Why Are Our Churches Still Segregated?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., once said “it is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning.”

On January 20, 2009, millions of people across the world watched the inaugural festivities of America’s first African-American President.  Admittedly, this was an event that I never thought I would see in my lifetime.  During the inaugural events, I saw people of every race, culture and ethnic background packed into Washington, DC.  As I watched, my thoughts turned from the inauguration to America’s churches.

Today’s church is more integrated that it was when Dr. King made that now famous statement, but we still can’t really say that the church is truly integrated. “The Multiracial Congregations Project led by Michael Emerson, a Rice University sociologist, defines a multiracial congregation as one where no one racial group is more than 80% of the congregation.”  See complete article here.

There are several things that keep our congregations separated by race:

• Comfort level
• Music
• Worship style
• Preaching style

I look forward to the day when race is not a factor in where or how we worship; where races can come together to worship our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know that some people have a favorite preaching style, but I enjoy a variety of styles.  A few of my favorite preachers (outside of my pastor), in no particular order are:

• Pastor Jack Hayford – Van Nuys, California
• Bishop T. D. Jakes – Dallas, Texas
• Pastor Charles Stanley – Atlanta, Georgia
• Bishop Neil Ellis – Nassau, Bahamas

I have been to each of their churches, thoroughly enjoyed the services and wouldn’t mind being a member either of their congregations.  For me, it’s not about the music or preaching style, it’s about the message, the Good News – it’s about Jesus!  I hope that in my lifetime, I will see eleven o’clock on Sunday morning become the most integrated hour in America.

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Tags: integrated worship, segregated church