The Bad Investment In The Black Church

Anthony Maben Jr.
Aug 22, 2017 · 3 min read

The black church has taken in over $420 billion dollars over the past 30 years. The black church has the financial means to be the leader if resurrecting our black communities. With all the financial wealth accumulated over the years, black churches have the power to purchase every store in black communities and put local black people in those stores.

Black people are visitors in own community. We do not own one store in our own communities. Foreigners to the black community, whom would not even speak to you in the street, whom would not even consider being in black communities are comfortable setting-up stores in our communities. Almost all of the stores in black communities are determent to our well-being. It is not by happenstance, that on every corner in the black community has a liquor store, instead of a CVS or Walgreen. It is deliberate that we have to go to a convenience store instead of having a supermarket in walking distance. I can walk to get a 40 ounce or a bottle of liquor, but I cannot walk to get my child medicine. Something is wrong with this. Check cashing spots are financial predators. They are all over our communities instead of banking institutions. This placement of businesses in the black community is done deliberately, and we allow it

Black churches used to be the staple of the black community, in times of need. Black churches and black pastors were seen in the communities that serve them. Now, Mega-Churches are popping up everywhere, right out of the communities that has been supporting it. Pastors are obtaining money from their congregation to purchase private jets, when people in their very own congregation and communities are starving. The black church has become so self-absorbed with wealth, notoriety and fame, that it’s only functioning to fund the pastor and a select few lavish lifestyle.

Black churches are quick to sponsor and adopt a third world need, or out of the country effort. Why is this? When there are so many of our own communities hurting. When operating overseas, or giving the illusion of operating overseas, there is no way to quantify what is being done, or not being done. Sure, you will see pictures, but how can you know what is actually being done in a third world country by your church? If the black church would take an adopt a community right here, locally, then we would see results. If they were to give much needed assistance directly to their communities, then there would be instant results, that you could be a part of. Quantifiable results that you could see, touch and feel.

During the rise of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, there was not one church (that I know of) that stepped up to bond out protestors. Not one church, that offered refuge for the weary protestors. I have no doubt that Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, would have taken his rightful place, as part of the Black Lives Matter movement. Dr. King gave a speech called “Guidelines for a Constructive Church”, this is the blueprint that all black churches must follow for the salvation and liberation of our communities.

It’s time that you ask yourself; Where is my money (tithes) going? What has the church done for the community? Black folks have to stop blindly give their money to the church without holding them accountable for anything. If you were to go into a store and make a purchase, you would expect to get everything you paid for, with a receipt. Where is your receipt from the black church? Where is your return on investment?

I am not bashing all black churches, but the time has come that we hold everyone accountable, and that starts with us. We have to stop frequenting stores that are not giving to our communities. We have to hold whomever is operating in our communities accountable for the operation in our communities. We have to clean our own communities. We have to get back to getting to known one another again, and function as a community family.

There is no help coming, WE ARE IT.

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Anthony Maben Jr.

Written by

Youth Mentor, Community Activist, and Host of the Podcast “Voicez In The Struggle” www.facebook.com/voicezinthestruggle/

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