#BlackPastorChronicles: Welcoming (White) Strangers

Last updated on: July 6, 2015 at 11:57 am by Earle Fisher

#BlackPastorChronicles: Welcoming (White) Strangers 2015-07-06T11:57:15-05:00 Earle Fisher

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We had some unexpected guests today at Abyssinian Missionary Baptist Church. A white couple celebrating their 26th wedding anniversary in Memphis (who were from Michigan and were staying at the Heartbreak Hotel) came through ABC for Sunday Worship service. The husband called the church in advance and asked “How far are yall from the Heartbreak Hotel?” (reread that with a peculiar white accent…not quite redneck but surely not Bill Moyers either)….. Upon hearing about this I immediately walked outside to see if I needed to intervene upon their arrival (Charleston anyone?). I ended up being called into a meeting and by the time it was over there were two people sitting in the sanctuary (about 4 rows from the pulpit) calmly waiting for worship service to begin — ask me how I know!!! After asking one of our good brothers (who happens to be white) if he knew them (which he didn’t) I immediately walked over to speak with them (and honestly to get a feel for if they were there with ill-intent). IMAGINE….a pastor….. minutes before worship service……. having to introduce himself to a couple of visitors…. while simultaneously “screening” them (looking inside the brother’s suit jacket glancing for weaponry, doubling down on the bible tote bag in between he and his wife)….all the while, making “small talk.”

AFTER getting a feel for our visitors, I IMMEDIATELY began to skim over my preaching manuscript in my mind…asking, “Am I going to say anything offensive to them? I know I can be a little edgy and unorthodox in my attempts to articulate the gospel on a grass roots and socially conscious level…. how many times do I have “white supremacy” in the manuscript? Can I say “nigga” or “damn” or “hell” today? The brother said he’s Baptist…is that Southern Baptist? He referenced the KJV… will they be taken aback by my use of the NRSV or references to the Message Translation or the EIV (Earle International Version – not published yet but helps me preach better!!!)? What if they get up and leave while I’m preaching?”

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE RUNNING THROUGH MY MIND….WHILE IN MY OWN CHURCH!!!!

I ultimately resolved to preaching like I customarily preach and with God’s help and grace had the visitors were well engaged (the brother was literally in tears, they asked to take a picture with me afterwards… brother asked me to sign his bible and put my favorite verse underneath my signature)…..They turned out to be some very “respectable” and well-intentioned white folks who just so happened to find a black baptist church near where they were staying for the weekend (while preparing to visit Graceland….go figure)….. and they listened to a social justice preacher with an unadulterated and unapologetic commitment to black liberation theology…. and they LOVED IT… (also, we had two others join today who just so happen to be white; along with 5 others were just so happen to be black)

As I reflected on my day at church, I wonder how many times a white pastor had to deal with all of those emotions and reflections……. in her or his own church….because some black visitors showed up?

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