Black Church
Strengths We’ve Lost: Missions
Memory is a blessed aid to faith. Recalling the works of God’s salvation, providence, and goodness stir the anticipation of future grace and present power. It works that way in … Continue reading
Not by Sight, Not by Comfort: Encouragements for Those Integrating Churches
As an African-American male who’s grown up in a predominantly white church, I was struck by Lou’s article about his son, Curtis. Now, no neighborhood “welcoming committee” has ever called … Continue reading
Strengths We’ve Lost: Church Discipline
Our present strengths are not guaranteed. Our greatest powers may be lost. To decay. To change. To misuse. It happens to professional athletes. I still can’t shake the image of … Continue reading
A Pastoral Concern Regarding Black Manhood Discussions
I’m grateful for the zealous effort to recover biblical manhood in the African-American and wider context. We’ve needed such a movement for a long time. I pray the efforts of … Continue reading
Every Man an Elder: How One Church Seeks to Encourage Male Leadership
“Every man an elder!” is a phrase we like to challenge the men with at East Point Church. It really is no more than what the Bible challenges them with. … Continue reading
Defining Manhood and the Work of the African-American Church
The greatest challenge facing men today is defining manhood itself. I don’t think that’s hyperbole. I think it’s true — mainly because confusion on the concept gives rise to the … Continue reading
“Why Focus on African-American Churches?”
When Tony, Lou and Thabiti began The Front Porch, they knew they would be asked this question: “Are you being exclusionary or unwelcoming to persons of other ethnic backgrounds?” Here is Thabiti’s answer.
“Black Millennials” and the Black Church
Most people credit historians and social scientists William Straus and Neil Howe with coining the term “millennials,” a synonym for “Generation Y,” which is usually defined as that generation of … Continue reading
What is The Front Porch?
The Front Porch is a place for conversations about biblical faithfulness in African-American churches and beyond. Hear Louis Love, Thabiti Anyabwile, and Tony Carter chop it up and talk about what that means.
Who Are the Real Preachers of L.A.?
With the announcement of Oxygen’s new Fall show, “Preachers of L.A.”, the internet erupted with the expected controversy over the show. “Preachers of L.A.” features five mega-church pastors who grant … Continue reading
The Importance and Necessity of the Church
Tony Carter & Philip Duncanson chop it up on The Front Porch, discussing why the Church is not only important but needed, and why the current generation may not think … Continue reading
The Bishop and the Filmmaker: What T.D. Jakes and Tyler Perry Teach Us about the Black Church, Black Elites, and Authentic Spirituality
Recently an internet brouhaha erupted when film maker Tyler Perry, attending Bishop T.D. Jakes’ MegaFest Convention in Dallas, Texas, made a $1 million contribution to a proposed youth center. During … Continue reading