As we think about making disciples and doing church among people who aren't likely to be drawn into typical churches through typical evangelism methods, we often think of this as a discussion for white people.
Europeans. All this post-modern talk is for them. Right?
I've gotten the impression that some think this stuff isn't relevant to the African-American church, or for Africans in general.
I've heard some argue that Africans and African-Americans are still operating in many ways in the "modern" period -- the era after the Enlightenment up through recent times in which intellectual truth was the standard by which all things were judged.
The thinking goes that black folks and Africans haven't really shifted to the post-modern way of thinking (is the implication that they are behind?) or that they never really bought into the modern period to begin with.
But I believe it is vital that the African-American church be engaged in the thinking process and, more importantly, in the development of fresh ways of expressing and living the faith for today's world.
Why? First off, to whatever degree it might be true that African-Americans and Africans didn't completely buy into the modern way of thinking, that is exactly why a great deal can be learned by observing differences in the way African faith is lived out compared to that of the European-influenced church.
It might also be helpful to the African and African-American churches to drop what sometimes is a "catch-up" mentality, a thinking that they need to do what the white church has done. There is often an inferiority complex in Africans and African-Americans (though we don't like to admit it) that leads many to feel they aren't doing it right because "we aren't doing it like them."
Understanding that many things seen by some as weaknesses in African church tradition (the importance of experience, worship, celebration, community, acceptance and grace, spiritual power, and the focus on the stories of the Bible) are strengths for operating in the emerging culture.
This is also extremely important to the African-American and African churches for their own future.
African-Americans are no longer an isolated, segregated population. Even those who still live in a virtually all-black environment still are heavily influenced by the cultural context of today's Western world. Through television, music, etc., the way they see the world is simply not the way their grandparents saw it.
On the world scene, Africans are moving back and forth to Europe and America. Many were part of the old Soviet-era schooling. Africans don't all think the same, nor do they all see the world the way Africans did 50 or 100 years ago.
I find that young Africans in Paris are among those most in need of fresh forms of church we are trying to develop. Many of those who have studied in Europe or grown up part of their lives here struggle to fit into the culturally African churches, and also in the culturally French churches. They are looking for experience and relationship. But also teaching, soul healing, ways to understand their identity, etc.
When I went to Burkina Faso in West Africa I was encouraged to see some of the best examples of the way church needs to look for the emerging culture. Because of an inability to buy property and people being spread apart, little churches in neighborhoods and villages were naturally planted. They were seperate, but tied together by a common bond to the mother body.
Some of what we are doing in Paris now was influenced by what I saw there. But I was also troubled by the persistance and ineffectiveness of some of the old forms and formalities that perhaps NEVER fit the culture to begin with. Many of the young Africans I meet now in France want nothing to do with the churches they grew up with for this reason.
Developing church for the post-modern or emerging culture is not a discussion reserved for white folks. To think that this is not a discussion that concerns those of African heritage (and all other cultures, for that matter) is not only wrong, it is hazardous.
PLEASE let me know what you think. Hit the comment button below and type away. You can post without filling in the URL field, by the way.
I'm applauding you for all the work/time you put into this. It was some interesting reading. I'd like to take exception to a couple of comments you made since I was raised up in the 50's& 60's, have traveled to Africa and other parts of the world while being black :}! But, I will comment further at a later date when I have more time and after I've read more on your website. I really feel that you've done a good job. Keep the faith and keep probing. God Bless you. Lucy
Posted by: Lucy Buckner | February 12, 2005 at 12:06 PM
Lucy,
Thanks for the comment. I look forward to hearing your thoughts. I'd love for you to share your perspective. i don't pretend to know it all and understand it all, and when we write down ideas sometimes it can come off as sweeping judgements. For example, I don't believe that Western missionaries did only bad things in Africa. There are lots of admirable things that they did as people. And the churches they left behind are not worthless. When I talk about "ineffective forms" I'm talking more about the trappings that go around church. ...
Anyway, my comments were aimed particularly at getting people to realize that all parts of the Body have something important to contribute to our understanding of how to respond to our world today, and that Africans and African-Americans have an especially important perspective.
I'm eagerly awaiting yours!
Posted by: Todd | February 12, 2005 at 04:24 PM
Brilliant. Brilliant. Please continue to write. Thanks.
Posted by: Tim Bednar | February 17, 2005 at 05:02 PM
hello
A friend from Africa (Ngwiza - who now heads up DAWN International) told me a few years ago that the postmodern question was a very relevant one for African churches, in particular because the modern church introduced to them by Scottish missionaries could not deal with the demonic or the supernatural with its Enlightenment mentality.
Another interesting fact - the area of the world with the most 24-7 prayer rooms last summer was Africa.
Posted by: Andrew Jones | February 18, 2005 at 08:15 AM
I'll be back to read this again and ponder it, but for now I just want to say that I'm glad someone is even discussing these things.
Thanks,
mary
Posted by: Mary | February 19, 2005 at 03:10 AM
This is so weird. Some of us in the AfroCaribbean churches in London were discussing the same question. The whole emergent question is rising up here in a big way.
It is a predominant theme in the predominantly white churches but has only hit black churches (that I know of) in the last year or so. The interesting thing to watch here is that the largest denominations are very muched based around the personalities, and many of the others are scared of change.
The shift from predominantly evangelical, to one where discipeship is emphasised as much (amongst other issues) will either break or many congregations.....and we haven't even started talking about the predomintantly asian churches.
Watch this space.
Posted by: David | February 20, 2005 at 10:12 PM
I spent two weeks with Ngwiza (from Andrew's previous post) living in his home, sharing time with his family and getting to know the churches he works with in Africa. And I wholeheartedly agree with what Ngwiza said to Andrew. There are a lot of things we can learn from the church in Africa if only many American Christians (and I'm sure Europeans as well, although it's been some time since I've been in Europe) could step out of their bubble and see that there is more to the world than simply themselves.
As the world becomes a more global society, the conversation needs to include all corners of the Earth, not just the ones we know the best.
I'm glad I stumbled onto this page tonight, I'm looking forward to seeing the continuing conversation!
Posted by: Aaron | February 25, 2005 at 02:09 AM
I believe you are correct. I don't believe the conversation is one that needs to remain elite, as IT HAS... But I do say that those that the conversation has been kept from, must be WILLING to be a part of the conversation. I am quite white... and 80% of the African-American friends I have who claim to live the faith in Christ are actually lukewarm about that faith. This is about the same percentage of caucasians I know who tend to be in the middle ground of living out their faith. Although, I will say that I do see an emerging intensity in many majority caucasian churches that, frankly, has not been quite as obvious in the evolving African-American church. I still believe that just as caucasian churches need to branch out beyond the definitions of church as a building, relational evangelism, and simple traditional "God in a box" theology... so do African-American churches. I part of growing movement of churches who are branching out in the name of Jesus Christ... the world's light and greatest source of love. Be Blessed. -North Carolina
Posted by: Evan | February 25, 2005 at 05:45 AM
Iam the paster i been continue the gospal servising now we are starting the jesus house
please help us
Posted by: Samul Ramesh | February 25, 2005 at 03:34 PM
I'm a white pastor of a predominantly black church in Dallas Texas. I just wrote a paper on postmodern worship for a DMin course at Fuller Seminary. In it, I said that it was difficult to see the ways in which Postmodernity was affecting the Black community here in Dallas.
I am interested in exploring the role that the emerging conversation can play in my Black congregation. So far I agree with others that it is more limited than in white communities. That's not to dampen our exploration, just my observation so far.
Posted by: Bill Ekhardt | March 06, 2005 at 11:01 PM
I am an black woman missionary in Andalusia, Alabama. I am speaking a an african-american. I do agree that there are limitations as whites and blacks in postmodernity as we see them. I also know from biblical insight and scripture that God is doing a new thing. In scripture we find that God says whoever is not for me is against me. As the world sees it there are limitations but a lot of these limitations are limitations that we label ourselves with. Because salvation is free, not getting personal but limitations depend on we as individuals and how far we are willing to let the Spirit of God takes as we strive to study to show ourselves approval a workman needing not be ashame rightly dividing the work of truth and learn more about this wonderful relationship that every Christian black or white ought of have with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the anointed one.
Posted by: sandra jackson | April 04, 2005 at 07:55 PM