MP3 Podcast Episode

Summary

In this powerful conversation, James Colwell shares his personal journey as a black preacher in an all-white congregation, addressing the challenges of race and faith. He recounts a pivotal moment during his interview at the Virginia Avenue Church of Christ, where he confronted the elders about the congregation’s racial dynamics. Colwell emphasizes that the barriers of race are human-made and that the essence of Christianity transcends these divisions. He passionately argues that the gospel should be accessible to all, regardless of ethnicity, and that Christians must actively engage with diverse communities to fulfill their mission of spreading the word of God.

Colwell draws on biblical examples, such as the story of the Samaritan woman and the Apostle Peter’s interactions with Gentiles, to illustrate that racial and ethnic divides are not new issues. He challenges listeners to step out of their comfort zones and embrace the call to evangelize to all souls, regardless of their background. His message is clear: the church must unite in love and purpose, recognizing that every individual, regardless of race, has a soul that deserves salvation. Colwell’s call to action is a reminder that faith should drive us to overcome fear and prejudice, fostering a community that reflects the diversity of God’s creation.

Chapters

00:00 Rico Brown’s Introduction
00:07 Overcoming Racial Barriers
03:53 The Challenge of Modern Racism
08:14 Biblical Examples of Racial Divide
12:18 The Importance of Evangelism
17:11 Confronting Comfort Zones in Outreach
21:22 The Need for Unity in the Church
27:19 Conclusion: Every Soul Matters

Transcript

Rico Brown (00:07)
Approximately nine and a half years ago, my family and I went to interview at the Virginia Avenue Church of Christ in Chester, West Virginia. Upon meeting with the elders, one of our elders said, well, we’ve had our discussion. And I said, we’ve discussed salary and things of that nature. And I asked a very direct question. I said, how is an all-white congregation gonna take a black preacher?

He looked at me. He said, well, you asked me that question and I ask you this. He was one of three elders. He says, how’s a black preacher gonna take an all white church? We knew your race when we interviewed you. We knew your race when we decided to bring you up. If you know me, you know it’s very hard for me to feel that big. But I sat down in my seat and I recognized, you know what? He had one upped me.

The challenge was before me. The God that we serve is not so concerned with race versus your soul. I put forward to you the challenge of race comes from us, not from our Lord. We sometimes allow race to stop us from doing what our Lord has asked us to do. And yet we desire to go to his heaven.

If we can’t get those small things right, recognize this, heaven cannot be your home. Upon residing in Chester, one of the gentlemen who had been visiting the congregation for years told one of his family members, I’ve been going to this congregation for years. What is a black man going to teach me about heaven?

God bless his soul, less than a year later, I taught him the importance of salvation and he got in the water. You have to recognize we are in no position to limit what God wants to do with us. Many a times we stand in our own way of allowing God to use us to make sure the gospel is preached. John chapter four, John chapter four, again, it is very rare when you come to a lectureship to get two sermons.

but this one you will. You’ll get the one in the book. And for those of you who have the joy of being here today, you get this one. So you get a bonus lesson, if you will, in addition to the one in the book. I wrote that one and submitted it so it could be put in on time. And as with most lectures, more thoughts come to you after you’ve already submitted it. So in addition to that one that’s recorded in the book or on PDF, you gain the following. John chapter four, verse five through nine. I’m certain you’ll hear this text throughout the week.

But then cometh he to a city of Samaria, which is called Sikkar, near the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son, Joseph. Now Jacob’s well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well, and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh the woman of Samaria to draw water. Jesus saith unto her, give me to drink. For his disciples were gone away into the city to buy meat.

Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, How is it that thou being a Jew asketh a drink of me, which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings ⁓ with the Samaritans.” Brothers and sisters, this is a biblical application, but I want us to fast forward to 2026 to recognize that modern day racism.

We have to recognize that sometimes we ourselves can propagate racism. Sometimes we ourselves refuse to get out of our comfort zones. ⁓ When my family and I relocated to Chester, I was always joking with everyone that I was going to nominate Chester for the NAACP award. Rico, why would you do that? By 300%, we increased Chester’s African American population.

⁓ We were the first ones there and we incorporated this city and recognize we took it by storm and we’re still doing it today because I don’t necessarily understand what I’m saying. See color, I see souls. Everyone has and deserves the right to hear about our Lord. Sometimes if they don’t look like us, we don’t talk to them. Amen. Sometimes if they don’t live where we live, we don’t talk to them. Sometimes if they don’t

don’t dress like we dress. We don’t talk to them. Well, I don’t know how to deal with them. They have a soul. That’s how you deal with them and recognize we have to move out of our own way. We must realize the only thing standing in our way as Christians ⁓ is us. If the Lord has charged us to do it, he will give us what we need in order to be able to accomplish it. We have to recognize the Bible gives us an answer.

if you will, on how we can evangelize different ethnicities. We have to allow our actions to be audible. You have to allow people to know exactly what you are doing. I am knocking on your door for the sanctity and salvation of your soul. I don’t care where you’re from. I’m concerned with where you’re going to go. Too many times we allow

allow those things that are before us to seem as if they’re different. I let Chester know all the time that we all are different in some way, shape or form. You have to recognize ⁓ I came out of the oven just done. And when you look around the audience this morning, ⁓ some of y’all need to get back in the oven. We have to recognize it’s a matter of how our God has designed us, but our ethnicity should not matter.

when it comes down to the salvation of our souls. ⁓ Racism, ethnic divide is nothing new. Turn with me if you will over to the book of Numbers. Sometimes we act as if these things we are dealing with are new and they are not new. They have been written and recorded for us to realize ⁓ same story, different day. Numbers chapter 12 and the verses are one and two in Miriam. And Aaron spake against Moses,

Why? Because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married. For he had married an Ethiopian woman. And they said, Hath the Lord indeed spoken only by Moses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the Lord, there’s the problem, the Lord heard it. You have to recognize just because a person looks different from you doesn’t mean that they have a soul different from you. We don’t know what the soul of man looks like.

I realize some of our brethren are educated. Some of them have went out there and got all types of degrees, but no one knows what the soul of man looks like. And because of that fact, we allow God to give us a decree to go and take the word into the world. ⁓ Racism or ethnic divide is not new. ⁓ do you remember Jonah? He did not want to go down to Nineveh.

know why he didn’t want to go, but I do recognize out of his resistance, ⁓ he helped create SeaWorld before we even knew SeaWorld was around. Now, when God tells you to do something, it’s in your soul’s best interest to get it done. Don’t use an excuse here, there, and the other, but let…

God use you. I put forward to you, too many of us have not been challenged. Too many of us wouldn’t know what to do if someone knocked on our door and they didn’t look like us. You have to realize if there is a group of people out there, you consider the JWs. They don’t care where you are, they’re going to bring their message to your door. But lo and behold, we have the truth. We have what people need in order to get to

and we’re shy. We’re hesitant about knocking on certain doors. We’re hesitant about going in certain communities. I don’t care whether you’re white, black, gray, grizzly, whatever you may be, you have a soul that needs to be saved. And I put forward to you the challenge that stands before us ⁓ is, ⁓ we see the situations out of the Old Testament and we fast forward to the New Testament.

and we still see the same. ⁓ the Samaritan said, Jews have nothing to do with the Samaritans. Yet she did not recognize whom she was talking to. These stories aren’t recorded in God’s Word just to take up space. They are there for us to understand we have a mission that we must be about. And we have to understand sometimes we ⁓ stand in our

Jesus gave us this example for us to recognize what we ought to do. And lo and behold, look at two of his apostles over in Galatians chapter two. Galatians chapter two, drop down to verse number 11. Galatians chapter two and the verse is 11. Bible says, when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face. Why?

Paul said, because he was to be blamed. What was he to be blamed for, Paul? For before that, certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles, but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with them, insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they

walk not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compelest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews? Understand quite simply, whomever you are on Sunday, you ought to be on Monday. Hello somebody. Whomever you are in

study, you ought to be that same person on the job. Well, I don’t know how to talk to them like you talk to anyone. You have to recognize sometimes we allow these divisions to stand between us and stop us from doing what’s so easy for us to do. You have to recognize the easiest way to teach people about Christ is to ask them this. ⁓ Are you tired of the heat here in Florida in the summer? Well, recognize if you don’t

want to live in that heat and nothing compared to it, let me guide you on the path to make heaven your home. You have to recognize all of mankind understands heat and I pray no one wants to get comfortable with the heat of hell. We have to recognize the challenge that’s before us and if they don’t look like it, so be it. It’s not a matter of how they look, it’s a matter of whether or not their soul is going to

be saved. We have to recognize the importance of us as members of the Lord’s Church allowing our actions to be audible. What are you here for?

What do you come to service for? I want you to recognize if all you’re coming into church for us to see what somebody else has on, you may as well go to JCPenney and see what’s on the store. Amen. We don’t come here for a show. We don’t come here to impress each other. We come here to be refueled. We come here to be revived so that we may go out and tell somebody about Jesus Christ. You have to recognize when I moved to the state of West Virginia, one of the challenges that

was before me as it’s a challenge to me to this day after working in DC is to help folk 535 members of our community are nothing but crooks. Whether they’re Republican, whether they’re Democrat or Independent, they’re all crooks.

They work eight years and get $176,000 a year the rest of their life. You and I have to go out and labor 30 years in order to get a fraction of that. I don’t care how you slice that cake, they’re crooks. So if they know how to get along and they’re not selling us anything but a bunch of lies, why can’t we get along and we are giving away

⁓

the truth.

Brothers and sisters, cannot allow the world to guide us. We have to be in a position to guide and lead the world with the doctrine of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It’s not ours, it is his. We have to let folk know we are concerned for and with ⁓ their souls. Consider the song, Love Lifted Me. We have to allow our love to be lifted.

it up. Sometimes love will cause us to go places we’re not used to going. Sometimes love will cause us to talk to people we’re not used to talking to. You know there’s a thought out there, you know, I wasn’t there, I’m not here to debate it, of whether Jeffrey Dahmer really obeyed the gospel. You recognize there are bigger fish to fry than whether or not his heart was right when he obeyed the gospel. You need to understand if someone said,

the man obeyed the gospel, I’m gonna take them, and God’s gonna handle the separation. Well, Rico, I don’t know about you, but I can’t. All I can tell you that if Jeffrey obeyed the gospel, if he came to a fellowship meal, I’m not eating anything he brought, but I’m gonna treat him as a brother in Christ. We must understand some things are beyond our control. We need to allow the Word of God to do what it’s designed to do

and let love be lifted. Not only that, brothers and sisters, we have to recognize the importance of less of me and more of Christ. It’s not about us. You know, some people love to exclaim, well, I brought 100 people to the church. Good! Where are they? Amen.

You know, sometimes we have to recognize we’re not in the book of numbers anymore. We are in the book of Acts. We are concerned with our actions. Well, our church has 500 members. Good. How many of them are faithful? Amen. How many of them are doing what God has called for us to do? We’re not in this to be out there putting on shows, brothers and sisters. ⁓ Souls are being lost. ⁓

folk know that, you know what, I don’t have a problem going anywhere to preach and teach the Word of God. Upon moving to Chester, one of the Baptist preachers there invited me over to speak. I asked him three times, are you sure?

Each time he said, absolutely, I want you to come over. I asked him three times, are you sure? Well, I walked in and I preached. There’s only one way to get to heaven and that’s through the Church of Christ. He said, you’ll never step foot in my church again.

I gave him warning. I gave him warning, but he wanted me to come. And some would say, I’d never do that because that would cause too much hostility. I could care less about hostility. I’m concerned with souls. See, a lot of us know how to talk a good game, but when it’s time for our feet to hit the road, we go running in the opposite direction. We love to sit back and debate about what this person said and that person said. And sometimes we have too many cowards in the Lord’s church. ⁓

a question on something I said pick up the phone and call me and stop speculating. Well I don’t have your number 407-383-1462 it’s been the same for 20 years. Too many times we become high and our thought

processes because we have a little education, because we’ve been here and we’ve been there. I let folk know education is good. Don’t misunderstand me, but if you want to flaunt your doctoral degrees, you all have heard it. I have two of them. I bought them $35 apiece, so call me Dr. Brown as well. Don’t stand back and throw rocks and hide your hand. If you have a question, ask. Make sure you know why you are standing where you’re

understanding. You know, sometimes people will call me and say, did you hear this about brother such and such? And I’ll say, no, but have you called them? Have you called them to ask them? You know, a friend of mine called me and said, you know, and I’ll share this with you. said, Rico, did you hear what they are saying about Hiram? And you have to realize they know how to get me to go from zero to 80. You talk about my brother, you’re going to get me to go from zero to 80. Yeah. And I said, well, if he hasn’t responded, that means they’re cowards.

They haven’t called him.

because I know him well enough to know he will not teach false doctrine, but if you accuse my brother, you may as well accuse me and then you got to deal with me and Genesis the Revelation. Amen. Understand we must stand up and defend the cause of Christ. Sometimes we get in our little circles. Amen. We get in our little huddles and we think we can attack people. Who are you attacking? All you’re showing is your ignorance. Amen. Instead of standing up and having less of me and

of Christ. Most people, my friends, want you to meet them where they are. Do you realize people are searching for the truth? Regardless of their ethnicity, they are searching for the truth. Joel Osteen’s members recognize he’s lying. Everybody can’t be going to heaven.

But guess what? Since there’s no one there to tell them the truth, they will buy it. They will eat it up every time. And until we decide to step out of our comfort zones and tell them, Joel is lying to you, here is, don’t take my word, teach them what thus says the word of God. But wait a minute, you may not be familiar with your book enough to show them. Go back to school and learn. You need to understand it’s not a matter of what you can quote, but it’s a matter of what you

You can show someone for the sanctity and salvation of their souls. We have to realize that yes, there are multiple ethnicities out there, but all of those ethnicities belong to one God. All of those ethnicities were created by one God. We need to realize if we get out of our comfort zones, we’ll go anywhere to tell the truth. You know, when I became a student,

we learned firsthand that Ted goes to Ghana. Is it Ghana or Guyana?

Ghana, Ghana, right Ted? Ted goes to Ghana and I want you to recognize what that meant. Ted, you all know Ted, don’t you? He’s white. Ted goes to Ghana and when you see a picture of Ted in Ghana, he is surrounded by nothing but blacks. And you would think, man, he must be, and Ted is just at home as much as he can be. Do you realize that’s how we should be no matter where we are? We should recognize the comfort and the joy we have in the Lord

to go and tell it to the world. But sometimes, if they don’t look like me, they don’t talk like me, I can’t talk to them. Who do you think you are? You done fell and bumped your head. You need to recognize God will use you wherever you are to get what he wants done. I let folk know all the time, I don’t want to go to heaven. Listen to me.

I know I got your attention. I don’t want to go to heaven. I need to. And because heaven is a need, I’m not going to let anything or anyone get in my way.

every soul has an opportunity because the Lord has a church to teach them how to be saved. We must recognize what we must consider as members of the Lord’s church is where are we now? Where are we now in the sense of our evangelism? Where are we now in the sense of stepping outside of our comfort zones and sharing the gospel with those that are lost? Consider Paul’s letter to

of the church at Ephesus, Ephesians chapter two, beginning at verse number 13. Paul says, but now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by…

the blood of Christ. Why? For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances, for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace. And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body. How? By the cross, having slain the enmity,

and came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. For through him, our Lord that is, we both have access by one spirit unto the Father. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God.” It’s not about me, it’s not about you, it’s about our Father’s house. It’s about the rule.

of our Father’s house. Whatever our Father says, ⁓ those rules go. And understand, he never said, I’m only gonna have this many whites, this many blacks, this many Hispanics. He says, come unto me all ye that labor in a heavy laden and I will give you rest. Sometimes we have to realize that we feed into foolishness. I want you to know, I truly hope there is not a black heaven.

Amen. You all heard it. A black man said he truly hopes there is no black heaven. I get tired of fried chicken collard greens and cornbread. Amen. I want heaven to be mixed up. That way I can get myself a little Arroz Compollo every now and then. Jaji may be up there with me. Understand the idea of heaven is where souls go.

It’s not a matter of where races go. All of us are one race for those who are smart out there understand that even the dumbest of racist people don’t realize there is only one race of people. We are all of different ethnic backgrounds. There is one race and that’s the human race. And our God desires for us to make heaven our home. As Christians, we must give consideration to

delight in our differences. Don’t necessarily look at someone strange because they’re different than you. Learn about them so that you can respect them. We must recognize you have people in the Lord’s church who are of sour minds on both sides of the aisle. Amen. You have brethren who are black, who are as racist as they can be. You have brethren who are white, who are as racist as they

and it goes always. I desire to stand with the Lord. And when I see foolishness, I call it out. I could care less whether or not you like me. Amen. I’m not here for you to like, I’m here for the Lord to love. We must understand as Christians, we must expose all sin.

If that means you won’t be talking to someone else because of the way they carry themselves, so be it. They weren’t a friend to begin with. We have to understand the importance of understanding ⁓ my allegiance isn’t to any of you. My allegiance isn’t to the African-American race. My allegiance isn’t to the Caucasian race. ⁓ My allegiance is to God.

and he still only made one. And when we recognize the challenge of ministering and evangelizing to different ethnicities, we realize ⁓ same story, different day. Nothing has changed since the beginning of time but us. The same challenges that were there then are here now, but it’s a matter of whether or not we’re gonna allow it to stop us.

I want you to know I look forward to that day of us all gathering around the throne. And do you recognize the beauty of us not knowing what who’s gonna make it over there? Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God. I don’t know what your soul looks like, but do you realize if we can walk with me if you will, can you imagine that we’re all gonna have wings and we’re all just gonna be flying around?

And we’re all just going to be enjoying the beauty and the joy of our God’s heaven. I don’t care what ethnicity you are. I care about the Lord you are following. I care about the Lord you are serving. What drives you? Fear or faith?

Sometimes our fear drives us from doing the right thing. Where in other words, our faith ought to draw us nigh unto God. And when you see someone recognize them, they have a soul. I don’t care what they look like. I don’t care what they smell like. Everyone.

has a soul that needs to be saved. Don’t allow our differences to keep us apart, allow the differences to bring us together and realize every ethnic background deserves to learn about our Lord. May God bless you. May God keep you until we meet again.