The next time you have a Black History Month event, take a look at this sample black history program for church. It’s a great way to introduce your church or youth workers to the rich diversity of African Americans and others who were active in the African American community long before we were an official month.
Many churches have a ministry to youth. This ministry could be anything from teaching teens how to drive, how to manage their money, how to deal with bullies and insecurities, or simply giving them a place where they feel safe. But it’s not just the teenager that the church wants to reach out to; many churches offer programs for children as well. And sometimes these programs are even geared towards families who are struggling financially or who have recently moved into a new area.
Are you ready to learn about black history? I have created a can’t-miss 5-minute activity to help teach your kids about the little-known black history. The brief program consists of five activities that will explain great figures in black history, from Harriet Tubman to Martin Luther King Jr., and George Washington Carver.
Sample black history program for church
Sample Black History Program for Church
The Importance of Celebrating Black History in Church Settings
Black history is a vital part of American history, yet it is often overlooked or minimized in traditional educational settings. In church settings, however, Black history can be celebrated and honored in a meaningful way. By acknowledging the contributions and struggles of Black Americans throughout history, churches can create a more inclusive and diverse worship experience.
Key Components of a Black History Program for Church
- Historical Timeline: Display a timeline of key events and figures in Black history, from slavery to civil rights to present day achievements.
- Music: Incorporate gospel songs or spirituals with roots in the Black community to celebrate the rich musical traditions of Black Americans.
- Guest Speakers: Invite community leaders or historians to speak on important topics related to Black history and its impact on society.
- Drama or Skits: Act out scenes from key moments in Black history to bring the stories to life and engage the congregation.
- Art Display: Showcase artwork by Black artists or create a display of historical photographs and artifacts related to Black history.
Sample Schedule for a Black History Program
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 10:00 AM | Welcome and Opening Prayer |
| 10:15 AM | Historical Timeline Presentation |
| 11:00 AM | Guest Speaker Presentation |
| 12:00 PM | Music Performance |
| 1:00 PM | Closing Remarks and Benediction |
Conclusion
By hosting a Black history program in a church setting, we can educate, inspire, and uplift our community. Through music, art, and storytelling, we can honor the legacy of Black Americans and celebrate the strides they have made towards equality and justice.
Black History Month is an opportunity for people of African descent to reflect and remember the accomplishments, achievements, and contributions of their forefathers and the impact of slavery on African American history. While there are many ways to inspire your congregation to learn more about Black history, the following should be helpful.
7 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month at Your Church
Ideas for honoring the beauty of the diverse cultures in your church.
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1. Celebrate the ethnicity of every member of your congregation. Hang flags from all your members’ nations of ancestry in the sanctuary, have a potluck with foods from their ancestral homelands, or have members dress in the attire of their ancestral country.
2. Racial Reconciliation Sunday is the second Sunday in February each year. It’s not talked about much in many of our churches these days, but it is a great time to make an intentional effort to broaden our churches’ reach and understanding. I like the idea of having a pulpit exchange with a preacher and/or choir coming from a church of a different ethnicity than the prominent ethnicity in your church. A number of times I have been the first Black pastor to preach in a pulpit. It is not the end goal, but it is a step in the right direction.
3. Host an open, honest panel discussion on race related issues with interactive questions from the congregation. Hit the tough issues that make people feel uncomfortable. We can never move forward in becoming more like Jesus in this area without this kind of loving but challenging dialogue.
4. Have mixed racial groups watch a modern movie that highlights a portion of Black history and have a discussion afterwards. Here a few to consider: Hidden Figures, Race, 12 Years a Slave, Selma, 42, Just Mercy, Men of Honor, The Help, or Harriet. (Note: Some of these films are gruesome in their depictions and discretion is required.)
5. Lead a Bible study with your racial eyes open and your antenna raised. Consider studying Jesus on race, race and the unhindered gospel in Acts, or the challenges of being Philemon and Onesimus.
6. Invite people to join book clubs that will read and have a four-week discussion around the book Removing the Stain of Racism in the Southern Baptist Convention or some other similar work.
7. Encourage your pastor to preach a sermon series. Here are some ideas:
Rhythm of Life: A series about important issues using popular songs to express the theme of each message. Some titles might be “God Bless the Child,” “Respect,” “We Are Family,” “I Believe I Can Fly,” and “If This Isn’t Love.”
We’ve Come this Far By Faith: A series tying the faith of the Patriarchs to the faith that has sustained our people.
Strength from the Spirituals. Some themes might be “Go Down Moses,” “God Put a Rainbow in the Clouds,” “Steal Away,” “Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray,” and “We Shall Overcome.”
Becoming Brothers: A series from Philemon on how to grow beneficial relationships, bringing out the racial and class overtones in the text.
In celebrating Black History Month in your church you bring us all a little closer to heaven.
Church Program Ideas for Black History Month
Community churches continue to pass down African-American history to ensure the plight and accomplishments are part of American history. During February, Black History Month, many churches produce programs for the congregation and community. Church program ideas for Black History Month can range from local exhibits and activities to road trips and seminars.
1Game Shows
Emulate the game show “What’s My Line?” by having each person mimic a distinguished African-American physician, inventor, astronaut, engineer, actor or author, while the rest of the group tries to identify the distinguished African-American’s profession.
To play Jeopardy!, one member poses as a television host who reads an answer to a question to the rest of the group. In response, members try to provide the correct question to the answer. For example, the host might say, “An astronomer and inventor recognized for meticulous celestial bodies and eclipses computations who created the first wooden American clock.” A player would reply, “Who is Benjamin Banneker?”
2Special Events
Host a symposium on African-American History. Form a panel of African–American historians to offer workshops for writers, ministers, civic leaders, community directors, teachers or people who want to increase their knowledge to inform others.
Churches can initiate workshops to learn about African-American influence on various regions of the country. Showcase the contribution of African-Americans in such regions as the Harlem Renaissance or Memphis’s Beale Street.
Organize a church trip to experience the Freedom Walk in Atlanta, Georgia. Groups can tour the King Center for Nonviolent Social Change and visit other relevant areas, such as the Joel Chandler Harris Museum.
…
During the 1920s and 1930s, gifted and talented African Americans congregated in the Harlem area of upper Manhattan to express themselves and celebrate their heritage. Known as the Harlem Renaissance, this powerful movement brought together writers, poets, artists, musicians, philosophers and political activists who inspired one another to greatness. Many distinguished African Americans, such as Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington earned critical acclaim for their work and boosted African American pride and visibility.
1Political Change
Political activists collaborated with white social reformers during the Harlem Renaissance with the goal of achieving social justice and an integrated society. Democratic and socialist activists pushed for progressive laws and policies that laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement. Several political leaders, organizations and publications of the day had a far-reaching influence. For example, William Edward Burghardt DuBois helped organize the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in the early 20th Century. DuBois also edited “The Crisis,” a human rights NAACP magazine, that still exists today along with the influential NAACP organization.
2Creative Expression
The cultural scene in Harlem encouraged artists, writers, actors, dancers and sculptors to explore new styles and art forms. Harlem offered a vibrant nightlife where performers like Bessie Smith sang the blues. Other cabarets and nightclubs offered electrifying jazz and ragtime. Many songs, poems, novels and art pieces focused on African American history. A common theme expressed in art was the African American struggle for equality. For instance, Meta Fuller’s sculptures incorporated themes of racism and colonialism. Fuller was influenced by her friend, social W.E.B. DuBois, which illustrates the cross-disciplinary collaboration common during that period.
3Enhanced Self-Image
An important goal of many artists and writers during the Harlem Renaissance was to enhance the self-esteem of African Americans. This goal was accomplished by creating extraordinary works of art and literature that showed the strength, resilience and intelligence of the African American people. Creating positive images of African Americans helped dispel racially biased myths and stereotypes prevalent in the media. This strategy was reinforced by political reformers who highlighted African American leaders in various publications with the intent of instilling a sense of cultural pride and self-respect. It was assumed that accurate portrayal of African American culture would lead to a more enlightened society.
4Economic Opportunity
Around 1890, thousands of African Americans migrated to urban centers, such as Harlem, seeking jobs and refuge from Southern oppression. When Northern prejudice also presented a barrier to employment, African Americans in Harlem set a goal of becoming economically self-sufficient. African American-owned businesses provided Harlem residents with jobs, services and popular entertainment venues that attracted affluent white patrons to Harlem, further stimulating the local economy. African American doctors, lawyers and other well-educated professionals formed a growing middle class that sustained the economic vitality of Harlem during the renaissance years.
Do you want to bring a true focus on black history and culture to your church or youth group? If so, then you may want to try creating a program that can capture the attention of everyone in attendance.
Most of the time, praise and prayer last about 20 minutes. Most of the time, we sing four songs that were also picked on purpose. To get people’s attention, we start with an intense, upbeat praise song, and we end with a big, faith-building prayer song.
The songs you choose shouldn’t just be four cool songs. Instead, they should take people on a trip from the time they walk into the auditorium, after what could have been a hard week, to the point where they can focus on Jesus.
Make church a place where people strive for greatness. It’s not about being great, but about making sure you and your team keep getting better each week. Step onto the stage with a sense of purpose. You’re not there to act or look cool; you’re there to help.
Emcee
During this part of the service, we do a few things.
We end service by sharing our prayer requests and hearing what good things our community has done. This is so important because we can pray for people’s real needs and praise God at the same time for what He has done in our lives.
As everyone sits down, there is time during the service for people to talk to the people sitting next to them, their friends in the area, and people who are coming for the first time.
Then, we keep worshipping by giving our weekly tithes and gifts. Around the giving, one of our team members will share a Bible verse and a word of support. This is a chance to tell people about God’s promise and word about living a life of sowing and giving. It’s not about begging or trying to trick people into giving.
Make sure this part of the service is fun. In the end, it’s a chance to talk to the group in a fun way, let them know what’s coming up, welcome people, and make them feel like they belong.
Message
Before the Word is shared, we might sing a praise song and then stand up to honor the person who will be sharing the Word.
When the speaker is presenting the preacher, he or she should make sure to set the preacher up for success by making the preacher feel like they are about to win.
The lecture should always help people and be useful. Pastor Brian talks about not just speaking to people on Sundays, but also on Mondays. Our preaching should be like that, speaking to people’s lives all week long.
Make sure the sermons are based on the Bible. It’s not so much about telling funny jokes or making good comparisons; it’s about sharing a word from God.
Ministry
All the parts of the service have been leading up to this last part. We make sure to leave this part of the service open to what God wants to do and give the Holy Spirit space to move in the last few minutes of a service.
We might sing a praise song to confirm and strengthen the message, or we might pray for different situations (like recovery or a breakthrough) and speak over people’s lives.
As a church, we always give everyone who is there an opportunity to decide to give their life to Jesus. The preacher or emcee may make this request, and then the whole crowd will say a prayer out loud.
At the end of the service, the speaker will pray a blessing over everyone, and if there’s time, we love to end with a praise song (or two).
Every Sunday service is carefully planned, and the team works hard to get ready all week and over the weekend to make sure that each service is a chance for the Holy Spirit to move, for God to be honored, and for people to meet Jesus.
The importance of black history month is not only in celebrating it, but also in opening up new doors for what black history means to us as Christians. In order for us to be effective in our efforts at changing the hearts and minds of Black people, we need to understand what Black History really is so we can teach from the Word of God in a way that people will think twice before making negative assumptions about us.
Do you want to bring the history of black Americans to life in youth ministry? Here is one simple way.
In America, the history of black people can be traced back to Africa and through slavery in the United States. Black history is a great way of learning how we came to be free in the United States. There are many facts you can use in classroom or church presentations. Learn more about black history month in school by reading this article.
In India and other countries, Black History Month is celebrated to celebrate the history and contributions of African-Americans to this country. The month is also meant to encourage learning about the rich culture of African Americans which dates back thousands of years.