Food for Thought by Marcia Dixon

THRIVING IN SPITE OF RACISM

We are in a poignant and, dare I say it, worrying time where race relations in Britain are concerned.

The media hounding of Professor Jason Arday and his subsequent death seems to not only have brought racists to the fore, but emboldened them too.  It has made social media a very unpleasant place to be right now.  I am astounded, surprised and saddened by some of the racist comments I have seen under social media posts expressing solidarity with Professor Arday.

All this bigotry, especially in the lead up to Black History Month, has got me thinking, and   I’ve concluded we should never be surprised by racism; it’s always lurking in the background.  It just needs an issue or an incident to bring it to the fore. 

From the time Black Caribbean people started arriving in the UK en masse in 1948 – at the invitation of the then Tory Government – they have experienced racism. When Caribbeans went looking for homes to rent, they saw signs saying ‘No Blacks, No Irish, No Dogs’. Many came here as skilled workers, but could only find low-paid, menial work, because their skills weren’t recognised or respected due to their race. 

Racism was everywhere – even in churches. There are many accounts of Black Christians visiting churches where they were asked by white leaders not to come back. This rejection helped fuel the growth of the burgeoning Black Pentecostal Church movement of the 1950s and 60s.

Fast forward to the present day, and it’s evident Black people have come a long way. 

Several anti-racist laws, fought for by Black people, have been implemented to stop racial discrimination.

Black people are present in all strata of society. Our influence is everywhere. We are richer.  More educated. Enjoying great careers. And our churches, founded by Black Christians, remain the most stable institutions within our community… yet racism remains. 

Let’s be clear. Racism’s existence does not mean the Black community can’t thrive. It just means we have to do what our parents always told us: dream big, get an education, work hard, be resilient and trust that God will make a way. We should also join forces with allies willing to work alongside Black communities campaigning for a more just, equitable and anti-racist world.

Lastly, now is a great time for all churches to give hope; remind the nation that we are all made in the image of God; and proclaim that racism has no place in our world.

THERE’S STILL A PLACE FOR OUTREACH SERVICES

Earlier this year, I attended a church conference/evangelistic outreach at the Copper Box Arena, organised by CRC London. I hadn’t been to a large outreach service in ages, and doing so brought back precious memories.

I got saved at a youth outreach, and I remember the time when evangelistic meetings were a major feature in the Black Church calendar. During the 90s and noughties, London was the scene of numerous mass evangelistic/large conferences, led by men like Billy Graham, Luis Palau and Morris Cerrulo. 

Is there still an appetite for such meetings? I think so. American pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell attracted thousands when he preached at an outreach service held at the Excel, London in February.

What astounded me at the CRC London conference was the large number of people who responded to the altar call (about 100) that followed the evangelistic message by Pastor At Boshoff. It served as a powerful reminder that large outreach events, focused on seeing individuals converted to Christ, can achieve great results.

Any church desirous for more converts should seriously consider organising outreach events.  Although personal evangelism remains an effective way of reaching non-Christians, room should be made for the occasional outreach service. The effort made to arrange them is usually worth it.

IS THIS THE BEGINNING OF THE END FOR RELATIONSHIPS?

There’s an interesting and surprising trend happening on social media where relationships are concerned. Women of all ages, races and cultures are stating publicly that they are choosing peace over relationships with men, due to their behaviour which includes gaslighting, controlling behaviour, emotional, physical, financial or spiritual abuse, infidelity or plain old selfishness.      

I find this trend worrying – not because there’s anything wrong with being single, but rather the reasons why women are choosing peace: mainly the negative and sometimes dangerous behaviour men have shown towards women.  

I believe this provides an opportune moment for Christian men to demonstrate to their non-Christian counterparts how to treat women in a way that will inspire love and respect. The founder of Christianity – Jesus Christ – respected women and was merciful to women whose behaviour fell short of biblical standards. Men will have to improve their character and behaviour if they want this upward trend of women rejecting relationships to stop.