Episode 011

Tornado cleanup & the Influence of MLK and Black Churches

Jan 17, 2022

Work continues in tornado ravaged Mayfield, Kentucky, at the Fairview Baptist Church, the community’s only African American Southern Baptist Church. Also, more than a half century after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., nearly half of Black American adults (47 percent) recently surveyed believe the Black Church is less influential than it was 50 years ago.

Transcript

Work continues in tornado ravaged Mayfield, Kentucky. Members of the Fairview Baptist Church, the community’s only African American Southern Baptist Church, continue to check on one another and serve their neighbors.

Though their church building is destroyed, Pastor Leroy Brent says the church is strong.

“When the church been in the community for 151 years, it makes a difference, you know, when it’s gone, you know, but I, but I told them, it’s the building that’s gone. The church is fine. You know, we’re still doing what we supposed to do,” Brent said.

Pastor Brent says they are thankful for the many teams who helped them in the recovery process. He says donations and gift cards are what is most needed now.

If you’d like to give a financial gift to help those in need, visit SendRelief.org to give to the recovery efforts.

Good News for Today is made possible through our friends at The Voice of the Martyrs, a nonprofit organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. Founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand, VOM is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission — no matter the cost. Find out more and sign up for their free monthly magazine at vom.org/goodnews.

The late Martin Luther King Jr. called the church the “conscience of the state” during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

More than a half century after his assassination, nearly half of Black American adults (47 percent) recently surveyed believe the Black Church is less influential than it was 50 years ago. Pew Research Center recently surveyed 8,600 people on the issue. Thirty percent said the Black Church is more influential, and 20 percent said it holds about the same amount of sway.

More than three-fourths (77 percent) of Black Americans credit predominantly Black churches with playing a role in helping African Americans move towards equality in the nation, Pew said, with 29 percent saying Black churches have done “a great deal” in the struggle.

Even religiously unaffiliated Black Americans (66 percent) say the Black church has helped Americans move towards equality.

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