One major issue, in the African-American church, is the personal struggle of insecurity. Of my 29 years of living, I have noticed that, within the corridors of the church building, there is a melting pot of hurt Christians and wounded Christians currently struggling with power struggles that is because of insecurity. I noticed that church people are covetous for other people's spiritual gifts, economic status, occupational position, and outward appearance of fashion creativity. I also noticed that African-American families compete against other families in the African-American in the church to send their children to the best schools, wear the best clothes, and to compete in sports. Now this happens everywhere; not just the church. Everyone competes, but why are these things occurring during the time and place of worship? Some would call it the devil, and I would not be against that answer; but some would say that what I am discussing is inevitable. Well, I would say that it may be inevitable, but I think awareness should be raised and that this issue should be exposed. It needs to be exposed because of what results from this type of behavior within the Christian relationship dynamic.
I will start with saying that Jesus said that "the greatest of these are actually the least of these" and that "the greatest in the Kingdom of God is the servant." The word servant that is used in the Bible is the Greek word doulos which is the English transliteration word for "bond-servant" and what doulos refers to is one being bound to another. The Greek word diakoneo is where we get the word deacon and it means to be a servant, attendant, helper, or minister. There is a problem that African-American Christians have, but I would like to put an end to this false ideology at this juncture and that is: HUMAN BEINGS THAT ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK ARE CHRISTIAN BEFORE WE ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN/BLACK. Because of the history of African-Americans, African-Americans have an extremely difficult issue with adopting the idea of being a servant/slave. Acting as a slave means, to an African-American, that one must take orders, accomplish the duties of completing dirty work, and at most times, be looked down upon. The problem is that black people did not fight to abolish slavery and fight for civil rights to re-visit slavery; let alone to a person that is portrayed as a white male with blue eyes. It is the worldly perception of slavery that has caused black people to reject the idea of becoming a servant of and for Jesus Christ.
So you ask the question, "what does this have to do with coveting spiritual gifts, anointings, economic and occupational positions, and the outward appearance of one's creative fashion sense?" Christian servanthood lifestyles and living is strongly important and significant to these evil behaviors because it stems from jealousy, hatred, self-pity, self-hate, and the lack of being aware of self-worth. African-Americans want so much, and want freedom so bad that some African-American Christians have yet to understand and truly believe that there is freedom in Jesus Christ. "Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3. 17). Although we are servants and bond servants for and of Jesus Christ, Christians remain and maintain freedom to live without the chains and bondage of jealousy, covetousness, and the lack of being aware in self-worth. When Christians remain to struggle with these listed issues, and other issues, then one has not fully come into complete maturity in Jesus Christ. It is when Christians are able to stay in their outlined lanes, minding their own business and taking care of their own personal issues that the church can smoothly flow in an apostolic-prophetic anointing that the Lord has ordained for the body of Christ.
Another issue that African-American Christians struggle with that inhibits them from knowing who they are in Christ is the issue of power; slaves do not have power. What servant do you know has power and authority? When Christians are called and not only called, but upgraded, into the eschaton of Christ's divine plan of us walking in servanthood, it is at that point when Christians will be able to confidently walk in power and authority. This authority and power can only come from Christ; unfortunately not man. Although man can give authority and power to people whom man feels deserve an amount of power and authority, that authority and power is limited to exercising the duties, responsibilities, and obligations of an organization. Unfortunately, that power and authority, that is given from man, does not run demons out of regions, does not heal the sick, does not prophesy, nor does that limited authority and power have the foundation of love and grace; because it is not Kingdom authority and power.
One that is called by man, and not called by God has to consistently plea that they have been given a position by a man; I call these persons name droppers. These people drop names so that they can be validated; but God does the validation and activation. Many Christians are insecure because they have not been called, but they claim they have been called by God; but truthfully have not been called. I have noticed that the true servants are the ones that are always in attendance for prayer; cooking the food, setting the tables; cleaning the bathrooms; and driving the people home from church because those people do not have transportation. These servants are the ones that are most secure. In addition, the true servants are the minstrels, pastors, and bishops that are not on television, that do not have a team of armour bearers when David only had one amour bearer. These servants are the ones that are delivering people from demons in a small church that has less than 20 members. These are the servants that live all the way in the back of the woods; these servants are the ones that are not looking to prostitute their gift by going here and there to perform; these are the servants that are living in holiness and righteousness; these are the servants that are secure and do not want what the majority has. Lastly, these are the servants that know who they are in Christ.
Christ wants us to know who we are in Him! We must be focused on what Christ wants and not focused on what other people have, what other people accomplish, and what other people's gifts are. I remember in Scripture, that the Apostle Paul, a bond-servant of Christ, says that we should not "despise prophecies;" he says, "abstain from every form of evil" (1 Thess. 5. 19-22). There is a way that seems right unto man, but the end thereof leads to destruction (Proverbs 14.12). There is a rise in a new paradigm of Christian leaders that are secure and not insecure and the Lord wants to break all yokes and all forms of bondage. Please, be open to what the Lord has to say so that He can continue to transform your soul; our soul should he anchored in the things of the Lord!
God bless you!
In the blood of Jesus Christ,
Donnie
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