Black Church Action Fund Aims to ‘Redeem America’s Soul’

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A broad coalition of Black denominations, many with Wesleyan and Methodist roots, has mobilized a strategic initiative to turn out 1 million voters committed to “redeem the soul of America for all people” via the ballot box.

The Black Church Action Fund was founded in 2016 after the election of Donald Trump, according to one of its founders, Bishop Frank M. Reid III, episcopal leader of the Third Area of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The United Methodist Church relates to the AME Church through a pan-Methodist agreement adopted at the 2016 General Conference.

According to its website, the Black Church Action Fund aims to “elect leaders committed to ending mass incarceration, defending the right to vote, curbing gun violence, and representing the equitable treatment of black and brown communities.” A press release listed several livestream actions planned to take place via the Black Church PAC Facebook page and the Black Church PAC YouTube:

  • Weekly Virtual Text-a-Thons and Phone Banking Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET
  • Voter Readiness Virtual Trainings with Pastor Traci Blackmon, Tuesdays at 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Digital Organizing Trainings with Rahiel Tesfamariam, Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Souls to the Polls with Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant, Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. ET

In a telephone interview with United Methodist Insight, Bishop Reid emphasized that the Black Church Action Fund bases its work on profoundly spiritual motivations.

The Black Church Action Fund “is a spiritual movement that is not partisan,” Bishop Reid emphasized.

“It seeks to glorify God by encouraging, equipping and empowering people who are powerless to exercise their right to vote and refuse to allow anyone to take away their God-given rights,” he said. “We want to redeem the soul of America for all people.”

“It’s not just about getting people out to the polls, but to get them to see voting as part of their radical social and spiritual responsibility,” said Bishop Reid, who also serves as the AME Church’s ecumenical officer. “We’re trying to make sure that America is guided by its best angels.”

Many of the Black Church Action Fund partners – whom Bishop Reid estimates at 10 to 15 denominations – are rooted in the “holiness” stream of historic Methodism that emphasizes spiritual sanctification as well as social justice.

“The coming together of these denominations represents a Wesleyan understanding of the Holy Spirit,” Bishop Reid said. “We came together despite our theological differences in a John 17 spirit, this sense of oneness.”

John 17:21 tells of Jesus praying to God that his followers would remain united with one another.

One thing that definitely unites all Black Church Action Fund participants is the specter of voter suppression in communities of color, according to Bishop Reid.

“After 1965 when the Voting Rights Act was passed, ‘the empire struck back,’ to use the Star Wars term,” said the bishop. “People tried to find political and judicial ways to suppress our votes. Because of voter suppression, from 1968 until now there have built up younger generations who say, ‘why should we vote?’

“We want to get the Church back to spiritual and social sanctification in voting. We’re using the best of technology – text-a-thons, things to do from mobile phone – to engage voters,” Bishop Reid said. “In fact, we’re a multigenerational movement; the young people are taking care of the technology, and we older folks are in the background sharing our experience.”

Even with recent events such as President Trump’s refusal to commit to a peaceful transfer of power, Bishop Reid said Black Church Action Fund participants don’t find it hard to be hopeful about the coming election because of their faith in Jesus Christ.

“After the 2016 election, people were really down; we just didn’t expect that result,” said the bishop. “But people kept working in the next two years despite obstacles that could make one hopeless, and in 2018 things changed.

“We are people of hope because we know Jesus Christ and the power of the Resurrection. We know our hope is in Jesus, who gives us hope even in low political moments. We walk by faith, not by CNN, not by Fox. We hold on to God’s unchanging hand.”

As part of its spiritual emphasis, the Black Church Action Fund announced a 40-day fast beginning Sept. 25 and going through Election Day Nov. 3.

“We want to make 2 Chronicles 7:14 a reality: ‘if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land,’” Bishop Reid said.*

“We intend to vote injustice out and vote justice in.”

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.

*Quoted from the New Revised Standard Version of the Holy Bible, copyright 1996 by the Christian Education Committee of the National Churches of Christ USA. All rights reserved. Used by permission.