Churches give people more than just faith
There are still many people who believe that churches should do more than help people prepare for life after death.
There are still many people who believe that churches should do more than help people prepare for life after death. The idea that we should all be prepared to die is important business. And the freedom to practice religion gives churches an absolute right to espouse and promote the reality of eternal life just as it guarantees the rights of those who claim no belief in God or heaven at all. Whatever one’s belief, it is irrefutable that African-Americans have some of the highest rates of regular church attendance and religious practices among the various ethnic groups in this country. So like it or not, analyzing how those churches relate to the total needs of their supporters is necessary.
So it is good news that the African-American religious organization has begun its new season by adding integral leadership and matters of this life to the promises of the life to come. Last week the National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. roundly rejected an attempt by its former president, Henry J. Lyons, to be re-elected. By a margin of 4-1, the delegates meeting in Memphis rejected the idea that Lyons, who was convicted of fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, conspiracy and extortion, deserved both forgiveness and another term. They wisely opted to forgive him and defeat him – sending him home with no opportunity to repeat his indiscretions again as a national leader.
Instead, the convention chose Julius R. Scruggs, a leader committed to expanding the impact of the Convention and making it a more viable resource for its 7.5 million members. To demonstrate the potential for relevance and viability, one of the first official acts of this large organization was to sign an agreement with the American Red Cross to provide assistance with disaster relief efforts through its member churches. Not only is this important during large disasters such as hurricane Katrina, but also local needs that result from tragedies such as fires, floods and gas line breaks can create a need for assistance for affected families. The National Baptist Convention USA, Inc. offers thousands of volunteers and 16,000 church facilities through this agreement that can now be used by Red Cross staff when these types of incidents occur.
This should be good news for everyone. Those who believe that religion should limit itself to the spiritual aspects of life should not object. Allowing victims of disaster to access emergency shelter in religious facilities does not conflict with any religious principle. In fact the act itself should affirm the basic tenets of any legitimate religion. And those who believe that religious practice is a complete waste and only ignorant people claim faith in God should also be pleased. At least there will now be many more buildings that will be available to thousands of people when the Red Cross is looking for a place for disaster victims to stay.
Of course I am not naive enough to believe that everyone will be impressed. But there are many who will recognize the significance of this alliance. If this is the type of creativity and engagement that we can expect from this 129-year-old organization, perhaps we can really expect to hear good news from National Baptists.
