How Are Black Churches Preparing for Election 2024?

From exploring ways to promote civic engagement all year round to ensuring voter registration, Black churches are doing plenty to prepare their members to participate in the election.

 By Houston Defender and by Aswad Walker

With Election 2024 being billed as the most consequential one in our lifetime, what are Black faith communities doing to prepare members to participate?

Plenty.

Voter Registration

“Like many of our churches, Blueridge Methodist put the message out to make sure that everybody knows they’re registered to vote, and make sure that their registration is actually current by going to TexasVoters.org just to double check,” said Pamela Walker. “Because there is some messaging out there that many voters’ registrations have been purged from inactivity and all these other things.”

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Walker visited the website to ensure that the voter registrations for herself, her partner, and her 21-year-old son were current.

She also mentioned hearing of churches partnering with Divine Nine organizations and their voter empowerment efforts.

“I think churches colla-borating with efforts of fraternities and sororities canvassing and walking the streets and making sure people are registered and informed, especially if the pastor is in a frat, it’s lovely to see that,” she added.

Year-Round Work

At Inspiration Church (16310 Chimney Rock Rd, Houston, TX 77053), Pastor Carlos Jones II says his congregation is politically active all year.

“One of the things we do year-round is partner with elected officials to serve the community, which makes re-election easier,” said Jones. “Our standard is that if we haven’t worked with you during your term, then you don’t have a voice during campaign season.”

Still, Jones’ congregation is involved in special activities regarding the presidential election, including sharing websites to candidate-shared fact-check statistics.

“I have instructed the congregation not to vote based on divisive topics, such as abortion and gun rights. Instead, we are focusing on what affects us and our daily lives. This is communicated through sermons, social media and other events.”

Jones hasn’t instructed anyone to vote for a specific candidate, but rather to vote according to their conscience and personal interests.

History

The Black Church has a long and storied history of mobilizing the Black community toward social and political action beginning immediately after emancipation. Though scholars debate on the level of overall participation of Black churches during the Civil Rights Movement, there is no denying that nationally several congregations and their pastors were at the forefront of galvanizing actions centered around securing voting rights, educating people on important issues and providing transportation and protection to the polls.

That tradition has remained intact. And though the very successful “Souls to the Polls” efforts have been attacked by conservation lawmakers nationally, Black faith communities make sure not to cross the legal line regarding “separation of church and state.”

Other Approaches

Pastor Demeko Bivens of Sojourn Southside Church (5202 Griggs Rd, Houston, TX 77021) says that’s his approach regarding the Nov, 5, 2024 election.

“We stay middle of the road, encouraging people to vote, but not directing them to vote for any particular candidate,” said Bivens. “God is not a God of a political party but a God of a kingdom that welcomes all who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. Our church has people on the right and left, but we’re called to outdo one another in showing honor, love for one another and emulating Jesus.”

Members of Boynton Chapel Methodist Church created a nonpartisan prayer that they posted on YouTube in the hope that it would go viral.

“We had several women in our church who were part of that ‘Black Women for Kamala’ call that had over 440K participants,” said Pastor Linda Davis. “Afterwards, one sister came up to me and said, ‘Pastor, I want to write a prayer regarding this season.’ I said sure. And she and others got together, went into the studio, and recorded the prayer with music, and put together this fabulous video that we posted on Aug. 29. And that video immediately got many, many views.

For the entire month of September, Mt. Vernon UMC (1501 Jensen Dr, Houston, TX 77020) is celebrating women, and doing so in connection to the election.

“We have voter deputies coming out every Sunday making sure people are registered to vote,” said Pastor Herb Addison. “We have a Women’s Conference on Sept 21. And each Sunday during the month we have speakers and women leading in the community, getting out the message of voter registration.”