Barna’s report, Trends in the Black Church, shows that two-thirds of Black adults and eight out of 10 Black churchgoers feel a sense of comfort through their connection with the Black church, viewing it as a space where they have control over their lives.
Throughout history, the Black church has been a beacon of resilience, courage and hope in the face of injustice in the United States. The faithful witness of Black evangelicals continues to stand as a powerful reminder that the Church is a transformative force for the gospel in America.
Co-hosted by the National Association of Evangelicals, Christianity Today and Wheaton College, this webinar explores how Black evangelicals enrich the broader church in America. Panelists, including Joy Moore, Walter Strickland, Vincent Bacote, Nicole Martin (moderator) and Walter Kim (host), also discuss the challenges Black evangelicals have faced, while offering a hopeful vision for Black evangelicalism.
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Joy Moore is president of Northern Seminary and an ordained elder in the United Methodist Church. As an ecclesial storyteller, she seeks to share biblically grounded, community-shaping stories that address critical cultural issues through the lens of faith. Prior to Northern Seminary, she served as professor of biblical preaching at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. She also established the William E. Pannell Center for African American Church Studies at Fuller Theological Seminary and held leadership roles at Duke Divinity School, Asbury Theological Seminary and Adrian College. Moore holds an M.Div. from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from Brunel University/London School of Theology.
Vincent Bacote is professor of theology and director of the Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College. He is the author of “Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News” and “The Political Disciple: A Theology of Public Life.” Bacote is a regular columnist for Comment Magazine and contributes to other magazines, including Books and Culture, Christianity Today, Think Christian and re:generation quarterly, and journals such as Christian Scholars Review, Urban Mission and the Journal for Christian Theological Research. He is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Christian Ethics. He received his Ph.D. in theological and religious studies from Drew University and an M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.
Walter Strickland is assistant professor of systematic and contextual theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. His interests include systematic and contextual theology, the African American theological tradition, education theory, and theology of work. Along with being a diversity consultant, frequent conference speaker and itinerant preacher, Strickland is an associate research fellow of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He holds an M.Div. and a Th.M. from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Ph.D. from University of Aberdeen (Scotland).
Nicole Massie Martin serves as chief impact officer for Christianity Today. She is also the founder of Soulfire International Ministries, which focuses on empowering others to reach their fullest potential in Christ. Prior to her role at Christianity Today, she served as executive director of Trauma Healing at the American Bible Society. Martin is the author of “Made to Lead: Empowering Women for Leadership” and “Leaning In, Letting Go: A Lenten Devotional.” She holds a B.S. degree from Vanderbilt University, an M.Div. from Princeton Theological Seminary and a D.Min. from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.
Walter Kim became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in January 2020. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University. He preaches, writes and engages in collaborative leadership to connect the Bible to the intellectual and cultural issues of the day. He regularly teaches in conferences and classrooms; addresses faith concerns with elected officials and public institutions; and provides theological and cultural commentary to leading news outlets. He serves on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief and consults with a wide range of organizations. Kim received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, his M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver, and his B.A. from Northwestern University.
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