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Black Church, White Convention: A Pastor's Story of Hope
In 2010, Liberty Hill Baptist Church, a historic black church in Cleveland, decided to join the Southern Baptist Convention after eight years of deliberation. Bringing a predominantly black church into a predominantly white convention came with many obstacles and questions that would lead both cultures on a path toward racial reconciliation.
In Black Church, White Convention, pastor Mark Louis Johnson shares his church’s journey to put racial reconciliation into action within the Southern Baptist Convention. He explores eight questions that his church needed to answer on their journey, including what to do with the challenging history of the SBC and the personal painful experiences of church members. Johnson highlights the reality of difficult histories while offering hope and a vision for a reconciled church.
In Black Church, White Convention, pastor Mark Louis Johnson shares his church’s journey to put racial reconciliation into action within the Southern Baptist Convention. He explores eight questions that his church needed to answer on their journey, including what to do with the challenging history of the SBC and the personal painful experiences of church members. Johnson highlights the reality of difficult histories while offering hope and a vision for a reconciled church.
160 pages, Paperback
Published June 1, 2025
6 people want to read
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October 31, 2025
This book reads a lot like a D.Min project. But at its core is the pastoral heart of Mark Louis Johnson who led an African American church outside of the Deep South to affiliate with the Southern Baptist Convention. This book documents presentations he made to his church where pastored them to a fuller understanding of the history of the SBC. He was honest and thorough. The root question for his congregation was, "Is the SBC a racist organization?"
I love his methodology. He methodically examined the resolutions that the convention passed dating back to its birth. This was no small task. The SBC passed 1,145 resolutions from 1845 to 2017 (when he made the presentation to his church). The premise is that a resolution represents the will of the messengers in the room in that particular year. To understand their convictions, look at the resolutions, and consider where resolutions might have been offered but the convention remained silent.
I found Johnson's tone to be honest and gracious. He did not dodge difficult questions or sinful stances concerning the SBC's history. But he didn't pile on; where repentance was offered, he led his church to respond in a biblical fashion.
This is a very helpful book for anyone wrestling with the history of the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention. It is written from the perspective of an African American pastor. And it is a worthy read.
I love his methodology. He methodically examined the resolutions that the convention passed dating back to its birth. This was no small task. The SBC passed 1,145 resolutions from 1845 to 2017 (when he made the presentation to his church). The premise is that a resolution represents the will of the messengers in the room in that particular year. To understand their convictions, look at the resolutions, and consider where resolutions might have been offered but the convention remained silent.
I found Johnson's tone to be honest and gracious. He did not dodge difficult questions or sinful stances concerning the SBC's history. But he didn't pile on; where repentance was offered, he led his church to respond in a biblical fashion.
This is a very helpful book for anyone wrestling with the history of the formation of the Southern Baptist Convention. It is written from the perspective of an African American pastor. And it is a worthy read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review