Pastor Michael R. Jordan of the New Era Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama has some strong words for Church of the Highlands and its Pastor Chris Hodges which plans to build a location near the inner city. WVTM first reported the story on Monday and the story and one Pastor’s response has since gone semi-viral on social media. Pastor Jordan’s words were harsh, direct and focused. On the front part of his church marquee a message: “White Folks Refused to Be Our Neighbor”. His stance is strong, implying that the church is coming into the inner city to take from residents there and ultimately erode local church membership under the false guise of fighting crime.
Watch Pastor Jordan’s interview with WVTM
I am a black man and have experienced both overt and covert racism inside the four walls of the church. It has not been pleasant and I have vowed to never be silenced in my fight to expose the social ill of racism in America. I have also enjoyed robust relationships with non-blacks at church. Nothing makes my heart more glad than racial unity! In fact, we don’t have to wait to get to Heaven to experience it-it’s part of the church’s mission!
There are points of agreement with Pastor Jordan, but there are points he makes that are outlandishly unproven. There are multi-racial churches in the south getting it done the right way! Instances of multi-generational, multi-racial churches getting it done are Transformation Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, Relentless Church in Greenville, South Carolina and The Potter’s House in Dallas, Texas. It can be done and it is being done. With yielded hearts, Pastor Woodfin, Pastor Hodge and inner city faith leadership can come to a workable solution that acknowledges the past and commits to a better future.
First, allow me to distance myself from conjecture: Pastor Jordan’s passion is infectious. It’s also riotous and falls just short of an educated opinion. Calling the yet to be determined black Pastor of the satellite location “token” and declaring that the Pastor’s sermons would be monitored in some way are to date without credibility. While I do applaud Pastor Jordan’s boldness, I do believe that our ultimate goal should always be fellowship within the confines of the Kingdom of Christ as laid out in Galatians 6:10 and Hebrews 12:18.
Pastor Robert Morris Got It Right About Race
Buried deep In Pastor Jordan’s diatribe is years and years of the heartbreak of segregation. Those dismissing Pastor Jordan as a hatemonger are probably unaware of the trauma the black church experienced when many congregations were bombed. Remember the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that claimed the lives of those four little girls? Birmingham has come a long way but still quite a way to go in the process of racial reconciliation and repairing the breach between its citizens. Mayor Woodfin’s plan is commendable, but is dangerously making a bigger statement that churches in the community can’t or aren’t getting the job done. This is sure to alienate him from many of the supporters that helped him win the mayoral election.
I was going to share this yesterday but I needed more time to process it. He’s got very valid points and I must admit that he’s probably the only person I’ve seen go this far! Pastor T. L. Lewis voiced his disapproval of Mayor Randall Woodfin’s plan to work with Pastor Hodges as: “a slap in the face“. While I don’t fully discourage the proposed church plant, I would advise Church of the Highlands to start with a street team, first. Get to know the neighborhood and people you will welcome into your congregation so you won’t be shocked when they show up!! Perhaps the ministry wouldn’t even need to use their resources in that way over there. Maybe a food bank or resource center…doesn’t ways have to be a church!
Southern Baptist Pastor calls preaching in favor of social justice evil
I’m starting to think that we “church” in lieu of the hard work 21st century ministry requires. Many ministries have invested more in church services, accommodations and accoutrements and have all but abandoned the time tested act of outreach. I’ve seen people in church almost do away with the concept of inviting visitors and adding new members. They just expect people to want to join or even visit because the doors are open, the choir is good or the preacher can preach.
One constant in the gripe against church leadership and a main excuse for not attending church is the shape of the community. Why is there a demand on the church, but not city leaders? Pastors aren’t civic leaders and evangelism isn’t always a crime deterrent or economic boon. It baffles me that people in communities are so hard on churches and not city leaders or police. Pastor Jordan’s complaints merits a sit down meeting with the Pastor Hodge, Mayor Woodfin and other faith leaders in the area. That to me, would be the biggest and greatest victory in this situation.
–‘Fred
Beware of false prophets! God created each and every one of us, no matter what race you are, he loved us so much that he sent his son to die for us. He never said that he would only die for whites or blacks, but for every sin of every person. I feel sorry for this man, that he will never know what love is, that he is so consumed by hatred for others. He allows the color of skin to determine the value of the soul. I am so thankful that my savior did not do the same. I hope that he would have his eyes opened to the truth, and that his congregation would see that this is wrong. Racism only survives because of people like this, it only survives because we choose to allow it to. We are called to be the light in the darkness, we are created out of love, to forgive those who trespass against us. We are all beautiful in his eyes, His masterpiece. The body is simply a house for the soul, it’s temporary shelter here on earth there is no black or white heaven. It’s time to stop the hate, to no longer determine our friends by color, but by character. There should not be Native Americans, African Americans or any other prefix, we are simply Americans. Military personnel don’t care what color their buddies are, as long as they have their back when the bullets start flying. Why can’t we be the same. There is enough hate in the world, and we have allowed it to grow for too long. Americans are among the most hated in the world, must we add more. We need to look out for one another and only want the best for each other.
I have been in First Baptist of Kaufman for si years now. A very open and friendly church. There are black, white and all there in there. A black pastor brings the message every now and then. I really dislike racism and people who harp on it. Many of my friends are black. My son in law is Mexican. If I back away from people it is because of the attitude and persistence in running others down. I don’t need it.
My brother was in Korea in 1952. He tented with three black guys. He got harassed because of it. He was a MP so nothing bothered him. He only had an eighth grade education and the three tent mates had college. They helped him get a high school diploma.
I find some churches so tied up in not loving their neighbor and fellow people around them because of color etc, a rather despicable bunch. Some day we will all be living on Jesus Street. Get along now while there is still time.
What a moron. When is black America going to wake up & realize the Democratic party is the party of slavery & oppression, and that Republicans have been their saving grace. Slavery was an institution of the Dixiecrats (now the Democrats), the KKK was/is the enforcement arm of the Democratic party, and they simply replaced outright slavery with socio-economic slavery. Slavery was ended by a Republican President, 700,000 mostly Republican troops died ending slavery, and even Harriet Tubman was a strong Republican supporter. Martin Luther King was a Republican, and killed by a Southern Democrat. Every black neighborhood in America has been destroyed by Democratic politics. So, explain to me again how a black vote for Trump is mental illness. Black Americans have the lowest unemployment in U.S. history, and the most opportunity under Trump. The stupidity in this country is epic level.