Learning to live into hope: lessons from the African American church

By Rick McClatchy

February is a month for us to remember the contributions that African Americans have made to the our society, which are many. I would like to take a narrower focus and examine the wonderful contributions that African American churches have made for the wider Christian community. Certainly, we could go to the major contributions that African American churches have made in civil rights, homiletics, education, and music. However, the thing that most impresses me with African American churches is how they live into hope.

I have spent most of my life journey in predominately white churches. What I have experienced there is mostly optimism—a belief that things will probably turn out according to our wishes. Given the white privilege in our society, it is easy for white churches, especially those of middle and upper class churches, to be very optimistic. Therefore, these white churches have seldom, if ever, had to live into hope—the conviction that something is moral and just, and that one must fight for it no matter the consequences.

When I worked with African American churches, first as a pastor and then as a state coordinator for CBF in Oklahoma and Texas, what I found was something greater than optimism. What I found was a community of hope, working for justice no matter the consequences.

The history of the African American church is rooted in this type of hope. From the very beginning, African American Christians faced opposition to full inclusion in white churches and were thwarted in their efforts to organize churches. Even after organizing themselves into churches, their buildings became easy targets for burning by white racists. African American churches were even attacked by mobs in the middle of worship. African American church leaders became targets for violence and assassination. For several centuries, the African American church has continued to move forward through slavery, segregation, discrimination, prejudice, and violence. This is hope.

I often wonder if I, as a member of a white church, could have that type of hope? Could I move beyond optimism to hope? I want to express my deepest gratitude to African American churches who lived into their hope, providing a profound model for us all to follow.