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Insider Outsider: My Journey as a Stranger in White Evangelicalism and My Hope for Us All
Pastor Bryan Loritts dives deep into what it's like to be a person of color in predominantly white evangelical spaces today and where we can go from here.
God boldly proclaims throughout the book of Acts that there is no "ethnic home team" when it comes to Christianity. But the minority experience in America today--and throughout history--too often tells a different story.
As Loritts writes, "It is impossible to do theology devoid of cultural lenses and expressions. Like an American unaware of their own accent, most whites are unaware of the ethnic theological accent they carry." Insider Outsider bears witness to the true stories that often go untold--stories that will startle, enlighten, and herald a brighter way forward for all seeking belonging in the family of God.
This seminal book on race and the church will help Christians
How they can learn the art of listening to stories unlike their ownIdentify the problems and pitfalls that keep Sunday morning the most segregated hour of the weekAnd participate in an active movement with God toward a holy vision of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls "life together"Drawing on insightful snapshots through history, eye-opening personal experiences, and biblical exposition, Loritts awakens both our minds and hearts to the painful reality of racial divides as well as the hope of forgiveness.
God boldly proclaims throughout the book of Acts that there is no "ethnic home team" when it comes to Christianity. But the minority experience in America today--and throughout history--too often tells a different story.
As Loritts writes, "It is impossible to do theology devoid of cultural lenses and expressions. Like an American unaware of their own accent, most whites are unaware of the ethnic theological accent they carry." Insider Outsider bears witness to the true stories that often go untold--stories that will startle, enlighten, and herald a brighter way forward for all seeking belonging in the family of God.
This seminal book on race and the church will help Christians
How they can learn the art of listening to stories unlike their ownIdentify the problems and pitfalls that keep Sunday morning the most segregated hour of the weekAnd participate in an active movement with God toward a holy vision of what Dietrich Bonhoeffer calls "life together"Drawing on insightful snapshots through history, eye-opening personal experiences, and biblical exposition, Loritts awakens both our minds and hearts to the painful reality of racial divides as well as the hope of forgiveness.
173 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2018
122 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 98 reviews
September 8, 2020
For those of us in majority white churches who would love to see them grow into multi-ethnic, multicultural churches this book is important and helpful. Bryan's experiences and perspective, in which he is not alone, should be eye openers for us. His clear, unfiltered diagnoses of problems and explanations of failures are what we need to hear. The short chapters allow for pausing to digest, and in some cases that is very necessary because the truths are u comfortable. I would recommend this book to any church leader or church member who cares about racial unity.
June 10, 2020
I'm unsure how to review this book. I read this book to listen to the angst and concerns of someone who grew up in a different world than me. I wanted to hear from an African-American who is well acquainted with (white) evangelicalism. In short, this book bothered me. It bothered me because Loritts helped me see things that I didn't realize were there. At times it bothered me because I felt his critique of white evangelicalism was harsh, and one-sided. There were too many generalities, yet he was speaking from the perspective of the black church's perception of white evangelicalism. At times I wanted to argue with Loritts and defend what he would call the white church because I don't think I fit the profile he painted (though others do), and at times I wanted to hug him and apologize for systemic wrongs (intentional or not). At points I was mad at myself for not being more aware of some the realities that African-Americans suffer. At other points I wanted to jump in and say "I hear you, but...!" This book was written with visceral frustration pushing toward a hope of a better future. I read this book and felt, at moments, my stomach tied in knots. I am thankful Loritts had the conviction to write. I am better for having read his writing. The book left me agitated, which is not a bad thing. What matters is what I do with that agitation for the glory of God.
January 23, 2020
Bryan Loritts has a knack for making me think, making me feel, and making me long to love Jesus and others more.
Perhaps my greatest takeaway was Loritts’ call for white Christians like me to grow in our ability to listen and sympathize with our black siblings. In one particular section he commented on the ways many white Christians responded to the deaths of men like Philando Castile and others. Many of us talked about the “facts” or shared posts about “black-on-black crime statistics.” What we lacked in all of that (and still need to cultivate today) is sympathy. Loritts writes: “White evangelicals seem to have earned a PhD in statistics, but they’re at a third-grade level when it comes to sympathy.”
Although I didn’t agree with everything in this book (and I’m still processing parts of it) God used it to help me grow in my sympathy for those who look very different from me.
Perhaps my greatest takeaway was Loritts’ call for white Christians like me to grow in our ability to listen and sympathize with our black siblings. In one particular section he commented on the ways many white Christians responded to the deaths of men like Philando Castile and others. Many of us talked about the “facts” or shared posts about “black-on-black crime statistics.” What we lacked in all of that (and still need to cultivate today) is sympathy. Loritts writes: “White evangelicals seem to have earned a PhD in statistics, but they’re at a third-grade level when it comes to sympathy.”
Although I didn’t agree with everything in this book (and I’m still processing parts of it) God used it to help me grow in my sympathy for those who look very different from me.
November 4, 2018
This is a memoir of sorts. It’s the ruminations and rumblings of things that are going on in Bryan Loritts heart. It’s a quick read and flows like a series of conversations over a soda or beer.
Many of the stories he shares are painful. It’s heart breaking.
Loritts is clear from the beginning that this is how he FEELS. This isn’t his extended treatment on multiethnic churches or race relations. It’s how he has felt about white evangelicalism.
I think it’s a good read. It will be a challenging read that in many ways raises more questions than gives answers.
Many of the stories he shares are painful. It’s heart breaking.
Loritts is clear from the beginning that this is how he FEELS. This isn’t his extended treatment on multiethnic churches or race relations. It’s how he has felt about white evangelicalism.
I think it’s a good read. It will be a challenging read that in many ways raises more questions than gives answers.
Read
August 18, 2020Highly recommended for any Christian. Bryan is a highly talented communicator and brings the church face-to-face with a lot of things it needs to consider, wrestle with and act upon.
January 21, 2022
“It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is eleven o’clock on Sunday morning.”
~Martin Luther King Jr.
It is sad when you think about how we are so segregated not only in workplaces but also in church! I grew up in a very charismatic lively black church. It is sad when you think about how Christ is all about inclusion but we have distorted views on the color of Jesus skin. We debate slavery in the Bible,yet we want Blacks to just stop taking about race. It is a weird place to be in because you want to show pride for Blackness but still want to see justice and inclusion!
This book tackles white privilege, xenophobia,racism and politics in a way that is so compelling. Despite the inconsistency,it was a really good book about balancing faith and racism in society.
~Martin Luther King Jr.
It is sad when you think about how we are so segregated not only in workplaces but also in church! I grew up in a very charismatic lively black church. It is sad when you think about how Christ is all about inclusion but we have distorted views on the color of Jesus skin. We debate slavery in the Bible,yet we want Blacks to just stop taking about race. It is a weird place to be in because you want to show pride for Blackness but still want to see justice and inclusion!
This book tackles white privilege, xenophobia,racism and politics in a way that is so compelling. Despite the inconsistency,it was a really good book about balancing faith and racism in society.
November 6, 2018
Be prepared to have your world rocked. Bryan is thoughtful, but direct. As he describes his own journey in a minority posture, he shines a light on points of injustice and insensitivity. Places where power is hoarded. This book is both timely and timeless.
January 22, 2021
Truly helpful.
I was looking for something to help me have greater understanding of racial issues from a voice I trust. Familiar with Loritts (and his father), I trust their ministry and devotion to the Word of God. And yet, this book was not comfortable. Loritts does not wear kid-gloves as he describes what it's like to be a black man raised in white evangelicalism. There are times, frankly, when I was thankful that I've heard enough of Loritts' preaching to trust him and his heart, because it helped me to not write-off what he was saying, but to listen to his perspective. I think--and I'm sure Loritts would agree--that some in the church would not be able to read this book without being offended to the point that they wouldn't listen . . . which is part of the root problem. We have to be able to listen to people, and Loritts' work is something that I think white evangelicals will do well to listen to.
My biggest takeaway from this book is that it helped me feel what it's like to be a minority in largely white evangelical world. I think, I hope, this book helped me grow in compassion.
I was looking for something to help me have greater understanding of racial issues from a voice I trust. Familiar with Loritts (and his father), I trust their ministry and devotion to the Word of God. And yet, this book was not comfortable. Loritts does not wear kid-gloves as he describes what it's like to be a black man raised in white evangelicalism. There are times, frankly, when I was thankful that I've heard enough of Loritts' preaching to trust him and his heart, because it helped me to not write-off what he was saying, but to listen to his perspective. I think--and I'm sure Loritts would agree--that some in the church would not be able to read this book without being offended to the point that they wouldn't listen . . . which is part of the root problem. We have to be able to listen to people, and Loritts' work is something that I think white evangelicals will do well to listen to.
My biggest takeaway from this book is that it helped me feel what it's like to be a minority in largely white evangelical world. I think, I hope, this book helped me grow in compassion.
June 9, 2021
This book has left me scratching my head. Loritts has written a memoir of sorts, a story of his experiences growing up in the black church but leaving it theologically and being embraced by white evangelicals with which his orthodoxy more closely aligns.
Yet the book is hard to pin down as it reads a bit more like a pastor on a rant for 160 pages, with the last 25 pages a biblical articulation of how the church can grow and progress in light of its past.
I don't mean "rant" to imply a negative. He is unapologetically and admittedly harsh in his criticism of "white evangelicalism" (in the early pages he delineates this “ism” from evangelicals who are white) as a system of racist oppression that needs to be dismantled. My word choice comes in that the chapters are short (sometime 2 pages long) and move rapidly from one critique or illustration to the next. He does not linger. There is also a strong hint of "us vs. them" in his prose as he refers to "his tribe" and "my people" when discussing black Christians and "white" in describing the opposition who are the "home team" when it comes to the Church. He paints in very broad brush strokes, so much so that it can appear as if "all" white evangelicals are the same: all are racists, all don't get it. While he claims early on that there are some white people who actually live out the gospel, the book doesn't emphasize these folks and one can take away a sense that there is a collective guilt of “all” white evangelicals. Not sure that is what Loritts meant but it came across that way to me.
The history he cites is real. There is a long legacy of racist sin within evangelicalism in the US. I don't disagree with any that he cites. His experiences are his. It's a lived reality. My heart hurts for him. But the breathless nature of the book doesn't give him time to slow down, dig in, and tease out nuance. A case in point:
White folks need peer relationships with people of color who don't just need them. People like me. I have good credit, and I can take you out to lunch and pay for it. I own my own home, and I don't need your help. But as long as the only people of color our white siblings engage with are minority orphans on a mission trip who pose for a picture with them that gets posted on social media pages, the problems will continue to plague us well after I'm gone. page 63
And another:
Because white evangelicalism has always treated us as a guest in her house, minorities never truly feel at home. We feel, as Du Boise calls it, this "two-ness" We are compelled to contextualize, not so much to reach the audience, but to be embraced and validated. Page 37
Does this happen? Of course it does. Is it helpful for the Kingdom when it does? Not at all. But do "all" white evangelicals behave this way? Of course not. Are the "only" black people white Christians interact with poor orphans? Of course not. That such things happen is not an excuse for it, but the qualifiers of "all" and "only" are used repetitively throughout the book which is far too broad and fails to find some balance.
The first 90% of Loritt's book is written with this kind of fervor and even anger. While there is reason to be angry -- I certainly know the history -- the author writes with the nuance of a sledgehammer.
Perhaps that was his purpose. Perhaps he felt a need to jolt those who are still caught in the sin of racism. Perhaps he wanted to add his voice to the chorus that is pointing at the problem. Perhaps there's an attempt at being prophetic here. Perhaps white evangelicalism needs to hear this jeremiad. Ok.
What got me scratching my head was how little space was devoted to the solution. He got there with 20 pages to go. On page 164 he refers to himself as a “fatigued missionary to white people.” His desire is that white Christians burdened (or blinded)by the sin of racism discover the sacrificial love of the God of the Bible. It is this love that can save and redeem.
He writes of this love by pointing to the picture painted graphically in the Old Testament book of Hosea. It’s an “agape” love of God for a whoring people. He writes of the New Testament's clarion call to love our neighbor, to lay ourselves down for others, even - as Jesus modeled - our enemies. That radical theological truth is what will save the "white evangelicalism" that is chained by power and racism. That Truth - the truth proclaimed in the embodiment of the risen Christ - is what will save anyone regardless of their besetting sins.
But this glorious truth comes only at the end of what is a long diatribe against white people who have and do profess to be followers of Jesus yet practice power and racism. How that truth can and should be applied in this ugly arena is not really articulated with any kind of depth as these pages move as quickly as the ones that com before them. I wonder if a reader pricked or annoyed by Loritt’s broadsides would have made it that far in the book.
Ultimately there are no shades of gray here in Insider Outsider, only black and white. The red blood shed by Christ comes in almost as an epilogue and I would have loved to see Loritts' gifted mind and pen take the reader on a deeper look at not just the problem but more so the answer.
Yet the book is hard to pin down as it reads a bit more like a pastor on a rant for 160 pages, with the last 25 pages a biblical articulation of how the church can grow and progress in light of its past.
I don't mean "rant" to imply a negative. He is unapologetically and admittedly harsh in his criticism of "white evangelicalism" (in the early pages he delineates this “ism” from evangelicals who are white) as a system of racist oppression that needs to be dismantled. My word choice comes in that the chapters are short (sometime 2 pages long) and move rapidly from one critique or illustration to the next. He does not linger. There is also a strong hint of "us vs. them" in his prose as he refers to "his tribe" and "my people" when discussing black Christians and "white" in describing the opposition who are the "home team" when it comes to the Church. He paints in very broad brush strokes, so much so that it can appear as if "all" white evangelicals are the same: all are racists, all don't get it. While he claims early on that there are some white people who actually live out the gospel, the book doesn't emphasize these folks and one can take away a sense that there is a collective guilt of “all” white evangelicals. Not sure that is what Loritts meant but it came across that way to me.
The history he cites is real. There is a long legacy of racist sin within evangelicalism in the US. I don't disagree with any that he cites. His experiences are his. It's a lived reality. My heart hurts for him. But the breathless nature of the book doesn't give him time to slow down, dig in, and tease out nuance. A case in point:
White folks need peer relationships with people of color who don't just need them. People like me. I have good credit, and I can take you out to lunch and pay for it. I own my own home, and I don't need your help. But as long as the only people of color our white siblings engage with are minority orphans on a mission trip who pose for a picture with them that gets posted on social media pages, the problems will continue to plague us well after I'm gone. page 63
And another:
Because white evangelicalism has always treated us as a guest in her house, minorities never truly feel at home. We feel, as Du Boise calls it, this "two-ness" We are compelled to contextualize, not so much to reach the audience, but to be embraced and validated. Page 37
Does this happen? Of course it does. Is it helpful for the Kingdom when it does? Not at all. But do "all" white evangelicals behave this way? Of course not. Are the "only" black people white Christians interact with poor orphans? Of course not. That such things happen is not an excuse for it, but the qualifiers of "all" and "only" are used repetitively throughout the book which is far too broad and fails to find some balance.
The first 90% of Loritt's book is written with this kind of fervor and even anger. While there is reason to be angry -- I certainly know the history -- the author writes with the nuance of a sledgehammer.
Perhaps that was his purpose. Perhaps he felt a need to jolt those who are still caught in the sin of racism. Perhaps he wanted to add his voice to the chorus that is pointing at the problem. Perhaps there's an attempt at being prophetic here. Perhaps white evangelicalism needs to hear this jeremiad. Ok.
What got me scratching my head was how little space was devoted to the solution. He got there with 20 pages to go. On page 164 he refers to himself as a “fatigued missionary to white people.” His desire is that white Christians burdened (or blinded)by the sin of racism discover the sacrificial love of the God of the Bible. It is this love that can save and redeem.
He writes of this love by pointing to the picture painted graphically in the Old Testament book of Hosea. It’s an “agape” love of God for a whoring people. He writes of the New Testament's clarion call to love our neighbor, to lay ourselves down for others, even - as Jesus modeled - our enemies. That radical theological truth is what will save the "white evangelicalism" that is chained by power and racism. That Truth - the truth proclaimed in the embodiment of the risen Christ - is what will save anyone regardless of their besetting sins.
But this glorious truth comes only at the end of what is a long diatribe against white people who have and do profess to be followers of Jesus yet practice power and racism. How that truth can and should be applied in this ugly arena is not really articulated with any kind of depth as these pages move as quickly as the ones that com before them. I wonder if a reader pricked or annoyed by Loritt’s broadsides would have made it that far in the book.
Ultimately there are no shades of gray here in Insider Outsider, only black and white. The red blood shed by Christ comes in almost as an epilogue and I would have loved to see Loritts' gifted mind and pen take the reader on a deeper look at not just the problem but more so the answer.
July 30, 2020
Loritts is both thoughtful and gentle while still being challenging, convicting, and thought provoking. This book should be required reading for all evangelical church leaders.
June 19, 2020
This work from Pastor Loritts - a Christian, African American leader who I greatly respect - challenged me deeply in all kinds of ways. As a white male who has grown up in my faith in a white evangelical sphere, a large majority of this book made my stomach turn - in a good way. I needed to hear & learn from every single word that was written in this book. This work is prophetic and paradigm shifting, especially for white people in the white evangelical community. While consistently uncomfortable throughout the course of the read, I’m beyond grateful for Pastor Loritts’ wisdom and boldness and message laid out in ‘Insider Outsider’
May 28, 2020
Uncomfortable and challenging in the best way.
"It’s sad to look back on my graduation day and realize that the four years steeped in white evangelicalism actually placed me at a disadvantage when compared to my white classmates. While we were both learning deep truths from the Scriptures, they were at the same time having their ethnic identity and worldview affirmed, while mine were being completely denied and diminished. It would take me years to make up the difference."
"Any leader who is unwilling to transfer power to others has a failed view of the incarnation. Jesus Christ, who is fully God, voluntarily curtailed dimensions of his deity behind the veil of his humanity so that he might walk with and die for us."
"white evangelicalism has historically been more concerned with knowing right than doing what’s right, especially with respect to the ethnically other."
"It’s sad to look back on my graduation day and realize that the four years steeped in white evangelicalism actually placed me at a disadvantage when compared to my white classmates. While we were both learning deep truths from the Scriptures, they were at the same time having their ethnic identity and worldview affirmed, while mine were being completely denied and diminished. It would take me years to make up the difference."
"Any leader who is unwilling to transfer power to others has a failed view of the incarnation. Jesus Christ, who is fully God, voluntarily curtailed dimensions of his deity behind the veil of his humanity so that he might walk with and die for us."
"white evangelicalism has historically been more concerned with knowing right than doing what’s right, especially with respect to the ethnically other."
March 15, 2025
As I just read in Francis Chan's book entitled "Unity", We can't afford to discourage the passion of fellow believers. We are called to "stir up one another to love and good works" (Hebrews 10:24). Obviously, the passion displayed in this book is race relations. For example, why are there not more multiethnic churches in America (though the number is increasing)? I did attend one of those seminaries back in the 90's that he addresses in the book. And it did come up while I was there why this particular seminary's history accepted other races from other nations but was very slow to embrace Arican-Americans from this country though they were allowed to "work" on campus. That is exactly what he was referring to and I would agree that is a wrong or sin from the past. But I also wonder what does he want me to do about it? He mentions what Zaccheus did in the Bible but to me that is apples and oranges. He seemingly wants me to right the wrong personally because of the systemic wrongs inflicted in the history of the church and country. I have certainly become more aware of things since I have lived in the South these past years. He loses me on the references of BLM, Kaepernick, Obama, Trump, etc. but until I walk a mile in someone else's shoes can I really understand their point of view? I kind of wished he had started the book the way he finished with a "Hopeful Eulogy". I am glad I stuck with the book until the very end, but it was not easy. I agree with one review of the book that I was indeed agitated, but that is not a bad thing. What matters is what I do with the feeling of uncomfortableness in my soul before the Lord.
May 5, 2021
I have a firm conviction that everyone is created equal by God (not the Constitution) and that everyone has equal value and should be treated equally. However, sin causes us to treat people unfairly, with evil, harshly, mean, rude - and for no good reason.
The author has a easy conversational tone in his writing. I appreciated that because as he gave his thoughts, I learned things about myself, the Black culture, and the culture surrounding my Christianity - what he calls White Evangelicalism. Because he was not yelling at me, accusing me, or berating me, I was able to hear him and think more deeply. I appreciated his honesty and temperate writing. At times his candidness shocked me - and I realized it was his culture slapping up against mine, and that's OK.
From the back of the book: "'It is impossible to do theology devoid of one's cultural lenses and outlook.' Yet like an American unaware of his or her own accent, most whites are unaware of the ethnic theological accent they carry." Very interesting!
Best of all was his dependence upon scripture as he talked through what we can do to change our world. We (all believers of every ethnicity) need to learn to know each other. Develop friendships. Deep friendships. And we must stop allowing "our primary identity to be found in our race and not in our Christ."
The author has a easy conversational tone in his writing. I appreciated that because as he gave his thoughts, I learned things about myself, the Black culture, and the culture surrounding my Christianity - what he calls White Evangelicalism. Because he was not yelling at me, accusing me, or berating me, I was able to hear him and think more deeply. I appreciated his honesty and temperate writing. At times his candidness shocked me - and I realized it was his culture slapping up against mine, and that's OK.
From the back of the book: "'It is impossible to do theology devoid of one's cultural lenses and outlook.' Yet like an American unaware of his or her own accent, most whites are unaware of the ethnic theological accent they carry." Very interesting!
Best of all was his dependence upon scripture as he talked through what we can do to change our world. We (all believers of every ethnicity) need to learn to know each other. Develop friendships. Deep friendships. And we must stop allowing "our primary identity to be found in our race and not in our Christ."
July 13, 2020
Loved the heart of this!
Book had many great points, effective illustrations and powerful personal experiences. I will be re-reading it and look forward to discussing it with friends. My one critique was that I couldn’t clearly follow the over arching reasoning trajectory arguing for the deconstruction of white evangelicalism. I think this is a failure on the part of the editors or perhaps is due to the autobiographical nature of the book’s organization or possibly just that I’ve been reading it while in post surgery pain and possibly not thinking super clearly, though the book made an impact none the less :)
Book had many great points, effective illustrations and powerful personal experiences. I will be re-reading it and look forward to discussing it with friends. My one critique was that I couldn’t clearly follow the over arching reasoning trajectory arguing for the deconstruction of white evangelicalism. I think this is a failure on the part of the editors or perhaps is due to the autobiographical nature of the book’s organization or possibly just that I’ve been reading it while in post surgery pain and possibly not thinking super clearly, though the book made an impact none the less :)
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February 22, 2020I like when books make me feel.
This one did. Loritts gives us a combination of memoir-rebuke along with a way forward with regard to multi-ethnic church.
I highly recommend this book, especially to white evangelicals. Monitor your defensiveness while you read it- it could show you much of why there are such barriers to multi-ethnic congregations.
This is an appropriate rebuke to white evangelicalism.
This one did. Loritts gives us a combination of memoir-rebuke along with a way forward with regard to multi-ethnic church.
I highly recommend this book, especially to white evangelicals. Monitor your defensiveness while you read it- it could show you much of why there are such barriers to multi-ethnic congregations.
This is an appropriate rebuke to white evangelicalism.
February 6, 2021
He said things I have not heard before and said them so well. I loved his honesty and willingness to tell all of us what we need to know. Autobiographical as well as a commentary to white evangelicalism that whites need to be open minded enough to listen to. Excellent. An easy read, but deep and meaningful.
May 11, 2022
4.5- Everyone who considers themselves a follower of Jesus should read this book. Pastor Bryan speaks about race relations in the church with both incredible conviction and amazing grace. The only reason i didn’t rate it 5 stars is because there was a decent amount of theological vocabulary that went right over my head lol
May 1, 2020
A must-read for all Christians, especially those that would consider themselves as evangelical and/or white evangelical. This book has undoubtedly changed my view on race and the church and how the multiethnic church will actually come into fruition.
October 25, 2020
Who Should Read It?
So, on the one hand, I would not recommend Insider/Outsider to most people. On the other hand, it really challenged me, changed my perspective on some things, and so for others, it might be helpful. It's hard to say who this book would be good for, because Loritts doesn't do a good job of "meeting you where you're at" for the people who need to hear it the most. Still, I might recommend it to someone who hasn't discerned sin in White Evangelical Christianity. At the same time, Loritts' flow of thought is not one I would recommend on so many levels, and so I'd really only recommend it to someone who through repeated practice have had their senses trained to discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
On in all, this book does "just an ok" job at exposing that it's not all fine in White Evangelicism. That being said, if you want a book to wrestle with, if you want to wrestle with the black experience in the “halls of White Evangelicalism,” then I would recommend this book.
I wish I could have liked this book, but there were far too many things about it to not like.
1) Brains Busted from the outset
The outset attempt to disarm his reader of critical thinking, the immediate maneuver to force readers to check their brains at the preface (lest they become an oppressive white evangelical), left a sour taste in my mouth. Now, some of that critical thinking did help, as it forced me to retain a critical humility regarding my own immediate revulsion.
In other words, the commendable aspect of Loritt’s request was that it asked us to deal in the commodity of experiences and feelings over facts and thinking. However, that was also its condemnable part. The true Christian impulse is to deal in compassion AND in truth. To take away that half of the economy is to bankrupt your reasoning, and it leaves your readers the poorer. At the same time, there is a necessity to ask white evangelicals to stop dealing solely in the currency of thought and to exchange more in understanding the experience, so I can understand this Loritt’s request - only, make the request with sincerity, and not with cheap authoritarianism.
2) Bitter Tones
Having read Insider Outsider, it is surprising to me to see such high praise for the book from respected leaders, rather than them reaching out to Loritts to offer counseling. Perhaps Loritts didn’t mean to coat his words in the bitter poison of bitterness. Perhaps he intended rather to polish his weapons with prophetic unction, like Christ’s words to the Pharisaic Jews. But I tasted the bitterness a bit more.
3) Broad Brush Strokes
Loritts nuances in the first chapter or so that he’s not talking about all white evangelicals, just what he calls “White Evangelicalism.” That’s good and well. However, his condemnation of those white evangelicals supposedly within “White Evangelicalism” is disturbing to witness for any white evangelical - within or without its “halls.” I certainly have my own criticisms of a racist subset of what I call White Evangelicalism, and there are certainly examples Loritts gives of genuinely racist White Evangelicals. However, he injudiciously expands the circle to include those with seemingly minor offences - and what’s more, with offences one might consider misunderstandings.
4) Confusing Race and Sin
Regarding Lortits' last several chapters regarding LGBTQ community: I have a deep, belly-aching burden for the LGBTQ community. What Loritts said about the LGBTQ community helps no one. It does not help black folk (who he implies are in the same boat as LGBTQ folk - they are certainly not), and it does not help LGBTQ folk (who seems to let on can have a loving Christian walk without repenting of their lifestyle). In fact, his words in those chapters, I think, are quite damaging to both communities in that they draw away the LGBTQ community from the redemptive work of repentance as well as cheapen the experience of black folk.
5) The Good I Got Out Of Insider Outsider
Although it was a struggle for me to understand, faint memories of particular southern churches and particular elements of southern Christian culture helped complete the picture that Loritts didn’t help paint. Although I do criticize Loritts for not ‘coming alongside’ the reader like the parakletos (or for that matter like a pastor with a shepherd’s heart should aspire to), I do think there is some merit to his attempt at a prophetic voice, his direct tone, his blunt (and sometimes blundering) insights, and his alliterative, poetic, un-nuanced prose.
The fact is that much of White Evangelicalism assumes a form of assimilation and integration (culturally, socially, and economically) that goes well beyond the Scriptural requirement. These gate-keeping techniques must be dismantled. We must not simply treat the symptoms, but the sinful sources with the truth of God’s Word.
For most readers, I'd recommend starting with something that'll meet you where you're (more than likely) at - a book that will present you more with more facts and less with experiences, which Loritts says is entirely the point of this book.
So, on the one hand, I would not recommend Insider/Outsider to most people. On the other hand, it really challenged me, changed my perspective on some things, and so for others, it might be helpful. It's hard to say who this book would be good for, because Loritts doesn't do a good job of "meeting you where you're at" for the people who need to hear it the most. Still, I might recommend it to someone who hasn't discerned sin in White Evangelical Christianity. At the same time, Loritts' flow of thought is not one I would recommend on so many levels, and so I'd really only recommend it to someone who through repeated practice have had their senses trained to discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14).
On in all, this book does "just an ok" job at exposing that it's not all fine in White Evangelicism. That being said, if you want a book to wrestle with, if you want to wrestle with the black experience in the “halls of White Evangelicalism,” then I would recommend this book.
I wish I could have liked this book, but there were far too many things about it to not like.
1) Brains Busted from the outset
The outset attempt to disarm his reader of critical thinking, the immediate maneuver to force readers to check their brains at the preface (lest they become an oppressive white evangelical), left a sour taste in my mouth. Now, some of that critical thinking did help, as it forced me to retain a critical humility regarding my own immediate revulsion.
In other words, the commendable aspect of Loritt’s request was that it asked us to deal in the commodity of experiences and feelings over facts and thinking. However, that was also its condemnable part. The true Christian impulse is to deal in compassion AND in truth. To take away that half of the economy is to bankrupt your reasoning, and it leaves your readers the poorer. At the same time, there is a necessity to ask white evangelicals to stop dealing solely in the currency of thought and to exchange more in understanding the experience, so I can understand this Loritt’s request - only, make the request with sincerity, and not with cheap authoritarianism.
2) Bitter Tones
Having read Insider Outsider, it is surprising to me to see such high praise for the book from respected leaders, rather than them reaching out to Loritts to offer counseling. Perhaps Loritts didn’t mean to coat his words in the bitter poison of bitterness. Perhaps he intended rather to polish his weapons with prophetic unction, like Christ’s words to the Pharisaic Jews. But I tasted the bitterness a bit more.
3) Broad Brush Strokes
Loritts nuances in the first chapter or so that he’s not talking about all white evangelicals, just what he calls “White Evangelicalism.” That’s good and well. However, his condemnation of those white evangelicals supposedly within “White Evangelicalism” is disturbing to witness for any white evangelical - within or without its “halls.” I certainly have my own criticisms of a racist subset of what I call White Evangelicalism, and there are certainly examples Loritts gives of genuinely racist White Evangelicals. However, he injudiciously expands the circle to include those with seemingly minor offences - and what’s more, with offences one might consider misunderstandings.
4) Confusing Race and Sin
Regarding Lortits' last several chapters regarding LGBTQ community: I have a deep, belly-aching burden for the LGBTQ community. What Loritts said about the LGBTQ community helps no one. It does not help black folk (who he implies are in the same boat as LGBTQ folk - they are certainly not), and it does not help LGBTQ folk (who seems to let on can have a loving Christian walk without repenting of their lifestyle). In fact, his words in those chapters, I think, are quite damaging to both communities in that they draw away the LGBTQ community from the redemptive work of repentance as well as cheapen the experience of black folk.
5) The Good I Got Out Of Insider Outsider
Although it was a struggle for me to understand, faint memories of particular southern churches and particular elements of southern Christian culture helped complete the picture that Loritts didn’t help paint. Although I do criticize Loritts for not ‘coming alongside’ the reader like the parakletos (or for that matter like a pastor with a shepherd’s heart should aspire to), I do think there is some merit to his attempt at a prophetic voice, his direct tone, his blunt (and sometimes blundering) insights, and his alliterative, poetic, un-nuanced prose.
The fact is that much of White Evangelicalism assumes a form of assimilation and integration (culturally, socially, and economically) that goes well beyond the Scriptural requirement. These gate-keeping techniques must be dismantled. We must not simply treat the symptoms, but the sinful sources with the truth of God’s Word.
For most readers, I'd recommend starting with something that'll meet you where you're (more than likely) at - a book that will present you more with more facts and less with experiences, which Loritts says is entirely the point of this book.
June 2, 2024
As a white member of a mostly white church (that I love), this was a helpful and enlightening read. It challenged my perspective and at times made me uncomfortable - a good thing. No punches are pulled. Pastor Loritts’s perspective as an insider/outsider in “white evangelicalism” is truly unique, informed by scripture, and gospel-centric. His voice is one from whom all who desire greater ethnic diversity in their places of worship can benefit.
June 15, 2020
Eye-opening and powerfully-written, infused with conviction and hope, Bryan Loritts's book breaks down the ways that white evangelism has gotten in the way of the Gospel and reveals how white Christians can be a part of healing the wounds.
Part memoir, part series of essays, Loritts explores how his experiences with white evangelism point to larger issues in the Church as a whole. He digs into specific, subtle things, such as why Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week and how specific theological stances are built on the perspective of white people. As a white person, listening to his book drew me to perceive my own whiteness (as Robin DiAngelo puts it in a recent NPR interview) and consider anew the ways in which I have only listened to white leaders when it comes to my faith. Loritts pulls no punches, but he is also a pastor, so his argument continuously points back to the Bible and teaches the reader/listener about God's love.
This is a must-read for every white Christian - challenging and important.
Part memoir, part series of essays, Loritts explores how his experiences with white evangelism point to larger issues in the Church as a whole. He digs into specific, subtle things, such as why Sunday morning is the most segregated time of the week and how specific theological stances are built on the perspective of white people. As a white person, listening to his book drew me to perceive my own whiteness (as Robin DiAngelo puts it in a recent NPR interview) and consider anew the ways in which I have only listened to white leaders when it comes to my faith. Loritts pulls no punches, but he is also a pastor, so his argument continuously points back to the Bible and teaches the reader/listener about God's love.
This is a must-read for every white Christian - challenging and important.
June 19, 2020
From the title of this book, I was solely expecting a personal account of Pastor Loritts's experiences in the white evangelical church. The personal experiences were there, but they were not as impactful for me - sometimes they almost felt 'flat,' as personal accounts often are without masterful care.
But I enjoyed the book more and more as it progressed. More than his personal stories, I resonated with his analyses of the current dynamics between white evangelicals and minority Christians (not only black, but also other ethnic minorities, as well as gay Christians). He deals primarily with race relations, but his core message - of the strange, Christlike love that begins with empathy over the dinner table - is so applicable to other areas of division within the Church as well (theological, political). There are brutally honest (but loving) critique and exhortations for ALL Christians, though I must admit that the read will probably be the toughest for our white brothers and sisters. The book presents really important ideas, and I hope more and more of our Christian brothers and sisters will have the opportunity to read and grapple with this message.
But I enjoyed the book more and more as it progressed. More than his personal stories, I resonated with his analyses of the current dynamics between white evangelicals and minority Christians (not only black, but also other ethnic minorities, as well as gay Christians). He deals primarily with race relations, but his core message - of the strange, Christlike love that begins with empathy over the dinner table - is so applicable to other areas of division within the Church as well (theological, political). There are brutally honest (but loving) critique and exhortations for ALL Christians, though I must admit that the read will probably be the toughest for our white brothers and sisters. The book presents really important ideas, and I hope more and more of our Christian brothers and sisters will have the opportunity to read and grapple with this message.
July 6, 2020
"White evangelicals have a PhD in statistics, but they are at a third-grade level when it comes to sympathy"
This is my favorite insight from Loritts. You've seen the news cycle. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. George Floyd. It's almost as if we're running a script the way whites and blacks react to these stories differently. The plea is that whites would hear the distress that still persists in the black community, laying aside the merits of the latest news story. For my part, if this is how my black brothers and sisters feel, then I want to hear that.
I also like Loritts's observations about the levels of communication, as well as his recommendation. We need to push through the messy discomfort of reaching out to people who aren’t like us. I can get with that.
Notes:
Audible
For blacks, Donald Trump support is tantamount to support of racism. Evidenced by
1. Trump's appeal to the Birther conspiracy against Barack Obama
2. the slogan, "Make America Great Again"
Alabama still had a ban on interracial marriage in the 21st century
Part 1: An Evangelical Eulogy
Chapter 1: Listen
The problem with white evangelicalism is not that it has an accent, but that it fails to see the ethnic theological accent it possesses.
White evangelicalism has been the theological “home team”
White evangelicalism = a segment of modern evangelicalism that is led and shaped by a cultural agenda defined by whiteness
Michael Brown case, different perspectives visavis "facts of the matter" vs. history of oppression and devaluation of black lives.
Imagine if your wife had previously been abused in a way that affects her relationship with you. A simple "Just get over it" approach won't do.
5 Levels of communication
1. Cliche'
2. Facts
3. opinion
4. feelings
5. transparency
Above is from shallowest to deepest
before we go to facts, we must first learn to listen to and "feel" with one another
Part 2: Higher Learning
Chapter 3: School of Origins
Always looking at one's self through the eyes of another
White evangelicalism has always treated us as a guest in his house
Personal note: “Contextualization”. Loritts says preachers don't do this. Seems odd on 2 levels. (1) Would this actually be welcome? (2) this was the norm in my neighborhoods growing up. I always found it disingenuous
Chapter 7: Like Robin Hood
Dispensationalism is a theology crafted by white, middle-class hands
Close
Bookmarks
Chapter 37 / 04:09:53
Tue, Jun 30 | 4:08:00 PM
We must drift from tribally typical to eclectically strange
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 36 / 03:58:36
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:45:51 PM
Creeds louder than deeds
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 31 / 03:36:59
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:25:59 PM
White evangelicals have a PhD in statistics, but they are at a third-grade level when it comes to sympathy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 31 / 03:34:54
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:24:03 PM
Trump is not a man of sympathy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 30 / 03:24:32
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:14:00 PM
Personal note: Loritts’s aggravation at the Donald Trump phenomenon, point taken, but I think he makes some grievous assumptions. He puts the Evangelical in a box. It’s either walk away from conservatism or become shackled with trump's racist reputation, deserved or undeserved
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 29 / 03:16:48
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:02:27 PM
Party over person
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 21 / 02:26:06
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:31:35 PM
Chapter 20: the cost of discipleship
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 21 / 02:31:45
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:31:35 PM
Frederick Douglass married a white woman
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 20 / 02:15:54
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:23:04 PM
Chapter 19: begin with orthodoxy. End with ortho proxy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 19 / 02:14:49
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:19:05 PM
No forced multi ethnicity. Churches should match their communities
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 17 / 02:04:41
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:15:57 PM
“Sharecropping”
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 11 / 01:21:44
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:25:58 PM
So many white evangelicals only have relationships with minorities whom they help
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 12 / 01:26:47
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:25:58 PM
The white church has treated the black church like a guy who divorces his wife, refuses to pay alimony, and then criticizes her house condition
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 8 / 00:52:02
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:08:37 PM
Dispensationalism is out of style like Jordache jeans
Go to Bookmark
This is my favorite insight from Loritts. You've seen the news cycle. Trayvon Martin. Michael Brown. George Floyd. It's almost as if we're running a script the way whites and blacks react to these stories differently. The plea is that whites would hear the distress that still persists in the black community, laying aside the merits of the latest news story. For my part, if this is how my black brothers and sisters feel, then I want to hear that.
I also like Loritts's observations about the levels of communication, as well as his recommendation. We need to push through the messy discomfort of reaching out to people who aren’t like us. I can get with that.
Notes:
Audible
For blacks, Donald Trump support is tantamount to support of racism. Evidenced by
1. Trump's appeal to the Birther conspiracy against Barack Obama
2. the slogan, "Make America Great Again"
Alabama still had a ban on interracial marriage in the 21st century
Part 1: An Evangelical Eulogy
Chapter 1: Listen
The problem with white evangelicalism is not that it has an accent, but that it fails to see the ethnic theological accent it possesses.
White evangelicalism has been the theological “home team”
White evangelicalism = a segment of modern evangelicalism that is led and shaped by a cultural agenda defined by whiteness
Michael Brown case, different perspectives visavis "facts of the matter" vs. history of oppression and devaluation of black lives.
Imagine if your wife had previously been abused in a way that affects her relationship with you. A simple "Just get over it" approach won't do.
5 Levels of communication
1. Cliche'
2. Facts
3. opinion
4. feelings
5. transparency
Above is from shallowest to deepest
before we go to facts, we must first learn to listen to and "feel" with one another
Part 2: Higher Learning
Chapter 3: School of Origins
Always looking at one's self through the eyes of another
White evangelicalism has always treated us as a guest in his house
Personal note: “Contextualization”. Loritts says preachers don't do this. Seems odd on 2 levels. (1) Would this actually be welcome? (2) this was the norm in my neighborhoods growing up. I always found it disingenuous
Chapter 7: Like Robin Hood
Dispensationalism is a theology crafted by white, middle-class hands
Close
Bookmarks
Chapter 37 / 04:09:53
Tue, Jun 30 | 4:08:00 PM
We must drift from tribally typical to eclectically strange
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 36 / 03:58:36
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:45:51 PM
Creeds louder than deeds
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 31 / 03:36:59
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:25:59 PM
White evangelicals have a PhD in statistics, but they are at a third-grade level when it comes to sympathy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 31 / 03:34:54
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:24:03 PM
Trump is not a man of sympathy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 30 / 03:24:32
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:14:00 PM
Personal note: Loritts’s aggravation at the Donald Trump phenomenon, point taken, but I think he makes some grievous assumptions. He puts the Evangelical in a box. It’s either walk away from conservatism or become shackled with trump's racist reputation, deserved or undeserved
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 29 / 03:16:48
Tue, Jun 30 | 3:02:27 PM
Party over person
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 21 / 02:26:06
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:31:35 PM
Chapter 20: the cost of discipleship
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 21 / 02:31:45
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:31:35 PM
Frederick Douglass married a white woman
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 20 / 02:15:54
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:23:04 PM
Chapter 19: begin with orthodoxy. End with ortho proxy
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 19 / 02:14:49
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:19:05 PM
No forced multi ethnicity. Churches should match their communities
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 17 / 02:04:41
Tue, Jun 30 | 2:15:57 PM
“Sharecropping”
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 11 / 01:21:44
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:25:58 PM
So many white evangelicals only have relationships with minorities whom they help
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 12 / 01:26:47
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:25:58 PM
The white church has treated the black church like a guy who divorces his wife, refuses to pay alimony, and then criticizes her house condition
Go to Bookmark
Chapter 8 / 00:52:02
Tue, Jun 30 | 1:08:37 PM
Dispensationalism is out of style like Jordache jeans
Go to Bookmark
January 27, 2019
This was the first book I’ve read by Bryan Loritts although I’ve heard him speak on several occasions and greatly enjoyed him each time. Insider/Outsider also was a very enjoyable though uncomfortable read . What made it enjoyable is Loritts incredible ability to write poetically, practically, personally, and prophetically all in a very short amount of words. There’s no fluff or excess hear, every word is pointed to drive home the theme of each chapter yet still anything but dry.
As I finished the book I was left with a mixture of emotions. Excitement, frustration, and guilt to name a few. I appreciate much of what he has to say it was very insightful into the black experience in the American evangelical church. Loritts highlights changes that do indeed need to be made and this is what is exciting. However, as a white evangelical I couldn’t help but feel that simply by being a white evangelical I’m the problem. I know this is not what he intends, but as he states in the book, it seems clear he writes often with a sense of anger. The book is his journey explaining his personal hurt and anger and there is much that is to be learned, but some that is not helpful.
In terms of steps forward I was somewhat confused. Much was not new in terms of what I have previously heard: build relationships with those of a different ethnicity, give power to them, and have empathy. But, my confusion comes in that in some places he says the local church should look like the community, in most of seems like he believes all churches should be multiethnic, and yet in others that African Americans should retreat into their own culture. The way forward is unclear.
My most helpful take away was his explanation of what happens in whites and in blacks when a headline hits of an unarmed black person shot by a white police officer. He describes how for a black person it invokes deep feelings while for whites we only want to talk about facts. His call is for whites to empathize and seek to understand before jumping to facts just as a husband commonly is called to do for a wife. I found this to be very insightful and convicting.
As I finished the book I was left with a mixture of emotions. Excitement, frustration, and guilt to name a few. I appreciate much of what he has to say it was very insightful into the black experience in the American evangelical church. Loritts highlights changes that do indeed need to be made and this is what is exciting. However, as a white evangelical I couldn’t help but feel that simply by being a white evangelical I’m the problem. I know this is not what he intends, but as he states in the book, it seems clear he writes often with a sense of anger. The book is his journey explaining his personal hurt and anger and there is much that is to be learned, but some that is not helpful.
In terms of steps forward I was somewhat confused. Much was not new in terms of what I have previously heard: build relationships with those of a different ethnicity, give power to them, and have empathy. But, my confusion comes in that in some places he says the local church should look like the community, in most of seems like he believes all churches should be multiethnic, and yet in others that African Americans should retreat into their own culture. The way forward is unclear.
My most helpful take away was his explanation of what happens in whites and in blacks when a headline hits of an unarmed black person shot by a white police officer. He describes how for a black person it invokes deep feelings while for whites we only want to talk about facts. His call is for whites to empathize and seek to understand before jumping to facts just as a husband commonly is called to do for a wife. I found this to be very insightful and convicting.
April 14, 2020
I began reading (listening) to this book last night and couldn’t put it down! Pastor Loritts boldly and frankly goes straight to the heart of racial and cultural tension that exists in the church and modern day evangelicalism as a whole. There were several instances when I audibly shouted out “that’s it exactly!“ or “man, I haven’t been able to put into words that emotion or experience, but there it is.” I believe these points to be strongly rooted in biblical truth and saturated in the Gospel of Christ.
To my white brothers and sisters in the Faith: this book is direct, raw and quite candid on black and brown folks’ struggle to thrive or simply be accepted in a predominantly white sphere. You may find yourself uncomfortable, disagreeing with points or even angry at times. I implore you to sacrifice the idol of comfort for the far better joy of unity within the body of Christ. Let love for the family of faith motivate you to persevere through those uncomfortable feelings. Pray against defensiveness and the desire to not process what is being said. I truly believe that love has motivated this writing, albeit tough love.
For my fellow black and brown folks, we will be called to task as well. Many of us have voluntarily sacrificed so many God-given aspects of who we are as image bearers that we have become “culturally displaced” in a way. The nuances of that predicament is sussed out in this book. At least it has been for me.
I recommend this book highly and pray it will generate real fruit-bearing conversations and be a catalyst for true and lasting change.
To my white brothers and sisters in the Faith: this book is direct, raw and quite candid on black and brown folks’ struggle to thrive or simply be accepted in a predominantly white sphere. You may find yourself uncomfortable, disagreeing with points or even angry at times. I implore you to sacrifice the idol of comfort for the far better joy of unity within the body of Christ. Let love for the family of faith motivate you to persevere through those uncomfortable feelings. Pray against defensiveness and the desire to not process what is being said. I truly believe that love has motivated this writing, albeit tough love.
For my fellow black and brown folks, we will be called to task as well. Many of us have voluntarily sacrificed so many God-given aspects of who we are as image bearers that we have become “culturally displaced” in a way. The nuances of that predicament is sussed out in this book. At least it has been for me.
I recommend this book highly and pray it will generate real fruit-bearing conversations and be a catalyst for true and lasting change.
November 21, 2021
“The church must move from the typically tribal to the eclectically strange.”
This quote captures the overall message of this outstanding book—that real church, the kind of church that is God’s vision and which Christ calls us to—should not be comfortable or tribal but uncomfortable and transformative.
Ultimately, this book is author Bryan Loritts’ cry for the death, not of white evangelicals, but of white evangelicalism and the idea that there is only one right way (“the white way”) to do church. I deeply appreciate Loritts’ commitment to gently but firmly and unapologetically enlighten readers, particularly white readers, about the ways we have a cultural “home team advantage” in Christianity and why it must end.
Not only does he discuss why white evangelicalism must end, but he also dives into how we can begin to dismantle it. My biggest takeaways were, firstly, that we must empower and truly learn from diverse people in positions of power. This doesn’t mean placing them in leadership as figure heads to be controlled by those with real power, like a group of elders or a board of directors—this Loritts calls “leadership sharecropping.”
Secondly, he introduces the idea that, in order to create a multiethnic church, white people should be willing to leave the comfort and security of their own churches and venture into the pews of the Black or Hispanic or Asian church. Instead of white evangelicals seeking to diversify their own churches by attracting different cultures to their pews, they can create diversity by joining the church historically owned by “the culturally other” (a favorite phrase of Loritts’). This concept had never occurred to me and really convicted me as it reveals my own comfort being on the cultural home team of Christianity in America.
Loritts’ wisdom and passion for the creation of a truly multiethnic church is the best part of this book. He enlightens readers using beautiful metaphors—comparing ministry to marriage, reconciliation to the cross, et cetera. He also shares wonderful anecdotes from his life, testimony, and call to ministry, which gives the book a passionate and personal rather than preachy and teachy feel.
The only difficult part of this book is the theological jargon and technical terms Loritts uses, which are hard to follow at times. Pastors are very clearly his intended audience, but I still found a way to follow and gain insight from what he wrote.
This quote captures the overall message of this outstanding book—that real church, the kind of church that is God’s vision and which Christ calls us to—should not be comfortable or tribal but uncomfortable and transformative.
Ultimately, this book is author Bryan Loritts’ cry for the death, not of white evangelicals, but of white evangelicalism and the idea that there is only one right way (“the white way”) to do church. I deeply appreciate Loritts’ commitment to gently but firmly and unapologetically enlighten readers, particularly white readers, about the ways we have a cultural “home team advantage” in Christianity and why it must end.
Not only does he discuss why white evangelicalism must end, but he also dives into how we can begin to dismantle it. My biggest takeaways were, firstly, that we must empower and truly learn from diverse people in positions of power. This doesn’t mean placing them in leadership as figure heads to be controlled by those with real power, like a group of elders or a board of directors—this Loritts calls “leadership sharecropping.”
Secondly, he introduces the idea that, in order to create a multiethnic church, white people should be willing to leave the comfort and security of their own churches and venture into the pews of the Black or Hispanic or Asian church. Instead of white evangelicals seeking to diversify their own churches by attracting different cultures to their pews, they can create diversity by joining the church historically owned by “the culturally other” (a favorite phrase of Loritts’). This concept had never occurred to me and really convicted me as it reveals my own comfort being on the cultural home team of Christianity in America.
Loritts’ wisdom and passion for the creation of a truly multiethnic church is the best part of this book. He enlightens readers using beautiful metaphors—comparing ministry to marriage, reconciliation to the cross, et cetera. He also shares wonderful anecdotes from his life, testimony, and call to ministry, which gives the book a passionate and personal rather than preachy and teachy feel.
The only difficult part of this book is the theological jargon and technical terms Loritts uses, which are hard to follow at times. Pastors are very clearly his intended audience, but I still found a way to follow and gain insight from what he wrote.
October 17, 2025
⭐️ 4.5 stars. Excellent book. Everyone who is a believer should read it. There are important and sometimes hard truths. Bryan shares that white evangelicalism (not white evangelicals; the former is a SYSTEM) is straining the American church’s ability to be the Church that Christ calls us to be. By cultivating real, multiethnic relationships and acknowledging (+ changing) the systems of power that have pushed minorities out and away, we can take steps toward making gospel restitution.
A few favorite quotes:
“…Because white evangelicalism has constructed a personal Jesus who (at best) winks at systemic injustice and pats the victims on the back, saying with a sigh, ‘that's too bad; pull yourself up like the rest of us and keep moving,’ she never autocorrects the injustice and is therefore doomed to commit more wrong.”
“Privilege is never the problem; it’s the stewardship of privilege that’s the issue.”
“Part of what made the first wave of churches in the Bible so beautiful was their diversity. There was ethnic diversity, along with class diversity. Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, were coming together. There was no ethnic or cultural home team in the first church.”
A few favorite quotes:
“…Because white evangelicalism has constructed a personal Jesus who (at best) winks at systemic injustice and pats the victims on the back, saying with a sigh, ‘that's too bad; pull yourself up like the rest of us and keep moving,’ she never autocorrects the injustice and is therefore doomed to commit more wrong.”
“Privilege is never the problem; it’s the stewardship of privilege that’s the issue.”
“Part of what made the first wave of churches in the Bible so beautiful was their diversity. There was ethnic diversity, along with class diversity. Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, were coming together. There was no ethnic or cultural home team in the first church.”
November 11, 2018
I read with interested Pastor Loritts journey into white evangelicalism. Because he is great communicator and has a wonderful gift for telling a story, the book was challenging and insightful into the mind of a pastor who walks on both sides of the "black" church and the "white" church.
I live in Memphis and was surprised when he announced his resignation to go to NYC and boom he no longer was at the church he came to co-found. He explains in a veiled way his reasons for leaving. I wish the explanation was not the one he gives. But the lead pastor, who does not have "control", is an odd place to be in this world of large churches trying to figure out how to love all people while being embedded in a culture where power is generally white. I have lived a life without bring in "control" so not sure I know what having "control" looks like.
The last half or third of the book like most drifts from its clear, clarion premise into a little bit of a muddle but still interesting to hear the pastor's mind work through loving the other.
I live in Memphis and was surprised when he announced his resignation to go to NYC and boom he no longer was at the church he came to co-found. He explains in a veiled way his reasons for leaving. I wish the explanation was not the one he gives. But the lead pastor, who does not have "control", is an odd place to be in this world of large churches trying to figure out how to love all people while being embedded in a culture where power is generally white. I have lived a life without bring in "control" so not sure I know what having "control" looks like.
The last half or third of the book like most drifts from its clear, clarion premise into a little bit of a muddle but still interesting to hear the pastor's mind work through loving the other.
May 16, 2019
In John 17 Jesus prays that we would be One just as Him and His Father are one so that the world may come to know Him. He doesn’t say that when we become the most successful and influential Christians that the world will know Him. He doesn’t say that when we preach the best sermon or have the best theology that the world will know that He was sent. He prays for unity and oneness because He knows that we are family.
The sad part is that our house is divided and will not stand if it continues down this road. This family is a diverse one and that’s a good thing but we will never make any progress until we take down our opinionated walls, embrace one another as family, and love each other as Christ loved us.
I was humbled to sit and learn from one of my brothers in Christ who serves the same Lord as me but has a completely different experience. Reading this book was challenging because Bryan wastes no time shining light on many things I was blind to. Overall great book and excited to learn more from this man!
The sad part is that our house is divided and will not stand if it continues down this road. This family is a diverse one and that’s a good thing but we will never make any progress until we take down our opinionated walls, embrace one another as family, and love each other as Christ loved us.
I was humbled to sit and learn from one of my brothers in Christ who serves the same Lord as me but has a completely different experience. Reading this book was challenging because Bryan wastes no time shining light on many things I was blind to. Overall great book and excited to learn more from this man!
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