Thank you for sharing your experience. This is never easy or comfortable, but you graciously being open is really helpful. I will be sharing this video. God bless you! X
Hey Jamarl / Joseph, just wanted to ask if you and the other participants are speaking from an experience in 1 particular church or every white church?
Hi again Kelly, all the contributors where from the UK and all from different churches. However I would say most of them are from more suburban areas, rather then from busier cities where it's more likely to have a more diverse church. I'd LOVE to connect with a church/churches that are doing a great job at this so we can learn from them.
@@JosephTheDreamer I can recommend Rig Nation (aka Tomi Arayomi). He's a black man in a predominantly white church (or was but left to focus on his own ministry but nothing to do with feeling uncomfortable etc), I run a ministry called Army Rising. There's 7 of us leading currently and we are a mixed bunch. I'd just hate to jump on comments about, for example: "no black ppl in leadership" when I don't know the geographics of the church or the people leading. In some cases, I'm veeeery sure they're picky and choosy for whatever reason, but what if the majority is white and there's no black leaders? What if the black ppl attending don't want to be leaders or aren't ready or qualified to be given a position, not because of colour but because of spiritual maturity and other reasons? There's much deeper conversations to be had and that's the only real answer I have in moving forwards tbh. There's understanding needed from both sides but like I said before, still appreciate your heart for starting this conversation overall!
Thank you for creating and sharing this. Thank you to the beautiful voices that were vulnerable in this video. I can't wait to share this with others and help continue the conversation!
So sad to hear how the people in this video have been hurt or let down by the church. Praying for all of you for peace and reconciliation. I pray you can be encouraged as you develop as leaders and use your ministry and skills to bring healing, unity and help lead churches across the UK. Genesis 1:27 we are all made in the image of God. We are one race but with different ethnicities and cultures that we can and should celebrate. The vision of the church in the bible is of many tribes, tounges and nations (Acts, Revelation 7:9, Daniel 7:14) and I am proud to be part of it. God bless you all.
Learnt so much watching this, power powerful stuff, thank you all for being part of this conversation, thank you for sharing how you feel. Let’s love how Jesus Loved ❤️
Guys, grow up. There is one race - Adam’s - the rest is about normal everyday prejudice and ignorance. I’m white, was born in Nigeria, have many friends of all colours and from all cultures. I’ve also had four non-white girlfriends. I love people; all people. I’ve also been told that I could NEVER understand what it feels like not to be white. I want to therefore, genuinely know what on earth ‘white people’ must do to show the empathy they truly feel without being judged almost for not being of colour. I’ve been grossly misunderstood in a few churches I’ve attended, simply for wanting the church to be more spiritual and less carnal. I didn’t have to be of colour to feel the deep sting of rejection. But I got up again and stood because I was doing it for God. Please, some of you need to ask yourself who you’re hugging the ‘race’ narrative for, you or God. I feel some misplaced hate might come my way for saying this.
“Guys grow up.” When you start a comment like that, everything else you say after is harder to hear. We need to LISTEN. Didn’t you hear that at the beginning of this video? If white people (& Christians specifically) could Be. More. Humble. And less defensive, we could get a lot closer toward Healing AND JESUS.
Grow up?? No, perhaps you need to grow up! This is exactly what they, WE are talking about! You need to learn to listen. Your comment is not only unhelpful, insensitive, narrow-minded but also just rude. Mindsets like yours are part of the issue.
Well said Danielle... If Simon does want to know what he can do to help, it's to sit a listen, ask all those 'friends' how they really feel and what he can do to help.... I'd be interested to know what they say! And what they think of this video.
We’re meant to be raising the dead, not digging up half decomposed corpses. So you’re not happy in your church? It’s all a bit academic at the moment. So start a home group with spiritual people who love you, regardless of where you or they are on the Dulux colour chart, and make disciples of each other for the sake of the Kingdom. Pray, humble yourselves, repent for yourselves and the nation, live in purity and watch the Lord heal the land. And bury that stinking corpse, otherwise it’ll eventually destroy your faith and credibility as a believer.
I have two comments to make here. The wonderful man that made the comment at 6:30. He speaks about how they’ll go over to Africa and evangelize. Well I figured this out along time ago because I’m a huge evangelizer. Nobody wants me at any of their churches down here in the deep South. They go away and evangelize for only 1to 2 weeks their life a year. Because they don’t want to evangelize any more than that. In fact they don’t want to evangelize at all. But if they only do it that short. If they hunker down in that grey area for the rest of the year. The devil lets them keep their fishing boats, cars, $400,000 houses, etc. I don’t know what it’s like in England but if you are a true evangelizer in the deep south of America they hate your guts. And in fact I would go as far to say that they actually believe that they are with Jesus and I am not with Jesus. Now is the time to evangelize people get out and get the work of the Lord that he has told you to do done.
Were ALL Hurting ! We ALL Have these uncomfortable situations/ feelings/perceptions/struggles/ doubts. We All have a common enemy & enemies working against us incl Race... to Divide us.
I think it's wise to keep in mind that the body of Christ (the church) right now, is filled with true Christians and also people that are not saved. To an extent, I believe everyone feels a certain way of "not fitting in" or like people stare at you or judge you or don't take you seriously when you say what is important to you. I have felt that way, among all different colors, even my own. We must also keep in mind that none of us are without sin and that it is only by Gods grace through Jesus Christ our Lord that we are saved and cleansed. We all are wretched, not by design, but by sin. This is neither a black, white, pink, blue, orange, green, yellow, situation. This is a heart situation that is in all of us and the only way it is fixed is surrendering to Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to work in us, on us, and through us and He sees fit. Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.
Sad to read the comments . We live in a white country so from a young age we have been judged by our colour the Church should be a safe place unfortunately it has not always been so. Not blaming anyone but we are being impacted by our culture in more ways than we think and can make judgements without realising. Cultural humility and healing and empowerment to those who have been hurt is important.
I note that most of the people challenging or opposing their comments are mainly white christians that are just not "getting it". We need to pray for the church honestly. Their comments show the state that we are in.
The only victims in this world are the ignorant! Those who are ignorant of their true identity! We will not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our minds! The gospel of Jesus Christ is what slays the labels of the flesh and unifies us in the spirit! There is no separation in the Spirit! When we all begin to walk in the Spirit, we will see the unity in Christ that we were created for! Our identities will no longer be rooted in white, black, gay, straight, man, woman, American, Asian, but in Christ alone! The only message that saves is the one that declares that SOULS MATTER! No flesh shall inherit the kingdom! We are born -again into the identity of blood-bought children of the Most High! When we know this, can't no demon in hell, no matter what it's title, (racism,terrorism,pandemic, etc) prosper against us! We are not Victims, but Victors in Jesus' name! 🔥🔥🔥As believer's in Christ, we will never encourage anyone to believe that any demon or principality has any power over them! Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you (Luke 10:19). This is the Good News!!!💖💖💖
Thankyou! I get it i think! I once used to go to meetings of a Ghanaian church group and felt similar. No one bothered to speak to me as the white guy, it’s like I wasn’t even needed. I gave the pastor a carving I had made of a celtic knot pattern with the words God is love in the middle. I hoped he might put it on front of his lecturn. Instead he just said “Thanks, in my country, people make a living from this sort of thing” I felt hurt, like he was saying, this isn’t really up to our standards, and maybe it wasn’t, but it still was unkind. Anyway I forgive him now and I see for many black Christians these are common experiences in white church settings. God bless all. . . . .
What must I do to be saved? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. Acts 16:31 You are so distracted by that which is outside of Jesus Christ. Look to Jesus Christ - and not yourself.
Sorry but quite frankly this wasn't helpful and Joseph, I couldn't feel anymore patronised than in your introduction. The title alone...why the sweeping blanket assumption that ALL white churches have failed or are a certain way? I understand the contributors in the video couldn't and didn't want to name and shame people but coming from a place where I've lived in and outside London, have many black friends and a Nigerian husband - I have my own observations, experiences and have talked at length with them about this to which even my husband turned this video off after the first 3-4 comments! Am I saying no one is racist? No, I've seen it and I stand up against it but addressing churches even as white and black is division! PLUS if people, esp the church, actually woke up, they'd also see the political agenda behind all this regarding George Floyd, which makes it even worse when you think is it not enough that a man died, but to now exploit his death and bring in extremist groups and opportunists to riot and loot (who are prob majority white) and pay them off?! All this 'micro-aggression' and 'covert racism' talk is a slippery slope away from Christ, away from identity and it breaks my heart. Stop falling for the narrative.
Wow to be honest Kelly it does sound like you have a more unique situation, friends/family etc. Most of us aren't so blessed to have that same perspective or privilege. The purpose of this video is to respond in some way to the millions of people that are hurt and asking to feel seen and heard. Most churches CAN do better and should be doing more in the conversation. If you have more advice or could even make your own video then we would love to learn from you.
Thanks for your response Joseph, its really appreciated. I think I understand what you were trying to achieve and bless you for that because I'm sure it came from a genuine heart, there's just so much to say about some of these comments but... you may be on to something there...a video. Wouldn't be a bad idea. Let's see what I can come up with and if I can even make sense of things 😆🤣
I agree very much i think that we (as spirits) should make an inviroment where everybody can feel safe and where nobody should be afraid of being vulnerable or being misunderstood for their own safety. It's very important that we realise that racial injustice hate and other forms of opressing isn't a matter of a victim role or something like a mental, theoretical or ideological warfare its a reality and the consecqences of this is both mental and physical pain, suffering, trauma and even death for anyone involved in it. So in a perfect world we shouldnt have to argue or discuss about something that is SO obvioussly NOT GOOD for ANYBODY.
You are being a bit selective about who your neighbour is. Every life matters. As a white man I have worshipped in a black church and did not feel entirely welcome. Lets recognise the need to keep on growing and keep on learning. God is no respecter of persons so let us unite and not divide. The gospel is for everyone and we are one family under God.
Fantastic guys. It can be difficult to express the small moments and the small comments, that all add up. This is so beautiful, so informative, so gentle, so honest. BIG APPRECIATION.
I think we're missing the point. That we're having this discussion is indicative of a fat and lazy church. If we were doing what Jesus sent us to do, we wouldn't be worried about being "persecuted" for our race. We would be persecuted for the only identity that matters: being a follower of the way. WHERE'S THE REJOICING FOR BEING PERSECUTED FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, WHERE'S CELEBRATING ON THE WAY HOME FROM THE PRISON!? Our brothers and sisters are being beheaded and slaughtered for their faith and we're here bickering about our own feelings, trying to take the logs out of each other's eyes and test ourselves on the "woke scale". The only woke that matters is Ephesians 5:14: awaken oh sleeper! Rise and Christ Jesus will shine in you! And it is nothing else that God's truth that will set us free. Have you not read that the deceive will divide us by offense? What does Jesus say to do when your brother offends you? Ask him to change? No, FORGIVE HIM? How many times? Don't feel guilty for your privilege, use it to lift others up! Don't make others feel guilty for your hardship, glorify God in how He has lifted you up! Besides, how many of you who ask people to "check their privilege" have prayed for that person? Have you not read that it's easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle... If anything, you should have mercy on them and sincerely pray for their salvation, out of love and mercy as Jesus himself said that that person can only be saved by God's intervention. That's deliverance! You don't get a demon out of a person by telling them think better. YOU PRAY! Come on church, we've gotten lazy and forgotten our first love.
When we enter into judgment, we will be checked for any unforgiveness. We don't make progress as a church by justifying the offence we have taken, we grow by forgiving beyond logic and reason as we ourselves were forgiven.
when you are a child of god !!!!!! colour doesn't matter !!! the place you was born doesn't matter !!!! you are approved in Christ and your approval comes from god not from man !!!!! So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers !!!!! let people stop you and see how god makes way for his believer. keep your eyes on Christ this is bullshit believe me !!!!!!! and I'm not trying to be rude ... I'm a follow of lord Jesus
