Celebrating Black History Month

New Hope Church exists to help all people become fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ. As part of the mission, we are dedicated to becoming a racially and culturally unified church, valuing everyone without exception. During the month of February, our country celebrates Black History Month. In our efforts to create an environment that honors all of God's people, we will highlight opportunities for our church community to engage in Black History Month.

All of the resources are meant to be a place to start a conversation. Specifically, a conversation about race in the United States.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 2, "Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in Spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility, value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others."

You only have to look around you to see that God enjoys diversity. We have so much to offer each other; let's celebrate that together.

Be sure to check back as we add more resources.

Celebrating Black History Month with People of All Ages

Here’s a list of Black History recommendations that will take more than a month to engage. There are resources listed for adults, high schoolers, middle schoolers, and elementary school students. There is also a Black History soundtrack that lyrically roots this learning in lament, resilience, resistance, pride, and celebration

Reconciliation Is Spiritual Formation

An important task of the maturing person is to seek understanding of how the various institutions we are a part of have shaped us—both in their unique gifts and in their unique brokenness. Click below to read more from David M. Bailey, CEO and founder of Arrabon.

Black History Month: Facts, Origins & More

History Channel resources for Black History Month.

Also known as African American History Month, Black History Month grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter C. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.

Music, Creativity & Justice with Ruth Naomi Floyd

How should we live faithfully within a world created to be good and beautiful, and yet everywhere is marred by ugliness and injustice?

Jazz vocalist and composer Ruth Naomi Floyd joins The Trinity Forum podcast to discuss the intersection of music, creativity, and justice, and to help us think deeply about our role in repairing, re-envisioning, and creating new places of beauty, justice, and flourishing:

We know that art shapes and reshapes us and that it’s there in the cross of Jesus, I believe, where beauty and violence collided and beauty won. And so that act of loving someone…purposely trying to love someone, especially those that seem or are viewed or deemed unlovable, is…directly connected and intrinsically connected to our art making.

We hope you enjoy and are encouraged by Floyd’s artistic journey, how she finds beauty in the midst of suffering, and her vision for the role of love in creativity.

Art as a Platform for Social Justice

Take action and make your voice heard with the National Museum of African American History & Culture, this Black History Month. Join them in uplifting the humanity, innovation and vision of African American artists. Throughout February, take a journey organized around five weekly focus areas that celebrate the Black people who have used art as their platform for social justice.

Association for the Study of African American Life and History

K-12 Teachers can register for the ASALH Conference for free.

The Association for the Study of African American Life and History has been provided funding to register 100 K-12 teachers to view the virtual sessions from the annual conference that was held September 20-24th, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. ASALH membership and session registration for viewing these conference sessions will be provided at no cost. Sessions will be of particular interest to History, Social Studies, African American Studies, etc. teachers, however, all teachers are encouraged to register. Sessions and workshops on social justice are included in the program. Free resources to support social justice will also be accessible.

Four Overlooked Black Voices From Church History You Should Know

In honor of Black History Month, Lifeway Research shares the stories of four Black Americans who shared their faith with the world.

Black Voices

Black Voices is a curated video library of the teachings of best-selling Black authors, pastors, speakers and ministry leaders. You’ll recognize many of the Bible studies by prominent Black authors, and you won’t want to miss the life-changing sermon series from established and emerging voices.

Black History Month: 20 Stories Christians Should Know

In honor of Black History Month, we remember and celebrate the powerful work of God in and through the lives of influential African Americans. From enslaved Christians and abolitionists through the Jim Crow era to civil rights figures, the believers featured in these articles served as leaders in the church and powerfully impacted society.

Black History Month And The Bible

Black History Month is a time to remember and study the contributions of black Americans to the history and culture of the United States. The Bible has played a significant role in the lives of black Americans. Join Museum of the Bible in a 10-day plan to discover how the Bible impacted people like Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks.

Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America

Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and shocking revelations, The Who We Are Project founder Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to the modern myth of a post-racial America.

This 2022 documentary can be rented on Amazon and other streaming services.

Good Reads from InterVarsity Press

Since 1947, InterVarsity Press (IVP) has been publishing thoughtful Christian books that shape both the lives of readers and the cultures they inhabit. Throughout these seventy-five years, our books and authors have established a legacy of speaking boldly into important cultural moments, providing timeless tools for spiritual growth, and equipping Christians for a vibrant life of faith.

The Origins of the Black Church in America

What is the Black church? What role has it played in the culture and liberation of Black Americans throughout US history?

Rev. Dr. Marshall Hatch takes viewers on a journey through the history and impact of the Black church in America, from the religion of white slaveholders passed to enslaved peoples to the role of the church today in the era of Black Lives Matter. He teaches on the Civil War, Reconstruction, the development of Black denominations due to segregation, prominent Black church leaders and theologians, the Civil Rights era, and the new time of racial reckoning in America today.

The Black church has guided culture, provided hope in hard times, and been the motivating and organizing force behind pushes for the rights of Black Americans. While church attendance is decreasing, Hatch contends that the Black church still has an important role to play in American life.

Black History Webinar

During Black History Month, we remember the steadfast leaders of the past. Yet, we also remember the Black leaders of today who continue to pave paths, create history, and conquer challenges through their intelligence, activism, and research.

Be a part of our gathering of creative and enthusiastic Black Christian leaders from various fields as they discuss the things that have inspired, challenged, and sometimes disappointed them as leaders. Their experiences in the arts, academia, and the church will impart valuable insights that can be applied in multiple fields, including leadership, service, and creativity.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans. To date, the Museum has collected more than 40,000 artifacts and nearly 100,000 individuals have become members. The Museum opened to the public on September 24, 2016, as the 19th museum of the Smithsonian Institution.

Urban Apologetics Ideologies

Edited by Dr. Eric Mason and featuring a top-notch lineup of contributors such as Anthony Bradley, Brandon Washington, and Thabiti Anyabwile, Urban Apologetics: Cults and Cultural Ideologies equips pastors, churches, and everyday believers to engage the most common ethical, biblical, and theological challenges faced by Christians and the church today.

We know that Urban isn’t just a place but a culture now. Followers of Jesus face many challenges to their faith, among them the rising influence of contemporary cults, alternative theologies, and ethical issues that challenge traditionally held beliefs and practices. Urban Apologetics: Cults and Cultural Ideologies, is a follow-up to the bestselling Urban Apologetics, and it provides a guide to addressing these challenges with grace and wisdom. In addition, throughout the book are short essays by leaders in the church sharing their convictions on successful ministry and reflection on today’s challenges in light of the past.

This all-new volume addresses several of today’s most-talked-about issues, including:

  • Jehovah Witnesses
  • The Prosperity Gospel
  • Black Liberation theology
  • LGBTQ+ Issues
  • Critical Race Theory (CRT)
  • White Nationalism
  • Faith Deconstruction
Gwendolyn Payton

New Hope’s Young Adult group participated in a private screening of the yet to be released documentary about Gwendolyn Payton, a black woman who was denied her art degree because of her skin color. Click below to read more about Gwendolyn.

Karis Pendleton Uses Her Voice to Enact Change

New Hope’s very own Karis Pendleton knew she wanted to be a professional ballerina from a young age. At just 14 years of age, she is currently training as a pre-professional ballerina at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and using her platform to talk about her challenges, facing racism, being courageous, and demonstrating resilience as a young Black dancer.