Segregation In Our Churches
Original Airdate: April 7, 2008
Usually when we talk about 'segregation' we're talking about hateful division by race or by ethnicity. Don't worry, we're not calling our churches racists today. Instead, Bob suggests that maybe our churches are being segregated because of our comfort-seeking or auto-pilot lifestyles.
On the other hand, Dion suggests that maybe our churches have been segregated on purpose and under the influence of "Target Marketing". We talk all about issues of separation in our churches along the lines of class, race, and age and ask the question: "Are these segregations making our churches weaker and hiding aspects of God that we should be worshiping?"
Unfair?
First things first...did Joe record this episode in the bathroom or something? What's with the echo?
Now that the important issues are out of the way...nice episode guys.
However, I'd like to challenge you on some things.
First off, I'd like to touch on something that I felt you guys kind of saying, but I don't know if anyone really got to it. I think it's a bit unfair to blame churches for being segregated when they reside in a segregated community. When you're surrounded by white middle-America, it's wrong to expect the church to reflect anything different. Now when you have a church that's in the middle of an ethnic urban area with a predominantly white suburban congregation, I think it's fair to fault the church. Our previous congregation in Flint, was in a poorer urban area. Flint itself is very much black. However, you could count the number of blacks who were members on using parts of your body, and even less that regularly attended. And in most cases, those who were there more resembled the rest of the congregation than anything in the community.
I always felt that it was our calling as that church to take the resources offered to those living in our situation (white suburbia) and bring them into the city to bring Jesus to the people there. And while some might agree with me, NOBODY had a clue how to really do that. Dion said that he never knew poverty, but add to that the fact that none of us really knew what it was like to be a minority. We very much toyed with the idea of a minority pastor, and in many ways, I think that it would have helped. Yes, it seems token, and quite racist to believe that bringing in someone of color would be good enough. But if we were seeking the means of not only reaching others, but genuinely understanding them as well...there's nothing token about it.
As you guys have even discussed before...it takes a tremendous amount of humility to admit you don't know something, and even more to ask for help.
The issue is in de-segregating communities, as was mentioned, but how in the world does the church do that? Especially since doing so means encouraging the members of your congregation to leave your church!!
Another big issue, and one that the church might be able to help with, is simply getting people to realize that the work is not over, and that they may very well be contributing to the problem. I had a discussion with some of the youth of our old church not too long ago that led to racism, and they held the same view of things that most whites do, that prejudice and racism are the same thing, and they're not. You may not be prejudiced...but you are very likely still racist. The same applies for age and economic status. Heck sometimes I feel alienated in the church because most of the people we come into contact with don't understand that we can rarely afford new clothes, to eat out AT ALL, or even rent a movie every now and then, because everyone thinks they don't have enough money...why would our situation be any different than theirs?
I had something else to say...but I seem to have derailed somewhere. Oh well...nice episode anyways, guys. =0)
A few thoughts
This issue is one that really isn't easy. Especially if you want to do something about it.
I don't know that we are blaming churches for the segregation. I know that I am certainly not. What we definitely have here is an opportunity. An opportunity to not be such a segmented population.
The more I thought about this segmentation the more I wonder about it. For example, the region I live in is much more diverse than our church is. We call it white middle America but there are a lot of people from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds right around us and the church. I'd expect that's the same in many places called white middle America.
Do you really think that people think the work is over? I don't get that impression when I talk to people. People have told me that they believe there is a lot of work but they are too busy. They have to work, cart kids around to a bunch of activities, take care of their nice homes, and go out and play. I've been told that they don't have time to do the work of the church. On some occasions I've been told that's what the church staff is for.
In my experience it's either people don't realize the priorities of the mission in their own life or they have an expectation that doing anything is just up to the church staff.
When I say that....
When I say that people think the work is over, I'm specifically referring to racial segregation. Many people I talk to think of the civil rights movement as something that happened 40 years ago, and think that racism is a thing of the past. Basically, we don't have slavery or official segregation, therefore, there is no work to be done. From here on in, whatever happens, happens.
When it comes to the work in the church, I agree with your assessment. People think there's plenty to be done, and they often do see it as someone else's responsibility.
My Bathroom
Thanks for noticing my lovely echo! Actually, I just moved into an office an I'm needing to make some changes to make it more "studio friendly". Basically I have really high ceilings and bare walls ... thus the echo.
I'm exploring options ... especially for when there's two of us in the room and we're recording TheSwim.
On racial segregation
On the topic of racial segregation, I think Dion touched on the idea of seeking out other, non-white-middle-class-etc. experiences. Isn't that a better means of beginning to break down, at least personal barriers, than "let's bring in a *insert ethnicity/race* preacher"? It just seems to me that that "solution" is akin to Joe's "white people like to be the only white person in the room" example. Instead, I think you might have a scenario where an entire church full of white people may think they understand black culture because they have a black pastor.
I think that segregation is rooted in misunderstanding. I also think that when it comes to education, everyone has to do the hard work. You have to seek out and experience what you don't understand.