What Lakeland Tells Me About the Church #2: The Church is Still Segregated
June 20th, 2008 by Carl Thomas.I was going to title this post, “Revival is a White Thing” for dramatic effect but I don’t believe that so I opted out.
I went to Toronto, I have been to Lakeland, and I saw countless Brownsville services on tv. I have been to Todd Bentley meetings, Patricia King, Reinhart Bonnke, Benny Hinn, Rodney Howard-Browne, Randy Clark, Jack Frost, Heidi Baker and a whole bunch of other folks and it was basically the same. They are all white events. Is revival a white phenomenon?
I know, you have a buddy on your worship team who is black or you have a latino family in your prayer team but that is not what I am talking about. There are and were some people of color at these events. But that is the exception. The fact remains that Pentecost was born in multiculturalism but by and large that is gone.
This is not a quota thing. It’s a Kingdom thing. I look at the folks sitting on the stage in Lakeland and pray that a shift will happen. But this goes both ways.
The Church of God in Christ is the largest Pentecostal denomination in America. It is also an almost exclusively black denomination. Are they producing no revivalists that can cross racial and denominational lines? Are there no fire baptized COGIC ministers who want to see their churches better reflect the Kingdom? Are there no prophets in the COGIC that want to bring their distinctives outside their denomination?
Or does this come down to musical tastes? When I became a Christian I had a hard time finding music that is both anointed and sounds good. I would be fine never hearing another guitar solo, acoustic guitar, or seeing tight pants or hair in the face. I am also not really trying to hear anything with an organ and a drum slapping BAM boom BAM boom BAM boom BAM boom while the bass player plays a run. That’s not really music to me. Unfortunately for me, I found that if I want the anointing I have to watch worship leaders fulfill their childhood ambitions of being rock stars.
My city, Delray Beach integrated its little league teams for the first time this year. That’s right. 2008 is the first year the black and white little leagues were not segregated. I believe this is a prophetic sign that things are going to change in my town starting with my fellowship The Mission. I hope this is a sign of larger things to come.
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This was an interesting blog, I live in Kansas and while we have about half our congreation Latino, I understand where you are coming from, it’s something that I’ve seen as well. We do tend to segrete ourselves, however, I do think that Will Ford and Dutch Sheets started breaking things down with their book History Makers. Good blog and keep it up, I look forward to your posts
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Thanks for stopping by Everett, I appreciate your post. I have seen Charismatic churches that were mixed. And this is probably more prevalent in spirit-filled churches because of the history but it is still the exception. I look forward to your contribution to the discussion.
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Hi Carl,
Have been enjoying reading your blog since discovering it a few weeks ago…
I’m a 40-something African American woman attending a predominately white church…but this church was strongly affected by the Toronto Outpouring back in the 90’s (I wasn’t a member back then), and we are now experiencing revival fire that has been imparted to us from the Lakeland Outpouring. I never placed “culture”, even African-american culture, above my passion/relationship with God, much to the chagrin of some family members, but oh well..
Sadly, the questions you asked concerning the COGIC, can be answered “no”..I don’t see any revivalists coming forth from them or the other black Pentecostal groups…if I’m mistaken, I’m sure someone will post a correction. The reasons why are long and varied, too much to get into here.
But you are so right, it’s not about quotas, or culture, it’s about the Kingdom.
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we need a bit of Azusa street in Lakeland.
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Hey, are you going to go to Lakeland Monday to see the assembled? I have hung around Morningstar off and on for 20 years and would give anything to see Rick Joyner thoroughly whacked.
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I believe that ’segregated’ Christianity is one of the major issues still to be resolved in a full manifestation of revival to sweep across America.
A few months back I believe that we saw a glimpse of this in the Jena Renewal. Both white and black churches were holding revival tent meetings together and racial healing and repentance was one of the major issues for that community, especially after the Jena 6 controversy at the local High School.
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Really Good Post!!!
Keep it up!
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@Alycia – I am related to some COGIC folk by marriage and used to love watching Bishop Patterson but that is the extent of my contact. The area God has sent me to is filled with COGIC and Seventh Day Adventist churches.
I plan to stir the pot. I love when God uses people that offend the flesh, like you to your family or me to the area I have been sent. God is using me to raise up others who will offend. I find it kind of fun.
@Roy – Amen! In more ways than one.
@Michael – Any thoughts why the Jena revival did not get more attention?
@Ley – Chea!
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I wondered about your relationship as far as the COGIC, but was skeered to ask! lol (:
Well stir that pot, brother!! I attended Carlton Pearson’s church in Tulsa back in the 90’s, before he went off the deep end in his theology…the Azusa conferences he had, IN THE BEGINNING, looked like a real attempt to bridge the gap in terms of race, denominations, etc…but of course a whole lot of other junk got in the way and that ended. I think culture has a lot to do with the great divide regarding revival..we can’t seem to get past each other’s music, styles of preaching, etc. and that is so sad. But I also think that those of us who have been touched by this and previous revivals have a great opportunity to impart this to those who wouldn’t dare step inside a Todd Bentley service.
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