around one's race, ethnicity or culture but in reality, or should I say biblically, these things are wrong.  So when the suggestion is made that "African Americans are not interested in theological systems, apologetics, or Biblical exposition" this is an affront to the Scripture's treatment of true spirituality which is not, in one bit, based in our human genetics but in our redemptive genetics which is true for all believers equally everywhere. But even more so, it is an insult to you, Pastor, who happens to be black and who happens to be very interested in exposition and apologetics. But as you know, your race has nothing to do with your desire, it is God's Spirit to which you have yielded that has produced this thirst and its pursuits. What do they suggest, you're an alien from Mars dressed up as a black man and that is why you desire such things? Their formula is self-serving and fails prescriptively, not only with you but with others. But that is because they are basing their ministry on human genetics, human properties and not constructs or appeals to their spiritual man which has no human genetics, just Divine genetics.

"You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free" except for black people? What? It must be frustrating.

Of course, Pastor, you know better that such views are not true. But I am certain you will have to face, and have faced, this bad theology which has taken hold of many groups among African Americans (but also within the church as a whole, sadly, where Reformed Theology permits awful expressions of "Black Reformed Theologians". No, they simply are Reformed Theologians and while social segregation might or might not have its purposes, spiritual segregation does not and this is true of its expressions including Theology. Theology is Biblical or it is not, it has nothing to do with our race or ethnicity and to attach it to this is to diminish it substantially, but of course many "White Theologians" think they are doing you a favor with such patronization, they aren't and they need to stop and if you read TGC blogs it is astounding how horribly backwards they have it.).

I look as Charles Stanely's ministry and the church where he Pastors and find its demongraphic has a substantial number of black people. Why? Because he tried to appeal to their "blackness"? Did he "pursue diversity"? no, nor does he appeal to anyone's latinoness or whiteness and so on. What he appeals to is their spirit, their born again state which is not a human state but a spiritual state and does so with spiritual truths which has no genetic preference or angle. Charles Stanely rejects the concept of "white theology" 'black theology" or "asian theology" because he knows they are not true or intended constructs, they aren't biblical and he teaches "biblical theology". And over time those watching him who were of a different demographic got fed and eventually understood it has nothing to do with your color but the same spiritual we all share.

It might be uphill in some places because of what has been infused in the minds of many but I believe that if you present sound teaching that is spiritually based you will attract any and all who are positive to the Word of God for the right reasons for their spiritual growth. It will take time but I also suggest there are plenty of believers without other options that, if given an option, would take it after they found it was real.

[joanne guarnieri]

I love Raquel's suggestion, and not for the least reason that BSF is where God changed my mind about how to study the Bible, and what to do with what I was learning.  Some random thoughts --

1) Theology sounds like a course at a seminary.  Even as a college grad, it might sound a little too arcane and erudite for my tastes.  However, the Bible is rich and accessible.  I think studying the Bible is the better approach

 

2) Studying the Bible is not a very profitable occupation unless what is learned is also applied "To whom much is given, much will be required."  Therefore, studying the Bible just to learn theology is probably going to run aground.

 

3) When I've worshiped in a primarily black church, the experience itself is vibrant and rich, at least around here in Maryland.  I'd always gone to churches filled with a diversity of population (in California).  I didn't realize that other places the centrifigal force of color and culture spun out "white," "black" and "Asian" churches.  I can tell you what.  "Black" and "Asian" are way more alive and spiritually enriching experiences for me than "white," as a rule. 

 

There's only one church with a truly diverse congregation that I know of around here, and it's up in Baltimore -- PCA, if you can wrap your mind around that!  And it's incredible to worship with them, the few times our family have joined with them (it's a bit of a hike for us).

 

A Bible study in such a rich, interactive atmosphere can't have the dry "class room" feel to it.  It's got to be user friendly, interactive, with lots of human-to-human contact.

 

4) There is always going to be a minority within the church of those who are truly hard-core.  So one Bible study can't be enough.  Several studies that go increasingly more in depth, and require more, is probably the better appraoch.

 

Let me put this plug in for BSF, Int'l (I'm a teaching leader, nine years now).  People come through our doors all the time who don't necessarily want to go to a church, but they're curious about the Bible, sometimes God has stirred within them a desire to find out about Him.  One student in our class last year didn't realize the Bible had two testaments, so she bought a new testament at a book store, not knowing she had only half the story.

 

So we now run a half hour seminar after our introduction classes called "Bible Navigation."  And we just start with the first page, explain where everything is, show the table of contents, the lists of books, the concordance at the back, the preface which explains what kind of Bible the student has, where it came from and so forth, and basicelly make this mysterious and seemingly inscrutible book something any person could grasp hold of.

 

We also offer other seminars on stuff like how to lead a Bible study, how to share the Gospels, other ways to study the Bible (like doing homiletics), how to teach the Bible, for beginners, some ideas for prayer and Bible study in a "quiet time," and stuff like that.  We have one seminar devoted to the tehem of becoming God's servant.  It is amazing how many people -- I'm talking about church-goers -- who have never considered themselves God's servant.  That's a mind blower seminar for them.

 

And here's a really huge thing I've learned at BSF.  Prayer and personal invitation trump church bulletin, announcements from the pulpit, and "if you build it they will come" thinking. 

 

I totally agree with Raquel.  Find a like-minded/hearted pastor and begin to pray fervently, diligintely, sacrificially for God to stir up a desire, a longing, in His people to know Him through His word.  Then look for those falmes of fire in yours - and his - congregation.  When you recognize one, then immediately, personally invite them to come study with you and that pastor, and to pray with you.

 

In every movement that the Spirit has generated, that I've been involved in, it started out like that, one way or another.

[Pastor Andre L. Pickens]

Alex thanks for your response to my question. I hear what you are saying and in theory I agree, but experientially the truth of the matter is that the African American expression of the Christian faith is more emotional than doctrinal and cognitive. Whether this is because of cultural conditioning, or the residual effects of slavery, segregation, and the disenfranchisement of Blacks from the institutions of higher theological education I cannot say.  

  The truth is and my experience has been that theology is not important to the African American Church! Maybe African Americans our inclined to entertain the Prosperity gospel because historically we have been cut out of the American dream. The economic prosperity and educational opportunities of African Americans has been disproportionate to that of White Americans. I am not complaining, just stating the fact that there are cultural barriers to be overcome in planting theologically sound churches that are not present in White culture.    

   Yes, the White church planter has to deal with Modernity, Secular Humanism, and a plethora of "isms" fighting for the mind of Western Civilization. But in the African American community there are these issues and more.  Professor John M. Frame has said, "Historically, the Reformation has been a movement of scholars. In the churches, preaching has followed something of an academic model in style and content. This approach appeals to the well-educated, who are also often the relatively wealthy members of society. It tends to turn away others, in the present case the relatively poor minorities." I don't believe that Professor Frame is blaming Reformed theology as much as he is recognizing these "cultural barriers".  Even Dr. John H. Leith recognizes this ethos of Reformed theology when he says, "Calvinist worship requires a disciplined congregation. The content of the Calvinist sermon is directed toward those who have reflected on the Christian faith."

  The Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Hoeksema was once accused of trying to convert everyone to Calvinism. He replied to the charge by saying, "My purpose is not to convert my oppnents to Calvinism. If that were the object I had in view I would write in a different way. But that would be a hopeless task. In order to see the beauty of the Calvinistic truth one must be able to do some straight thinking."

  The issue is not just the noetic affects of sin, but one of cultural bias as well. No matter what maybe it's cause!

[Alex Guggenheim]

I hear what you are saying and in theory I agree, but experientially the truth of the matter is that the African American expression of the Christian faith is more emotional than doctrinal and cognitive. Whether this is because of cultural conditioning, or the residual effects of slavery, segregation, and the disenfranchisement of Blacks from the institutions of higher theological education I cannot say.

Pastor Pickens, thanks for the response. My further suggestion is not only to agree with this assessment but to explore WHY this is so; precisely why it is so, in order to remedy the situation.

And I am suggesting that any human elements which exists as a barrier need not have prescribed to it more human elements as a remedy for what is, in reality, a spiritual solution which is precisely what so many, both consciously and unconsciously, have done and still do (let's make the church culturally, racially, ethnically relevant. No let's make it spiritually relevant).  Social issues are not spiritual problems, per se, but often they are treated as such, wrongly.

That is, a man having full social remedy still has no spiritual remedy. Social remedy provides nothing spiritually. And I believe that much of the effort by blacks in American aiming for social remedy have mistakenly used the Scriptures as if they are intended for such. As a result a "ecclesiastical and theological culture of black social remedy" has been developed and received as a legitimate form of theological construction and intent. I strongly disagree. That is not to say there are not anecdotes in Scripture regarding such but this is treated as the primary thrust of much of black theology, wrongly, though its ends may have brought about some new social opportunities or advantages. So when one's theology is absent of this dominant feature, many blacks have been taught that it is to be mistrusted since it does not have a proprietary investment of special social, cultural and racial needs of blacks. And that is quite wrong, in my estimation, since it is the spiritual advantages it seeks to give all believers, simultaneously and equally without regard to their race, ethnicity or cultural context.

But a man having full spiritual remedy may have this and it be so, regardless of his socially deformed contexts and disadvantages, or advantages for that matter. I believe the two constructs have erringly been combined as if one provides a remedy for the other. And I believe this has come from what I described above with many ministry efforts among blacks. But among others (demographically), particularly today, there is a lack of theological finesse and discrimination with regard to the nature of and intent of divine institutions such as government, the church, the family and the individual which has permitted not just a tolerance but a promotion of importing protocols for one institution into that of others where they do not belong and are not intended to rule. This has resulted in theologies that have fundamental self-interests of certain human groups and not spiritual interests for all believers. That isn't biblical theology, that is deformed theology.

I believe, again, in the end, that the church is a spiritual body without regard to race, ethnicity or culture in its intent. And I believe (though recognizing what you said above about the real but erring construct that is predominant among American blacks, that there is a dysfunction resulting in a misemphasis of experience over cognition [mind renewal] of the Scriptures because of whatever causes) it is a mistake to act as if this error must be accomodated in developing a sound biblical ministry to any group any where since it is not a right prioritization of a biblical order. But as well, you, yourself, clearly are not this way so it cannot be a "black thing" genetically or else you would be just as subject to this disadvantage.

Therefore, the remedy must be in doing the right thing in a right way and introducing to a community, regardless of its past and its influence resulting in some theological and ecclesiastical flaws, both the right standard in truth and practice and resist the temptation to categorize it as an inevitability of "blackness". I don't buy it for a second and neither does Charles Stanley nor the hundreds of blacks that attend his church who reflect a poised concentration of God's Word and its application in their lives. Again, are they, too, Martians who have taken up black bodies and aren't genuinely black? How insutling to them to suggest they should be otherwise because they are black. And that is the problem in the first place, spirituality is not a race, ethnicity or culture, it is not a human property. It is of God, its DNA is divine.

In fact, I believe it is the greatest of insults to blacks to relegate them to a satus of incapacitation for being spiritually informed and led about by their emotions to their own depravation. How patronizing is that? What kind of spiritual subjugation are we promoting?

I say, do the right thing in the right way and as our Lord taught, those hungering for what is right will come.

[Pastor Andre L. Pickens]

Alex, thanks for your last post. I cannot argue with your statements, because they are truth! I guess maybe in my frustration I began to look at this thing from a cultural perspective and failed to see it for what it really is, a spiritual problem. "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 (NKJV). If I stopped at culture I would be denying the power of the Word of God.

 

[joanne guarnieri]

 How insutling to them to suggest they should be otherwise because they are black. And that is the problem in the first place, spirituality is not a race, ethnicity or culture, it is not a human property. It is of God, its DNA is divine.

 

Alex, I think you have some good points.  I also think that you are not seeing Pastor Andre's question for what it is.

 

Spirituality may not have any racial or cultural barriers, but people do, and people have a tough time changing paradigms.  Which is why the apostle Paul had to teach about this so often, and why he had to ask people to protect the spiritual unity they had already been given and not allow human differences to interfere with spiritual oneness.

 

You are as much a creature of your culture as I am of mine.  It is what it is.  You will either like, or not like, aspects of your culture, but that won't change thte fact that you are formed by it, possibly more deeply than you realize.  It's true of all of us.

 

Proven fact that children who grow up in a family that participates weekly in religious services do better in school.  Why is that?  Doesn't matter what kind of religious service so long as it has classroom-y type stuff, like memorizing, sitting through lectures, doing paper work, sitting still, following rules, respecting authority and on and on.  Church has a culture and it measurably affects those who are in it.

 

Ever prayed with someone from a Charismatic background?  Ever experienced a Baptist sermon ?  Ever made music in a high church environment?  Now add in the culture of the people, and you are going to get some real paradigm clashes.  Spiritually one, culturally vastly different.

 

There is a culture of poverty, a culture of middle class and a culture of wealth in this country that goes far, far beyond the amount of money people have.  There are cultural aspects of being Italian-American, Greek-American, Native American, Japanese American, Chinese American, African American, German American, Swedish American, Hispanic American and so on.  These are all very distinct culture groups that approach the life of faith from noticeably different vantages.

 

So let's not hammer on someone for noticing.

[Raquel]

And it IS frustrating to see people living their lives on the outskirts of Truth when it is so freely offered.  BUT you aren't alone.  I will pray that God will provide you with someone who will encourage, empathize, and inspire you toward Christ-likeness.