Scared. That’s what I was. Can I be even more honest? The thought of shifting our church to a Family-Integrated model had me not just scared…I was petrified! Let me back up just a bit…

Our church began in 1997. I was 27 years old when we started. By God’s grace, we grew steadily from just my wife and me in my living room to a few hundred people over the next several years. In beginning the church, my heart was focused on winning and discipling youth. In fact our entire ministry was geared around attracting younger people.

Back then, I was VERY pragmatic in my ministry approach. I had read a certain “P______-driven Church” book from a very popular author, and “whatever it takes to get them in” was my marching order! So as you might imagine, our church was loud, crazy, and resembled Black Entertainment Television (BET) more than a house of prayer.

Fast forward about 10 years. I had another decade of studying God’s Word under my belt and had already repented for early mistakes. I had started to see that, "It is a dangerous thing, in the service of God, to decline from his institutions; we have to do with a God, who is wise to prescribe his own worship - just to require what he has prescribed - and powerful to avenge what he has not prescribed." (Bp. Hall, Treasure of Scripture Knowledge Concordance on Leviticus 10:1)

Sadly, even from a pragmatic perspective, I had already experienced the results first hand of following the world’s methods in the discipleship of youth. I recall a vivid conversation I was having in 2009 with my then youth pastor (he’s still with us, but is no longer a youth pastor just in case you were wondering). We were discussing many of the children that had come up in all our programs, camps, and youth ministries. We literally went “line by line,” naming children by name we’d had the privilege to serve over the years, and that process broke our hearts. We literally cried. “How did sweet little Davante become a thug? How did precious little Tamika get so far off track? Aisha has how many babies? Jonathan is a homosexual?!? Fredrick is in college but has become an atheist? A Five-Percenter? A Muslim? What in the world happened?” (Names changed.)

Around that time, I believe by the providence of God, I discovered Voddie Baucham’s book Family-Driven Faith. It shook me to my core and helped answer many of the questions I had as to why we had failed so miserably to disciple our children. That was the beginning of a wonderful, transitional journey to Family Integration for our church, and I praise God for it!

Now…what does all this have to do with our being a predominantly African American Church? Nothing! And that dear friends is my point. It didn’t make a bit of difference. We still faced the same transitional issues that other churches have faced. We still had to deal with people not understanding why we shifted, a small number being upset that we did so. We still had to pray, study, fast, and teach our way into this precious, biblical model. Our cultural context as far as I can tell had little impact on whether or not we could successfully implement God’s precepts concerning the raising up and releasing of generations of soundly saved, prepared youth. In fact, I had a few older people tell me it reminded them of the churches they grew up in!

Perhaps the only area where there was a tinge of resistance amplified by the African-American experience was the natural progression for many families to decide to homeschool. But since we simply have allowed the Word to speak for itself, consternation here has been very minor.

I say all this to encourage pastors….African-American pastors and indeed, ANY pastor! God’s Word is God’s Word. It doesn’t matter if the church is predominantly black, white, red, or purple! The Scriptures cross all cultures and contexts and are always relevant:

• Psalms 19:7-11 (ESV) - The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; (8) the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; (9) the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. (10) More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. (11) Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
• 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) - All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
• Heb 4:12 (ESV) - For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Am I saying that every black pastor will have the experience I did? No way. But I am saying trust God’s Word! I look around our church now and I see black fathers and mothers (and many other ethnicities too!) sitting with their children in service…singing with them, praying with them, reading with them, listening to the preached Word with them, and serving alongside them. And do you know what? It’s beautiful! I talk to our youth and quiz them on catechism questions and they are excited to give me the answers! When I ask them if their homes have changed, looks of pride and joy break over their faces as they speak with honor about the consistent, daily discipleship efforts of their dads and moms.

Our young people feel a part of our church now. They sing, serve, pray, and share their faith. Our families are more connected, stronger, and healthier. Our parents are much more engaged now in the discipleship of their own children. Our eldership is more cohesive as we push God’s agenda for His church together. Elderly saints are valued more for their wisdom and encouraged to mentor young couples. Singles and single moms and dads are equally encouraged as they are no longer seen as a special, segregated group but as vital a part of our ministry as anybody else. In fact, we’ve been so blessed by Family-Integration/family discipleship that we created a website to encourage other churches and families to “Reclaim their Children through the Power of Jesus Christ.” (www.D6Reformation.org)

All of these wonderful things have happened because we have simply tried to be more committed to God’s Word. Just because we happen to be mostly African-American made almost no difference at all.

by Dr. Carlton McLeod. Dr. Carlton McLeod is a pastor at Calvary Revival Church Chesapeake. He is a native of Columbia, SC and grew up in Upper Marlboro, MD. In 1987, he enlisted in the United States Navy and reached the rank of O-3 before the Lord called him into full-time ministry. In 1997, Dr. McLeod and his wife Donna established Closer Walk Christian Fellowship. After much prayer, Closer Walk Christian Fellowship changed its name to Calvary Revival Church Chesapeake in 2005.

Dr. McLeod is relentless in his pursuit to compassionately teach with a biblical worldview. After spending his early years in ministry attempting to pull young people out of the kingdom of darkness with all the world’s methods, the Lord led Dr. McLeod back to the Bible to see the critical need for constant, fervent, and Spirit led biblical family discipleship. The D6 Reformation.org was created out of this desire. His other passions in ministry include: discipleship, debt free living, the covenant of marriage, the supremacy of Scripture, servant leadership with accountability, integrity, and obedience to God, family integration – biblical manhood/biblical womanhood, and missions.