Quinn Chapel of the A.M.E. Church in Chicago. It serves the oldest African-American congregation in Chicago, which was formed in 1844. Credit: Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
Rev. Dr. Heber Brown says the times call for the Black church “to reconfigure itself to better address the foundational needs of its people.”
Many in the nation are grappling with where we go from here. There are fears of a recession, concerns about tariffs, and an administration that seems bent on skirting the rule of law. In this hour of great need, the Black church has an opportunity to reconfigure itself to better address the foundational needs of its people. This includes a more systematic approach to food security, a reimagining of youth and young adult ministries, an expansion of traditional church roles, and a broader view of health and wellness programs.
For instance, rather than thinking of our programs to feed persons in need as beginning and ending with food pantries, we can look to the model created by the entity I founded, the Black Church Food Security Network. Since the Black church is land-rich, the BCFSN advocates growing gardens on church grounds. We also work to support Black farmers and producers and connect them with Black congregations. We understand that if we have control over our food system, we can address food insecurity while also cultivating new relationships and skills.
RELATED: From Tending Grandma’s Garden to Starting a Food Revolution
Black churches have an opportunity to pursue critical opportunities that could lead to collective thriving. For example, trustee ministries could see the activation of church assets as an urgent part of their ministry today. Building on the traditional understanding of their role, they could think about their church as a laboratory that incubates and invests in the cultivation of Black genius. This would make it easier for changemakers (both in the congregation and community) to access the funds and facilities they need to launch what could be life-giving innovations.
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