The National Black Evangelical Association (NBEA), president Rev. Dr. Walter A. McCray, and the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC), president Rev. Ronald V. Myers, M.D., issue this statement regarding the erroneous reporting by CNN and practically all other mass media networks of the recent mass killings in Orlando, Florida as “The deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history.”

The media’s identification of the recent horrific mass shooting of 102 people (49 deaths) at a gay night club in Orlando, Florida by a gunman who affiliated himself with Islamic terrorism as “the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history” is irresponsible reporting by televised and print media.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all who suffered such atrocity and their families and friends. However, the loss of life during the many tragic race massacres and murders of blacks in American history should never be diminished due to the media’s false reporting. The kind of reporting that neglects the historic mass killings of blacks causes even greater pain and anger, creating a greater racial divide throughout the country.

It is important for America to reflect upon the loss of millions of lives from the legacy of enslavement. Many more than 50 African Americans were killed in a number of incidents. The most important occurrence is the millions of Africans who died during the middle passage.

Specifically, the legacy of slavery includes the lynching and murders of black Americans before and after the Civil War, the Tulsa Race Riot, the Red Summer of 1919 which includes the East St. Louis Massacre, the Omaha Race Riot, the Chicago Race Riot, and other mass killings of blacks.

The “18th of June” is the date set aside to remember the continued cost of freedom from the loss of life as the result of the legacy of enslavement.  We must seek God for reconciliation and healing from the curse on the land from the shedding of blood as we “turn from our wicked ways” (II Chronicles 7:14).

The National Black Evangelical Association (NBEA) joins the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC) in urging the print and TV media to correct mass murder false reporting.

The media should report on the significance of the “18th of June” as an excellent yearly opportunity to educate America about the Maafa during the National Day of Reconciliation and Healing from the Legacy of Enslavement, as well as Juneteenth Independence Day on the “19th of June.”

A cry to not derail the prophetic call of ‪#‎blacklivesmatter with all lives matter in the midst of an awakening to racial realities in our nation

It was not ALL lives that were ripped from their homes in Africa.
It was not ALL lives that were separated from families and marched to the West African coast.
It was not ALL lives put into the dank, dark tombs of the slave castles.
It was not ALL lives that were offered as a tithe to the church and accepted by the church.
It was not ALL lives crammed into the European slave ships.
It was not ALL lives laid side by side like cargo in the hull of the ship.
It was not ALL lives that were force fed because they staged hunger strikes.
It was not ALL lives that were casually thrown overboard to be devoured by sharks following the slave ships.
It was not ALL lives that were brought to the New World as slave labor.
It was not ALL lives stripped naked and put on the auction block.
It was not ALL lives for whom the slave auction bell rang, often in rhythm to the church bell.
It was not ALL lives that were bought and sold by God-fearing white American Christians.
It was not ALL lives that were whipped and beaten on the plantations.
It was not ALL lives that were systematically and repeatedly raped by white slave owners.
It was not ALL lives who were daily assaulted in their very identity as those made in the image of God.
It was not ALL lives who were repeatedly told they were less than human.
It was not ALL lives who were diminished by the 3/5 compromise, the Missouri compromise, and the Dred Scott decision.
It was not ALL lives whose communities were wiped out because they sought to build a life for themselves after emancipation.
It was not ALL lives that were told “separate but equal” with equal never being equal.

It was not ALL lives but black lives that hung like strange fruit from Southern trees.
It was not ALL lives, it was Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Roberson, and Carol Denise McNair, four little black lives who were blown up when they bombed a church.
It was not ALL lives that were beset by attack dogs and by fire hoses
It was not ALL lives but the black lives of Emmitt Till, Medgar Evers, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Malcolm X who were systematically assassinated.
It was not ALL lives that have been victims of police violence, but it was the black life of Oscar Grant.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of Trayvon Martin.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of Michael Brown.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of John Crawford, Eric Garner, Tamir Rice, Freddie Gray, Sandra Bland.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of Clementa Pinckney, Sharonda Singleton, Tywanza Sanders, Ethel Lance, Susie Jackson, Cynthia Hurd, Myra Thompson, Daniel Simmons, Sr., DePayne Middleton Doctor.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of Rekia Boyd.
It was not ALL lives, it was the black life of Laquan McDonald.
It is not ALL lives that are targeted for mass incarceration.
It is not ALL lives that the prison industrial complex exploits.

These historical events did not involve the destruction and death of ALL lives, they were black lives that have been systematically targeted and abused by American society.

So next time, white evangelical leaders, you feel the urge to mouth off that “ALL Lives Matter” — CLOSE your mouth and OPEN your eyes, ears, and minds to get yourself some knowledge.

When I heard the decision not to indict the killers of Eric Garner, my outraged response was, “here we go again!”  If the Michael Brown case lacked moral clarity, the senseless tragedy of the Eric Garner case was much more clear.  No matter what the circumstances were, here were two more African American men added to the list of senseless killings, arousing strong reactions nationally and internationally.

Some claim that these killings demonstrate the existence of racist structures that permeate our society.  Others claim that these killings resulted from criminal behavior or “a lack of personal responsibility.”  While both positions point to contributing factors, they both continue to ignore the elephant in the room, namely culture– a factor that dwarfs the previous two.

We have made astounding progress against racism thanks to the Civil Rights and Black Consciousness movements.  Yet in the ’hood, conditions have not improved accordingly. Read More

A quiet rage has been inside me since the shooting of Michael Brown on August 15 — a rage I kept under control as I tried to be objective, and resist being manipulated by the strident and predictable rhetoric surrounding this senseless killing. However, as I watched Michael’s funeral, that rage burned hot. It brought to mind the senseless and tragic deaths of other young Black men:Eric Garner, age 43 on July 17, 2014 in Staten Island, NY;Trayvon Martin, age17 on February 26, 2012 in Sanford, FL. I couldn’t help recalling the horrifying murder of Emmett Louis Till, age 14 on August 28, 1955 in the Mississippi Delta. His body was fished out of the Tallahatchie River after being beaten and shot in the head. The image of his mutilated and bloated body is still seared in my memory.

Before you write me off for strident and predictable rhetoric of my own, you must know that these killings are not the only ones that have me incensed.  I am likewise enraged by the murders of thousands of young African American men in places like Chicago, Detroit and Philadelphia, where the killers happened to be Black.  I have lost personal friends in “drive-by” shootings, simply because they happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  

In the case of Emmett Till, the motive was clearly racism.  The cases of Michael, Eric and Trayvon certainly involved racism, but other important factors were involved.  Read More

“Envoys shall come from Egypt, Let Cush stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm 68:31).

Seldom do ancient streams of religious history converge to generate a reconciling river, refreshing the longings of diverse people for freedom and validation in contemporary culture. Yet, this moment of celebration is upon us.

Descending from ancient Ethiopian ancestry—“Miss Israel,” Yityish Aynaw, is visiting the U.S. (September 23— September 30). On this occasion she is hosted by the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council (NJCLC, Rev. Dr. Ronald V. Myers, Sr., M.D.) in partnership with the National Black Evangelical Association (NBEA). In this visit, we have the confluence of Africa, of Hebrew-Israelite religion, and of African-descended Christian cultural roots. These streams join together in the context of validating the distinct identity and quest for freedom sought by all. Substantial historical experiences undergird this confluent and momentous gathering.

Ethiopia, as a nation in modern times, traces its ancient historical roots to a child born to the union of Israel’s King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, ruler of Egypt and Cush. She came from Africa’s uttermost parts of the earth to commune with the Davidic king about the report of his wisdom (cf. 1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12). The Queen of Sheba validated the divine wisdom of Solomon for the ancient world in her generation. Further, the Hebrew- Israelite religion, continually practiced by many Cushite people of Ethiopia’s ancient kingdom, confirms the religion of YAHWEH in its association with the Africa continent. Ethiopian (Cushite) Jews trace their lineage to King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, and the majority of Ethiopians continue to worship the God of their biblical Hebrew ancestors as He reveals Himself in the Messiah and His Church.

Christian believers in the African-American experience and their churches—indeed all true followers of Christ— worship the “greater than Solomon” of the Gospel’s record (Luke 11:31). He came from the Davidic-Solomonic dynasty of Israel, a heritage evincing African-descended roots. Jesus is Messiah and Lord; He is Liberator. Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36). Jesus came to bring genuine and holistic freedom to all, and particularly to poor and oppressed peoples throughout the earth. In our present day and culture, the National Juneteenth Movement celebrates the freedom of African-descended Americans from the legalized shackles of human slavery in our society. Africans held as slaves in Texas received the word of emancipation in 1865, some two years following the signing and ratification of the Emancipation Proclamation. When these oppressed black folks finally heard the news of liberation in the month of June, they celebrated their Jubilee with joyous festivity. Hence, this is our “Juneteenth.” Juneteenth is the quintessential holiday of freedom for African-descended people in America.

The U.S. visitation of Yityish Aynaw, “Miss Israel,” becomes the catalyst for gathering people of good will, even in the prophetic vein of Cush stretching out her hands to God (Psalm 68:31). The National Black Evangelical Association joins with the National Juneteenth Christian Leadership Council, and with other members of Christian and Jewish

faith communities, to highlight the great historical significance of her ascendancy to this honorable position. Together, peoples of African-descent, Jews, and Christians celebrate this occasion by nurturing shared values, especially historic bonds, cultural validation, freedom, and reconciliation. We foster an understanding of common geographical, historical, and cultural African roots. In the biblical period, these streams shaped the identity of both Hebrews (Israelites, Judahites, and Jews) and the earliest believers in Jesus the Christ, even as both covenant people gave worship to God Most High. It is for the good of all that we gather ourselves in celebration as partakers of this divine African confluence, to the glory and praise of God.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28 KJV

In Christ there is no difference between male and female for we are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:28 KJV). Noticeably, Pentecost is the fulfillment of the divine promise which declares: 17 “and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.” 18 “And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.” (Acts 2:17, 18 KJV).

As women of God who have answered the call of God, we emphatically proclaim “that it is good for us to be here”! According to Mark 9:5 (KJV), Peter was the first to speak on the Mount of Transfiguration, but with a word that to many seemed most “underwhelming.” You will recall that in the face of Jesus Christ and the countenances of Moses and Elijah, Peter broke that most “serious silence” spoke up, and said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” The “serious silence” regarding women in ministry should be openly discussed from the foundation of Scripture. Even though considerable progress has been accomplished various issues remain regarding women in ministry. At the end of the day, it is Scripture which reveals the will of God for His people regardless of gender. In the meantime, women in ministry anticipate such precious transfigured moments!

Besides, the foundation of the Bible and of the life of the church — the commodity, if you please, upon which its authority rests — is truth!

Don’t get it twisted, biblical equality does not mean women and men are identical or undifferentiated. What matters most is the clarity of presentation of the facts embodied in the premises and the processes employed in drawing conclusions. Substantially, biblical equality is grounded exclusively in the accurate interpretation of Scripture.

There are numerous accounts in the Bible of women who were called and blessed by God in ministries that entailed teaching and leading both women and men. It is highly significant that both women and men were prophets. For example, Deborah and Huldah were categorically notable female prophets in ancient Israel. The ministry of prophecy – especially in the Old Testament – involved the very functions that gender traditionalists claim are permanently off-limits for women: (a) discerning and authoritatively proclaiming the will of God for other believers and (b) speaking the Word of God to others as a representative of God whom God has given the authority to so speak.

Going forward: The church should increasingly promote women in ministry, advocate for this cause, value their contributions on all levels and place women in positions of public visibility as models for the Kingdom of God.