"...and have put on the new man who is renewed in full true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all." (Col3:10-11)

If a person visits the website for Trinity United Church of Christ, to their "About Us" page [link] one sees all sorts of interesting self-descriptors: unashamedly black, unapologetically christian, African people "true to our native land", the mother continent, cradle of civilization, Black worship service, commitment to Africa, historical education of African people in diaspora.

Before going any further here, does anyone find, as I do, the curiosity of revisionist history? The "cradle of civilization" is not Africa, but the middle east and the Persian areas: the areas from Ararat, Israel, towards the east and including present day Syria, Iraq and Iran; the Tigris and Euphrates valleys. Of course, if one trusts the world's history, not the Bible, then they will view the possibility of the "cradle" being in various places, including Egypt, India, East Asia, the Americas, etc. But these people claim to be a "church" with the Bible as a base? Or perhaps they don't read the Bible?

And, if they feel the "African people" are in "diaspora", are there not enough wealthy ones amongst them to provide the financial means for them to -return- "home"....if that is their wish? Wouldn't there be enough wealth between Oprah and Obama to accomplish the task? If they are sooo loathing this country, and dream after Africa, their roots, is it not possible for them to return home? I really doubt anyone would stop them. Jewish diaspora make Aliyah to Israel all the time. Negros could do so to Africa, too, if they wished; especially since they are calling themselves "Africans", not "Americans". Americans have roots from all over the world, that is the 'melting-pot' nature of this nation; from Europe, Africa, Asia, S.America, etc. And when they immigrate and take up citizenship, they start calling themselves "Americans". When people consider themselves to be -of- other nations, they reside here, typically, with visas...and then 'return' home. I was born in Japan, and family heritage goes back to Germany and Ireland; but I am an "American" And this is how most Americans view themselves.

Another verity of history is that nations conquered other nations, and captives were forced into exile migrations. Usually, after enough generations, people become inter-assimilated into their new cultures and surroundings. The new place becomes 'home' to them. This is a globally historic verity. Negros who were forcibly brought to America on slave ships were not the only people in history to ever suffer this disgrace.

So now... When Jesus commanded that the Gospel should be preached to "every creature" in the world (Mk16:15), did He say anything about different kinds of Gospel? An African Gospel, an Asian Gospel, a European Gospel? The Gospel did not originate from all these different places, but from Jesus Christ on the cross, and then resurrected; through the nation of Israel. As Jesus said to the woman of Samaria, "Salvation is of the Jews" (Jn4:22) Salvation has only One Source; and its proclamation is One Gospel; and those who follow Jesus Christ comprise One Church. Jesus prayed to the Father

that "they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:" (Jn17:21-22)

"it has been finished" (Jn19:30)

"There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one immersion; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Eph4:4-6)

But are any of these designations Biblical? If you think they are, please provide us chapter-and-verse.

Back when the Church was just starting, God called Peter to go to a gentile, Cornelius, to preach the Gospel. In that culture the Jews despised the gentile "dogs" with greater disparagement than whites did the Negros, and than Obama's church and pastor, Jeremiah Wright does whites. As God is calling Peter to go, Peter is -quite- reluctant: "By no means, Lord!" (Ac10:14) In today's vernacular: "No way!" God tells Peter, "What God has cleansed do not consider unclean" (vs15) Now, Peter's vision was about eating un-kosher animals. But God's meaning was clear, and as he goes, and begins to speak to the assembled gentiles...

"Then Peter opened his mouth and said: In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him." (Ac10:34-35)

There is -NO- Black church. There is -NO- White church. There is -NO- Chinese church. There is -NO- Hispanic church. There is -NO- Russian church. However, the Church of Jesus Christ does exist in Russia, China, Africa, America, Europe, etc. When True Believers are together, there is no dissembling from those who are of different race or cultural backgrounds, like Peter did and Paul had to call him on the carpet about it...

"Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from Jacob, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to Judaize? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through the faith of Jesus Christ, even we believe into Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the Law; for by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified." (Ga2:11-16)

The people who settled in the African continent migrated there -from- the region known as the Fertile Crescent, the actual "cradle of civilization". Genesis ch10 records the migrations. Africa was settled by the descendents of Cush; and Cush "begot Nimrod" (Gen10:8) Nimrod was one of the first (of many) anti-Christs, and also built the infamous Babel, the roots of Babylon. (Gen10:9-10)

Israel, on the other hand, came from Shem; thus hatred towards Israel is often called anti-Semitism. And God promised a specific land and territory to Abraham and his seed (Gen12:7, 15:18, etc)

No such promise or covenant (to my knowledge) is recorded having been given to Cush, Nimrod or descendents who settled the African continent. And yet, that which calls itself the "black church" does like 'white' replacement theology: Appropriates promises specifically to Israel, for themselves, and builds entire "black" doctrines around them. Some of the old Negro Spirituals revolved around these appropriated Israel doctrines, as did Martin Luther King, Jr in his speeches and sermons; speaking of the "promised land" and such things. Some of them even suggest that Jesus (and Solomon) was black; even though Jesus clearly came from the lineage of Judah, the seed of the Shemite, Abraham.

Just as white Replacement Theology is not Christian, so too Black Theology is not Christian. Neither one is! (Jesus was neither Black, nor a White effeminate hippy!) So too: the labels Baptist, lutheran, methodist, catholic, mormon and what-have-you are also NOT CHRISTIAN. They are -NOT- the Church of Jesus Christ. Although, again, there are some True Believers within those groups.

All this stuff that gets thrown around, tugged at, hacked to pieces, fought over, united, divided, prayed over, dialogued about, wept over, danced and spoken in tongues over, and pontificated...IS NOT the CHURCH of JESUS CHRIST. It is NOT -CHRISTIAN-...by the Biblical definition. Those people are not Jesus' "disciples" in heart, deed and word. (Ac11:26)

Jesus taught NONE of those things they wrangle, argue, dialogue about.

If they are seeking "unity", by their seeking, prove they don't have it. Otherwise, if they had it, why would they be seeking it? They do not belong to Jesus Christ; because He prayed for it, and accomplished it on the cross. It's a done deal. It already exists and is the characteristic of those who Truly KNOW the Lord. The fact they don't have it means, by definition, that they are not participants in Jesus' finished work of Salvation.

Both Peter and Paul paved the way and proclaimed that racial divides don't exist in Christ's Church. Did you get that? They DON'T EXIST! Believers of any ethnic backgrounds are -equally- 'one' with each other and with Jesus Christ. When such divides exist it is proof that those, thusly divided, are -NOT- Christ's Church. They do not need to unite to accept each other racially... They NEED TO BE SAVED by the blood of Jesus Christ!

They talk about "black worship". That typically indicates a dancing around to jungle witch doctor rhythms. I've been in black services and seen the goings on where individuals get caught up in ecstatic utterances, and become 'overcome', and go on mumbling and wailing, to such an extent that, in order to drown out the noise and embarrassment of the demonic activity, the congregation would take up with some more jazzy music and dancing. These practices come, originally, from African paganism, often lumped into the generic term "voodoo". That is what "black" worship is. Well, the "whites" have pretty much taken up the same in what we lump together around here with the generic term "charismania". And charismania has now pretty much permeated into -all- the various 'white' labels. The whole hodge podge, that resembles anything like this...the WHOLE THING is ACCURSED. It is an "other gospel" than what the apostles gave. (Ga1:8-9) It is not the Gospel that was "once for all delivered" to the Church. (Ju1:3)

Yes, Jeremiah Wright has proclaimed "damn America" for its suppression of black people, and blames 9/11 on it. Well, Pat Robertson and the late Jerry Falwell also issued public statements of 9/11 being God's judgment upon America. We as Believers know that America is due a lot more, in God's own time. It is judged regularly with storms and earthquakes for its stance regarding Israel, persuading Israel to compromise before its enemies. And if it doesn't mend its ways about other things as well, including the matter of abortion, sodomy and moral decay, it could easily become recipient of much more than what came on 9/11. But these are not 'racial' issues. These are about Godliness vs Wickedness. Righeousness vs Unrigheousness. Good vs Evil.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." (Ga3:28)

It is to those who are...

"sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were immersed into Christ have put on Christ." (Ga3:26-27)

"...washed from [their] sins in [Jesus'] own blood" (Rev1:5)

"Christ [is] in [them], the hope of glory" (Col1:27)

"..citizenship is in Heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ" (Php3:20)

We quote this often...

"For not all those of Israel are Israel" (Rom9:6b)

Amen!