The White-Washing of Black & Brown Church Planters

From Chaos to a Gentrified Community

The rhythmic beat of house music thumped through the space as I sat in a small café in a gentrified part of Baltimore. 

Across me sat Jamal, a passionate church planter I'd been asked to meet with by a church planting network he is a part of.

The flash in his eyes, once filled with the fire to uplift his childhood community, seemed distant. His words, once overflowing with street lingo and genuine warmth, now had an air of rehearsed eloquence.

The shift was subtle, but the seasoning was missing.

Over our artisanal coffees, we reflected on our journeys as urban church planters, the challenges, the victories, and the evolving landscapes.

As our conversation meandered, I was reminded of a poignant observation from Dr. Martin Luther King's seminal book, Where Do We Go From Here, Chaos or Community? 

In it, Dr. King noted how emerging Black leaders were sometimes molded, flattered, and subtly redefined by the white establishment. Instead of being representatives of their communities, their roles gradually pivoted to representing a different set of interests to their communities.

While addressing broader societal challenges, the book resonated deeply with the changes I witnessed in Black and brown church planters like Jamal.

Something Has Happened

This transformation isn't always deliberate.

It's a nuanced drift, often camouflaged as personal growth or adaptation.

Yet, the heart of the matter remains: Are we, as church planters, losing our authenticity in the face of subtle white-washing? How far have we strayed from our mission, and more importantly, can we find our way back to our communities?

The journey of Black and brown church planters is not just a personal mission. Becoming and serving as a pastor in the black community is deeply intertwined with identity, cultural history, and societal nuances.

In the heart of the city, where the rhythm of the streets echoes the sound of historical struggles and aspirations, a new concern arises the subtle and crafty whitewashing of Black and Brown church planters.

Drawing inspiration from the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, who once observed how emerging Black leaders were sometimes molded into an image preferred by the white establishment, there's a parallel in the church planting realm.

The Imitation Game

Flattery, cultivation, and subtle pressures can lead Black and brown church planters to slowly evolve into representatives for a different audience instead of representing their communities.

The switch isn't always overt, but it's undeniable. 

The mannerisms, the language, and even the priorities subtly shift.

The journey of many black and brown church planters is typically in partnership with a large or several evangelical organizations. They offer theological education, and many offer opportunities to travel across the country to large conferences where other like-minded leaders gather, and this is where the imitation begins. 

You listen to the sermons, build relationships, read the books and blog posts, and slowly, over time, you begin to imitate the culture of this newfound world you have entered while adding your own unique swag. 

This is not bad or wrong. It’s natural.

When in a new environment, it makes sense to adjust to meet the norms of this environment to be accepted.

But too often, it goes from adjustment to assimilation. 

The Middle-Class Mirage

Often, the journey towards transformation begins innocently enough.

The expectations and priorities of church planters start to change. Being the only black person in a room with "good theology" or "he's a rapper" becomes a sort of status symbol.

Before long, they may move to a better neighborhood during their residency, alter their social circles, or adopt a different lifestyle for the sake of "connecting better" or "networking efficiently."

However, as Dr. King pointed out, a deeper level of corruption can set in. This is not about personal growth or evolution but about creating an identity that distances itself from the mission's original purpose.

That's why I want to speak with more church planters before they become too entrenched in this mindset.

Many of us grew up watching The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show's premise was about a young man, Will Smith, who grew up in a dangerous neighborhood in West Philadelphia. After getting into a fight, his mother sent him to live with his Aunt Viv and Uncle Phil in Bel-Air to keep him safe.

Many stories in the black community echo the deep desire to escape poverty or leave unsafe neighborhoods in search of a better, more fulfilling life.

However, black and brown church planters often get stuck using church planting in the inner city as a means to gain access to a better world, but they don't want to return to the world they came from.

I wish I could tell them they don't have to play that game.

Not all black planters should or could plant in the inner city. If you're called to plant at all, consider planting in the suburbs and supporting and partnering with those in the inner city instead of faking it until you make it.

The Ghetto & The Pulpit

Church planters stand at the crossroads of the eternal wisdom of the scriptures with the gritty truths of the streets. 

They are both spiritual leaders and community connectors, tuned into the needs of the neighborhoods they serve. Yet, an alarming trend is emerging.

It's one thing to understand the challenges of urban communities and quite another to be truly immersed in them.

The disconnect becomes evident when black planters, draped in the cloak of pastoral care, find solace in the upscale cafes and coworking spaces of gentrified neighborhoods, debating the tribulations of inner-city life. 

Their hands wrapped around cups of swanky coffee, their conversations might touch upon the issues of the ghetto, but how often do they “pound the concrete?” How often do they sit, not as preachers, but as listeners, among the very people they've displayed in their pitch deck to supporters?

The transition from being a hands-on community servant to a distant observer can be gradual and often unintentional.

Success, wider recognition, and the genuine intent to cast a broader net might pull them into newer, shinier environments. But in doing so, the risk of losing touch with the core of their mission becomes real.

This observation isn't an indictment against personal growth or seeking better avenues for oneself. Everyone aspires to progress and better their circumstances.

However, for church planters, there's a deeper calling to remember: your mission isn't just about preaching from the pulpit but also about walking the streets, understanding the struggles, and being an authentic witness of hope for their community.

Language & Lingo: The Subtle Shifts

Language is one of the most obvious signs of whitewashing.

As church planters climb the social ladder, their natural communication might be replaced with polished theological jargon, alienating them from the community they aim to serve.

While education and eloquence are valuable, they shouldn't come at the cost of connection and authenticity.

In missiological circles, there are countless discussions on the importance of contextualization.

Good contextualization means learning the customs and values of a people group to translate the gospel in a way that is meaningful to them.

However, black and brown church planters must code-switch and move in and out of different contexts seamlessly.

But over time, they can unknowingly fully assimilate, abandoning their own culture in the process.

This happens when they can no longer communicate freely with their own community and instead use the language of the context in which they were trained.

Here's my personal story.

I was trained in a Reformed Baptist church that followed the 1689 London Baptist Confession. If you know what that is, you're a real pro! We sang hymns every week and were hardcore Baptists and reformed, with all the cultural connotations that come with it.

I love my church family; they gave me a solid theological foundation.

However, the only people interested in my church background are those looking for certain distinctives, confessionalism or reformed theology.

Since I’ve been in Baltimore, only one couple has asked about my theological background. I didn't plant a church for confessional Baptists. I planted it for the Baltimore residents who still had hope but were tired of traditional churches.

So that's who I aimed my language towards.

Recognizing the Change

As Dr. King highlighted, the most significant challenge is the lack of self-awareness.

Many leaders don't recognize this drift. They believe they're broadening horizons, but in reality, they're sidelining their foundational mission.

What starts with a theological awakening becomes intellectual superiority. This often leads to isolation from the culture while at the same time viewing yourself as the newly appointed savior of the hood. 

While it may sound outlandish, I have seen it happen over and over again. And one big tell-tale sign this change is happening is the planter becomes subtly uncomfortable around other black and brown church planters, especially if they say they are doing work in the inner city. 

My OG, Pastor Doug, loves the finer things in life. I believe he is Professor X of inner-city church planting and has trained some of the most resilient and multi-dimensional church planters to date.

But he loves his swanky coffee (with lots of sugar), and high-end scotch and is always laced with some exclusive gear. At the exact same time, he can engage in a theological conversation about the importance of walking with Jesus with a weed head on his way to buy more dope. No cap! 

But if you’re a planter and you realize you are isolated on a cultural island by yourself, don’t stay there.

Commit to finding other leaders of color who will hold you accountable and tell you the truth about whether or not planting in the hood is meant for you.

If not, that’s fine. Let’s get you to a place where you can be authentic and fulfill the mission God has called you to. 

Embracing Roots & Authenticity

For Black and brown church planters, the call is clear.

Embrace growth and welcome change, but remain rooted. Keep the pulse of the streets alive in your mission. Be the bridge, not just between communities but between authenticity and aspiration.

Always remember: You can't serve a community you no longer understand.

In this era, the white-washing of Black & brown church planters isn't just a concern; it's a call to action.

A call for introspection, authenticity, and a return to the core mission that sparked the pastoral journey in the first place.