February 2024: A Night of Black Church & Student Praise

HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH! 

This past Tuesday Feb 27, the black students of UTD FOCUS and I did a thing for our community called "A Night of Black Church" in celebration of Black History Month! We got together a band of stellar musicians, found ourselves a student preacher, sang new songs, and watched a praise dance (by me and a student). Let’s just say the people had a crazy good time!

We filled up an auditorium of about 300 people dressed in their Sunday Best with church fans in hand. We had people come from our FOCUS ministries and Family of Churches from all over the DFW metroplex and we lifted up a culturally specific praise to God. 

The goal of this event was to expose and educate people in our communities, and on our campuses to a different style of church tradition. In honor of Black History Month we went along with the more traditional/foundational church style that most closely identifies with the civil rights movement. This church tradition is near and dear to me because it was the kind of church style that I grew up experiencing and is always what made church feel fun to me. 

I was so excited and honored to give our community the experience of a version of what Black church is like. As we make and mature disciples on our campuses, I see more and more how important it is that we continue to expose our community to people and traditions that are different from their norm in order that we each may walk away with a greater understanding and appreciation for each others differences within the body of Christ. 

In 1 Corinthians 12 it says:

”The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything? But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it. How strange a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.” In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.”

In the Body of Christ we need each other! We cannot properly function as the body of Christ unless we expand our capacity to understand and love and care for one another. 

The feedback we got for this event was SO complimentary from SO many different people, so I would say it was an event well done 😊. Please enjoy some of the clips from A Night of Black Church below!  

Feedback from an anonymous source: 

“My husband went to BLISS last night with his small group and came home with just the highest praises about the whole night. My stoic, nonexpressive, white as white can be husband came away blessed. He showed me some videos and I was moved to tears!

Just wanted to encourage you that God has blessed so. many. people through you and your faithfulness. Thank you for sticking around and for having grace and a vision for our community. 

I love you!”

What gift of a response that is! God is good!! 

Student Highlight

This is Morolake, aka Ro. I wanted to share the good news with y’all about her and the work I’ve been able to witness God do in her heart.  I met Ro 2 years ago after church. She was crying and I went up to her and asked her what was wrong and she communicated to me about feeling skeptical of her validity as a believer, since she had so much doubt about whether or not she was sure she believed. I proceeded to talk to her for a little bit to get to know her more, and by the end of the conversation we agreed to study the Bible together. Lots of our Bible study together consist of frenzied spiraling conversations about her hangups with Christianity and her confusion about the legalism that she had experienced growing up and confusion on how that was supposed to be reflective of God. Ro and I continue to study the Bible, and it was a mixed bag. As she learned new things they would make sense to her but she would somehow find a way to end her new understanding with a different aspect that she was doubtful of. As this kept happening, one of her doubt spirals caused her to ask us to pause on studying the Bible so that she could figure out faith for herself. We remained friends and she continued to come to small group. Even though she was doubtful she still remained opened to being challenged. One of those challenges were for her to try coming to FNF. She came but refused to sing because she thought it was corny (lol) and uncomfortable. Fast forward to Christmas break of 2022: 3 months before that she says “I’m gonna decide if Jesus is for me in 3 months” and it turned out that Christmas Day was the 3 month mark.  See our conversation below 😊

So many things have changed in her since this day! Where she was resistant to things she is way more open and receptive, where she was skeptical about things she is calmer and more trusting that she has time to investigate/that she can follow Jesus and still have questions, and now she stands up and sings all the time! SHE EVEN CAME TO WINTER RETREAT! 

AND NOW SHES GOING TO SICM!!!!!!!!!!! (Our student leadership conference called the Student Institute of Campus Ministry) 

GOD IS GOOD!!!! 

Were it not for all of y’all’s financial support and prayers, I would not be able to be a part of and witness things like this! Your gift to these students is impactful beyond what’s even tangible. Thank you so so much for your partnership in this ministry! 

Please pray for my core that they would all choose Jesus/ level up in their faith if they already have chosen Jesus!