Same but Different

Last Saturday, I had a very interesting evening.

Our Gospel band, "Saints and Sinners" was invited to participate in the 1st Annual Music Anniversary and Benefit Concert Food Drive of Cephas A. Riggins. 

You can check out a video of one of Cephas' songs here:

What made this particular event "interesting" was being outside my normal comfort zone when it comes to worship, singing, praying, and preaching.

(WARNING: If you don't like me using terms black/white in referring to people, stop reading here.)

At this event, we were the only band composed of white folks.  All the other bands were from black churches.  Our styles in music were just slightly different.

We Lutherans don't tend to be much on the clapping shouting side when it comes to singing and praising God.  Not so with the black churches.  Worship for them is a total body experience, and that made me a little uncomfortable.  It was different. 

Not that it wasn't inspirational.  Good Lord, the folks could sing and play.  Their voices were awesome--although at times the bass and drums were a little too loud.  My ears did start hurting at one point, and I had to walk to the back of the room for my ears' sake.

But when it was our time to "minister" as they called it, we were warmly welcomed.  The congregation/audience was most gracious.  They laughed at our jokes.  They laughed as we poked fun at our differences.

I began by asking how many baseball fans were out there.  Several hands were raised.  I said, "If you watch a fastball pitcher pitch fastball after fastball after fastball, he has another important weapon in his arsenal.  Can you guess which?"

A few folks shouted out "Curve ball," but I said, "Maybe, but I'm talking about the change up."

Peals of laughter started rolling as they anticipated what I would say next.

"And I feel like I've been getting fastball after fastball here tonight.  Well, you're about to get the change up."

Rolls of laughter and clapping.

I continued, "Brother Cephas told me we could do four songs, and if we were ministering well, we'd get to do one more, so that would make five."

One of my band members then chimed in, "But our five lasts as long as one of yours."

The howls of laughter continued.

As we sang and "ministered" we were offered  encouragement, Amens, and applause.  It was quite different from a normal Lutheran atmosphere.  But that was the only uncomfortable part because we all recognized that even though we were different and we ministered differently in our styles, we were all a part of the same body of Christ.  We all had the same goal of caring for our neighbor.  We all had the same goal of praising our God together.

Some very good things happened that evening for us and for those gathered.  Yes, we were and are still black and white.  Our churches are still segregated on Sunday mornings, but there is now a bond.  There is now a fellowship that was started, and will hopefully grow.

Just this morning I called Brother Cephas and told him about how God used him to minister to one of my band members, and Cephas praised God for it.  He then added, "Hopefully we can fellowship some before we get together next year."

Amen to that, my brother.  Amen to that.

With all the garbage and divisiveness that goes on in politics these days, it was nice to be a part of something that brought two different groups together; where differences were acknowledged in a healthy manner, but then set aside so that God could be praised and the hungry could be fed.  It was in the Church that such a thing took place, and I hope and pray it can be an example of how we could accomplish such things in other arenas.