Sorry for the long post, but I need to share my heart on this historic moment…and hopefully it makes sense.
Last night, I watched Barack Obama’s historic bid to become the 44th President of the United States. I didn’t vote for Obama because of his views on abortion, taxes, and a host of other issues, but I certainly will support him as much as I would have John McCain. I’ve always said that it doesn’t matter who is in the White House. My job as a believer in Jesus Christ is and will always be the same - to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ.
The nation’s first black president is historic on so many fronts. Growing up in the south, I learned what racism looked like firsthand. My parents did something for me that opened my eyes at a young age. They connected me with their black co-workers, neighbors, teammates, and friends. That upbringing helped me not see race, but a person like me with the same struggles of identity and purpose. Those values continue with me even today.
In 2001, I interviewed at a church in Opelika, Alabama. Opelika & Auburn are twin cities with almost opposite racial diversity. Opelika was 90%+ black. Most in the church didn’t think I would fit with the church and turned me down for the job. Through that experience God had opened my eyes to something much greater than I could have imagined.
After being turned down in Alabama, I then interviewed and landed the job as a pastor in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It was a small white church in a 93% black community in southwest Michigan. My family lived in a parsonage (house for the pastor) just behind the church building. Racial tension was huge in the community because across the river was a city of 93% white affluent residents. During our time there, there was a young black man killed in a high speed chase. His death invoked riots in the community and less than 1 mile from our house. I still remember watching CNN and seeing the street I drove on frequently with houses and cars burning.
After the riots, the Governor, the two men from Remember the Titans, former President Jimmy Carter, Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton stopped by to meet with local pastors and community leaders. I led our church to partner with a black church in the community. We held a Sunday morning Unity Service where both of us spoke. Shortly after this service, I took a walk in the woods behind our house. I found an old house that had collapsed. In it was broken pots and many old memoriabilia from years gone by. I mentioned that I found the house and then learned of its history. That run down house once was one of the final stops of the Underground Railroad. History was just beyond our backyard.
My life has been blessed with people of different race and backgrounds. My children hear racism, but we squash it as fast as we can. Cody’s number 63 was picked mainly because he was a lineman, but also because of former UT Vol #63 Phil Stuart (1985-1988). Phil was my black UT lineman friend who took me onto the sidelines and into the locker room after UT beat Mississippi.
I’m super proud of my country to see it move beyond race. We’ve come a long way as country, but we still have ways to go. My dream is to pastor a church where there are diverse people. Seriously, I give an extra “Praise God” every time someone of a different race comes to our church. I believe that’s where we need to be as a Church. So my job as pastor continues to be the same whether it is a D or a R in Washington, state, or in my local government. May God bless us in the journey ahead.
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Tags: 44th President, Barack Obama, Benton Harbor Michigan, Cnn, First Black President, Jesus Christ, John Mccain, Opelika Alabama, President Of The United States, Southwest Michigan, Views On Abortion
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