The Black Church

This is our story (gospel piano music) Oh, oh, this is our song Praising my Savior Oh, oh, all the day long All the day long All the day long (light piano music) (laughing) Ah that is great. (soft music) -

Man

In the name of Jesus today, oh God, we are rising. We break the sky The black church was more than just a spiritual home. It was the epicenter of black life. Out of it came our black businesses, our black educational institutions, The black church gave people a sense of value, belonging and worthiness. I don't know how we could have survived as a people, without it. To tell the story of American religion is to tell a political story. The black church helped us to withstand all the slings and arrows of segregation and the segregationists. We're willing to be beaten for democracy. We want freedom. Who are the five greatest black preachers of all time? It's so many. Prathia Hall. Renita Weems. We serve a Jesus who came and turned over the tables. Jeremiah Wright. Gardner Taylor. Gardner Taylor. Howard Thurman. I left out Otis Moss. Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. Love can be sacrificial. Did you think that you were going to get one amen. out of those Brits? I learned how to see amen's in their eyes. (laughing) I'm gonna to clap my hands (gonna clap my hands) I'mma sing unto the Lord (sing unto the Lord) Some might argue that the black church is the first black theater. The role of music in the black church. It's everything. How do you define gospel music? Oh, really simple. Gospel music is the sonic presentation that talks about the majesty of Jesus. Entertainment shouldn't be in the church. What do you think the preacher does? Hey you're right. (laughs) The preacher "and you're ah, ah." "And if I, ah." What? That's entertainment. (both laugh) And I pray In the morning Fare ye well, fare ye well (soft music) The African-American church is 80 to 90% women, but the leadership is 80 to 90% male. There's an awful price to pay when you say that you're a same-gender-loving person. If you say you were born this way, then you're saying, "God, You're a liar." (soft music) We are a testament to the goodness and the grace of God. Everything in the world has tried to kill us and we're still here. Culture says you the wrong race. The Christ says, "I made your race "and I ain't made no mistake." It was our Balm in Gilead, the place where our people made a way out of no way. It was that place from which our souls could look back and wonder how we got over. Trust in the Lord (trust in the Lord) You better trust in the Lord We call it the church. You better trust in the Lord You oughta trust (light music)