An important figure in the early church is a man named Irenaeus. He was born in the year AD115—less than 20 years after the book of Revelation was written! In a letter Irenaeus mentioned the various ways people fasted in the days leading up to Easter. This is significant because it indicates the early church had been celebrating the resurrection on a yearly basis by fasting in the days and weeks prior to Easter Sunday.

At the Council of Nicea in AD325, a call was made for regular meetings that were to take place each year “before the 40 days of Lent.” Since the Council did not explain when that was, it must have been a widely recognized time. We can see that the celebration of Lent was widespread throughout the churches of the world.

While Lent is 46 days long, it is a 40-day fast. Whatever is given up during Lent is celebrated and enjoyed on Sundays since Sunday is a “mini-Easter.” After all, we meet on Sundays to celebrate our Risen Lord!

Let’s celebrate Lent this year. Choose something in your life that you can give up Monday through Saturday. Whether it’s bread or basketball or soda or pasta or something else, give up something you enjoy (giving up liver probably doesn’t count). When you desire that thing, spend time in prayer instead. On Sundays, enjoy the thing you have given up, thanking Jesus for His resurrection and our future resurrection.

As a church let’s celebrate Lent and spend time in concentrated prayer for our community and the Gospel.  Pray for God to work in a powerful way as we continue to serve Him in the near-northeast of Grand Rapids.

As a worship leader I have the privilege of listening to music and choosing what we will add to the “list” of songs we sing at New City.  One of the recent songs that have been added is called “Open Up The Sky” by Jonathan Stockstill, of the band Deluge.  This song was recorded on Deluge’s “Live From Bethany World Prayer Center” and released by Integrity Music.  You can find it on iTunes.  The song is a powerful cry from the heart of God’s people directly to the heart of God.  The text is amazing.  The tune is singable.  The song, as far as songs go, works.  However, there is one line in the song that made me think a bit deeper.  And as the worship leader, I have the responsibility to make sure, as best I can, that the songs chosen are biblically solid.  Sometimes a little more homework is necessary.

So what are the words I had issue with?  “We don’t want blessings, we want You”.  Really?  Can I sing that?  Can I ask the church to sing that?  With conviction?  Can this be the cry of our heart?  Do I not want God’s blessings?  Do I only want God?  Confession time … I DO want God’s blessings!  In fact, I believe I need his blessings.  However, I want the Giver of these blessings FAR MORE than I want the blessings.  Why?  Because what good are his blessings if I don’t have him in my life?

I believe I understood the “essence” of what the songwriter, Jonathan Stockstill, was saying, but I still wanted to understand it deeper and introduce the song to New City with confidence.  As I did my homework, I found a blog of another worship leader who had the same issue with the song.  His conclusion was to change the lyric.  He took the high road and contacted Jonathan Stockstill for permission.  Here is part of the dialog from Jonathan Stockstill, which gives us insight into his heart at the time he wrote these lyrics.

… “What’s up man! I have no issue with you changing up the words. I actually considered saying that line instead, but really wanted to say what I said. I was in a season that God was really pouring out blessing after blessing, but my walk with Him lacked intimacy. I felt like there were all these traces of God’s favor that manifested in blessings, but I didn’t feel close to him. I would have traded every blessing for a deeper walk with him. I wasn’t saying that I don’t appreciate the blessing or even want them for that matter. I was simply saying “I am not pursuing you FOR blessings… It’s you that I want“. I can understand how that would be a tough line to sing, especially if you don’t know the heart behind it, but it is what I wanted to say, so I said it …”

So I decided to remain true to the intent of the author, and simply challenge the New City people to think about what they are singing.  And the song was a hit!  Sometimes keeping it simple works well.  Getting out of the way of God always works well.  Confirmation of this came on the day we introduced “Open Up The Sky”.  While we were still singing the song, a young man walked over to our pastor and said, “I get it; God IS the blessing”!

In 1787 the black members of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal were surprised to be informed they could no longer sit on the benches they used for years.  They were ordered to begin sitting in the balcony.  Recognizing they had little choice most of the black members complied.

One member, Absalom Jones, (himself a preacher) refused to move.  During the opening prayer that morning a white usher requested that he move immediately.  Jones requested to be allowed to remain on his knees until the prayer was finished.  Instead, the usher called over another who lifted Jones—a dignified man in his 40s—from his knees and carried him out during the prayer.  In protest the black members stood and walked out of the church as one group.

In 1794 Richard Allen planted Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.  Over the years white Methodists would insist on varying levels of control over this all-black congregation.  Though they built their building with their own funds the white Methodists claimed ownership of the property.

Other congregations who were struggling with their own autonomy sent delegates to a conference in Philadelphia in April, 1816.  This group formed the African Methodist Episcopal Church and elected Richard Allen to be their first bishop.  This fledgling denomination consisted of five local churches.

By 1865 these five churches had multiplied to 227, with very limited resources (including educated pastors!).  These churches were scattered from New Orleans to Ontario and from California to Massachusetts.  By 1880 membership in the A.M.E. Church had reached 400,000.

Despite his limited education and the array of forces working against him (Allen battled white opposition his entire life), God used this man in incredible ways.  Though he was tireless in his work of planting churches and organizing the A.M.E. Church, Allen was forced to be bivocational.  The church committed to paying him a salary of $500 per year.  Over 35 years he received a total of $80.

Even with this lack of income from his church, Allen’s business acumen with his boot and shoe store was well-displayed at his death.  His estate was worth between $30,000 and $40,000 and included multiple rental properties.  This was a staggering sum in 1831.

Today the African Methodist Episcopal Church consists of thousands of churches and millions of members.  There are active congregations in 39 countries on five continents.

Praise God for Richard Allen’s courage, hard work, faithfulness to God’s calling.  Millions are in the kingdom of God due to his tireless efforts planting new churches, despite tremendous odds.

Many of the wrongs perpetrated against blacks in America have been righted or are being righted. Slavery has long been abolished.  Segregation is illegal. The Civil Rights Acts has been the law of the land for decades.  Racism and prejudice still exist but many of the most egregious abuses of black people are in the history books.  As a nation we must continue the fight against injustice and bigotry.

Black History Month is a necessary part of our national repentance from wrongs committed against black people.  When Zacchaeus met Jesus he told the Lord he would give half his wealth to the poor and if he had defrauded anyone he would repay fourfold.  His repentance was measured in changed behavior and restitution.  To justify slavery many of our nation’s founders denigrated the dignity and value of those brought from Africa to work in their fields.  Africans were just 60% human, according to the original Constitution of the United States.  Slaves were mere chattel—possessions to be used and disposed of according to the wishes of the owner.

American slavery was a direct attack on the image of God in men and women and children whose skin was dark.  Because racism and prejudice seeks to undervalue a person’s worth solely on the basis of one’s skin color, part of our national repentance must be a public recognition of the inherent dignity and value of those who are black.  That is the goal of Black History Month.

This month we will publish several brief biographies of various black men and women in American history, detailing their contributions to this nation.