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[Historically, InterVarsity has been a white organization. Chapters whose members are mainly white can play the role of a host in welcoming Black students into their fellowship. Eileen Hocker has collected observations from among InterVarsity circles nationwide. These are not meant to criticize or to lift one ethnicity up as better than the other. Rather we hope this will increase cultural sensitivity among us.]

Being one in Christ means that all the spiritual things we do are one and the same in Christ, right? Think again! A person’s cultural background makes a big difference. Here’s what some Black Christians face when they come to a white Christian environment, like many InterVarsity large-group chapter meetings.

Different Worship Style

Some Black Christians face a worship style radically different from their home church settings. Many worship with their whole being: body, soul and spirit. Their worship music stems from their African cultural roots. So be it fast, up-tempo, with a 2/4 beat; or slower, steadier, with a lot of harmony and a groove, it is music that can be felt and experienced deep within their souls. Sometimes the lyrics aren’t very complex and often concentrate on one major thought. Some of the worship music in some white Christian environments tends to feel monotone and maybe even wordy to some Black Christians. It tends to engage the mind only, and not the total being.

The person leading the worship plays an important role in the process, too. Whether or not he or she lingers with a song—repeating it several times until its meaning and inspiration can be felt within, affects the depth of the whole worship experience. Sometimes white worship feels rather shallow to Black Christians. Many are accustomed to either gospel music, gospel R & B, gospel jazz or gospel rap and hip hop. Hymns in a Black tradition often have a gospel or soulful sound.

Different Methods of Praying

While white worship may involve wordy songs along with brief one-or-two-sentence prayers, Black worship may involve less complex songs but wordier prayers. Thus, to ask a large group of Christians to pray for just five minutes about a topic—with several people randomly praying sentences out loud—can be awkward and almost unthinkable in a Black Christian setting. Five minutes may not even be enough time to get one person’s prayer in, let alone several! That’s why a prayer meeting in a Black Christian environment can last for hours. To pray briefly can feel very stifling to many Black Christians.

Different Perceptions of Ministers and Authority

Many Black Christians look to their pastors and youth ministers as authority figures who should have a lot of biblical knowledge and wisdom. They are viewed as being above and a little distant from ordinary lay people. In white Christian environments, ministers seem to be viewed on an equal basis with lay people. Some white congregations show their acceptance of and respect for their ministers by being either buddy-buddy or on familiar terms with them. In many Black Christian environments, keeping the distance or addressing them with formal terms such as Reverend, Bishop, Brother or Sister shows the respect.

Different Social Habits and Ways of Dress

In many Black Christian environments, drinking and smoking are taboo. These activities are considered worldly. Thus, when some white Christians get together socially—for example, to drink a beer—this throws warning signals and doubts in some Black Christians’ minds over those white Christians’ authentic salvation.

Dress is usually more formal for Black Christians when they go to church services or other religious gatherings. Dressing up is another way of showing respect to God. Many white Christians seem to like to dress informally, wearing even jeans or shorts to Sunday morning church services. This is very foreign and can be demeaning in the eyes of some Black Christians.

Bridge Builders

During the college years, many students start coming into their own identity. For Black Christian students this may mean exploring and embracing more of the elements of their African heritage and culture. When they come into environments such as a majority-white InterVarsity fellowship where they don’t feel free to be who they are, conflicts within themselves and among others arise. Those Black Christians who do become comfortable in a white Christian environment often become bridge builders.

The aim should be that no one struggle with their humanity and identity or be uncomfortable when they come together in Christian fellowship. A truly multi-ethnic Christian fellowship is one where members are authentically racially-reconciled to one another. The sin of racism must always be addressed, and we should always strive to be sensitive to each other’s ways.

—Eileen Hocker, currently an associate producer with InterVarsity’s 2100 Productions®, served five years as campus staff at Tennessee State U. in Nashville.