The opening plenary session of the November 2012 Facing Race conference reveals the danger of seeking racial justice without first seeking God. The opening speaker, Rinku Sen, is the publisher for Colorlines.com, “a daily news site where race matters.” I stumbled across the website and the Facing Race conference they host because I’m interested in what people […]
Today is Juneteenth. June 19, 1865 commemorates the day when the Emancipation Proclamation that declared all slaves free was announced to citizens in the state of Texas. Although the proclamation became official on January 1, 1863, it wasn’t until after the war ended that it had any real effects. Photo Credit: rollingout.com A Day of Freedom […]
Conversation with my wife’s grandmother, Daisy, had been cordial and mostly forgettable…until she started talking about her childhood as a sharecropper. My wife, my son, me and Ms. Daisy had been driving in the car on our way back from Kansas City, Missouri after spending Easter with my in-laws. A surge of wakefulness knocked me […]
Who would have thought a Cheerios commercial could spark racial rage? A recently released ad for the classic American cereal featured a White mother, a Black father, and an interracial child. The Commercial and Its Comments The child asks the mother if she’s sure Cheerios are good for the heart and when the mom replies that […]
What if you really believed God is with you? What couldn’t you do? What would you fear to attempt for His glory? Called, But Not Courageous I’m an admitted dreamer. An idealist. I have a million ideas for how to make the world a better place, and I’m even convinced a few of them will […]
Southern Baptist school’s dismissal of conservative outrages Southern Baptist leaders You may remember a story about Dr. Jarvis Williams, professor at Campbellsville University in Kentucky, whose contrast was not renewed, perhaps because of his traditional Christian views. I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Williams for a research project I did in seminary. He gives […]
Two Reformed African American brothers, Lance Lewis and Anthony Bradley, sat down at an event in Washington D.C. called “The Future of Race in American Evangelicalism.” The meeting was held as part of the book launch for Aliens in the Promised Land: Why Minority Leadership is Overlooked in White Christian Church and Institutions edited by Bradley […]
by Jemar Tisby A racially and ethnically diverse assembly has always been part of God’s plan for redemption. Amid the excitement about diversity, Christians must remember that there is a biblical basis for it. Here are just a few passages from Scripture that illustrate the multi-ethnic imperative of the Gospel. In the Beginning… After Adam […]
After five days away from family and a 10 hours of airplanes, layovers, and delays, I’m finally back from the TGC Conference ’13 in Orlando. I could not have predicted the grace God would show us through RAAN and the blessings with which He would shower us. I’d like to share a recap of the event […]
It’s hard to tease fact from fantasy when it comes to St. Patrick. So as I was researching the life of Patrick I was astonished to find that he had been a slave. Not only had he been a slave, but he later returned to the land of his captivity to evangelize his enslavers! The […]
by Jemar Tisby Since the inception of RAAN, we have seen God use this ministry to encourage all kinds of people. Many supporters are grateful for a site that offers trustworthy, biblical teaching. Others have enjoyed reading content from new voices, and still others simply appreciate having a place on the web to dialogue and […]
Last night at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards Lecrae Moore won “Best Gospel Album” for “Gravity” released on September 4, 2012. While many other artists earned awards last night, Lecrae’s win is a departure from the norm. Few other Christian Hip Hop (CHH) artists have been honored with a Grammy, and never has such an artist gained […]
RAAN had the opportunity to interview Rev. H.B. Charles, Jr., pastor of Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. Pastor Charles shares his thoughts on Black preaching, Reformed teaching, and transformation in the African American church. What does H.B. stand for? H.B. stands for absolutely nothing. The initials are my name. It’s a long story. […]
Starting with just a Facebook page and a few likes, the Lord has grown the Reformed African American Network (RAAN) to include thousands of people across social media platforms and a website with more content and resources added by the week. More exciting than numbers, though, is the personal impact this ministry is making. Read […]
by Anthony Carter *This article was originally posted in the December 1, 2011 issue of Tabletalk Magazine Tabletalk Magazine. Tabletalk: Why did you write the book On Being Black and Reformed? Anthony Carter: When I first came into the knowledge of Reformed theology, I was excited and invigorated to share this truth with others. However, I quickly discovered that […]
Reviewed by: Elbert McGowan, Jr., Guest Contributor I have been pastoring college students for the past six years, on the campus of Jackson State University (JSU). JSU is one of the largest Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the country. My college ministry, Reformed University Fellowship (RUF), is the first such chapter started on […]
by Jemar Tisby, Co-Founder The tragic shooting in Newtown, Connecticut this past week reminds us of our helplessness. We wonder what we could possibly do to comfort those most severely affected by this incomprehensible trauma. What words, what gestures could bring light to the darkness? I wonder what I would do to serve the afflicted. […]
”If [our church] doesn’t become more multi-cultural, God will write Ichabod over the door of the church and it will die…The Spirit of God will not be there.” Adherents to Reformed theology–particularly Southern Presbyterians–have had a sometimes disappointing past regarding race relations in America. Recents articles and media have pointed out several failures to properly […]
The word “Reformed” means different things to different people. So it’s reasonable to ask, “What does it mean to be Reformed?” The term “reformed” itself means “to shape again”. So at its simplest, to be Reformed means to be forming the Church into the image Christ teaches in the Bible. Basic Christian Beliefs All Christians, […]
A Message of from RAAN’s Co-Founders The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty (Prov. 21:5). As Phillip and I have seen God work in and through RAAN, we have learned that what God is doing takes time. We are like farmers waiting for the […]
