By Boyce Watkins, PhD on Jan 1st 2011 12:02AM
Filed under: Dr. Boyce Money
The oldest black church in DeKalb County had to recently shut its doors after facing foreclosure proceedings on its building.
Flat Rock Community Church is 150 years old. According to Binita Miles, a senior pastor, the church is now having to deal with significant financial problems as a result of declining membership.
The church's mortgage is $6,500 and parishioners are now meeting in a local elementary school.
The challenges being faced by Flat Rock are being felt nation-wide. Quite a few black churches have found themselves to be victims of the recent foreclosure crisis and are working to find a way to pay the bills. African Americans at large were disproportionately impacted by the economic downturn and many of us are on the brink of homelessness. Not only do African Americans have the highest unemployment rates in America, we have less wealth to fall back on in the event of economic problems.
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Gospel Artists
CeCe Winans
The eighth of 10 siblings in the gospel-singing Winans family, CeCe recorded music with brother BeBe. The dynamic duo scored two No. 1 R&B singles, 'Addictive Love' and 'I'll Take You There.' As a soloist, CeCe has won six Grammys and her collection of R&B hits includes 'Count on Me,' her duet with Whitney Houston from the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack.
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Gospel Artists
CeCe Winans
The eighth of 10 siblings in the gospel-singing Winans family, CeCe recorded music with brother BeBe. The dynamic duo scored two No. 1 R&B singles, 'Addictive Love' and 'I'll Take You There.' As a soloist, CeCe has won six Grammys and her collection of R&B hits includes 'Count on Me,' her duet with Whitney Houston from the 'Waiting to Exhale' soundtrack.
Gospel Artists
BeBe Winans
After years as a duet with sister CeCe, BeBe Winans went solo and released a self-titled album in 1997. Featuring singles 'In Harms' Way,' 'Thank You,' and 'I Wanna Be The Only One,' the album did well on gospel and secular charts. BeBe is a two-time Grammy winner, one as co-producer of the 'Bodyguard' soundtrack.
Gospel Artists
Kierra "KiKi" Sheard
KiKi Sheard is a third-generation gospel artist. Her mother is Karen Clark Sheard of the famed Clark Sisters and her grandmother is gospel pioneer Dr. Mattie Moss Clark. Shortly after graduating high school, Sheard released her second album 'This Is Me,' which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel charts in 2006.
Gospel Artists
Mahalia Jackson
Regarded as the "world's greatest gospel singer," Jackson's spirit-filled force produced gospel classics such as 'Move On Up a Little Higher,' 'He's Got the Whole World in His Hands' (a Top 100 pop single) and 'How I Got Over.' She sang for Presidents Eisenhower & Kennedy, and for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. immediately before his "I Have a Dream" speech.
Gospel Artists
James Cleveland
A pianist, singer, composer and producer, Cleveland was revered by the music world as the King of Gospel and even taught a Queen (of soul), Aretha Franklin a few things about gospel. Cleveland is credited with writing and arranging more than 400 gospel songs, including 'Everything Will Be All Right,' 'The Love of God' and 'Peace Be Still.'
Gospel Artists
Kirk Franklin
Kirk Franklin came up in the church, but often reworks his church messages into a hip-hop mix. Franklin's 1998 hit 'Stomp' propelled him to the best-selling gospel artist of the modern era. Moving beyond music, Franklin has hosted 'Sunday Best,' a music competition on BET, in addition to working the speaker circuit.
Gospel Artists
The Winans
The Winans, comprised of five-time Grammy-winning brothers Marvin, Carvin, Michael and Ronald, put out 10 albums from 1982 to 1995, spawning hits such as 'Let My People Go' and 'It's Time and a Friend.' Their own sons went on to form the third-generation group Winans Phase 2.
Gospel Artists
Yolanda Adams
Though initially criticized in the Christian community for embracing R&B and jazz rhythms and "immodest" fashion to accompany her holy music, Adams scored quickly with gospel audiences. Her 1999 album, 'Mountain High...Valley Low' earned Adams her first Grammy for Best Contemporary Soul Gospel.
Gospel Artists
Mary Mary
Sisters Erica and Tina Atkins formed gospel duo Mary Mary, named after biblical Mary Magdalene and Mary, mother of Jesus. Their debut album, 'Thankful,' boasting smash single 'Shackles (Praise You),' was a crossover hit earning the duo Grammy and American Music Awards. The single received rotation on mainstream radio and MTV.
Gospel Artists
Andraé Crouch
After founding the Disciples in 1965, André Crouch garnered mainstream success, appearing on 'The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson' and at Carnegie Hall. The Disciples contemporary gospel sound, complete with soothing melodies of pop rather than traditional hymns, helped the group develop a racially diverse audience.
Gospel Artists
The average white family home is worth $60,000 more than that of the average African American family. Also, less than half of all black families own a home, compared to three-quarters of all white families. Additionally, a Brandeis University study found that while white family wealth rose from $22,000 to $100,000 over the past 23 years, black family wealth rose by just $3,000 to $5,000. Such disparities in wealth not only do harm to individuals and families, but also affect to our ability to sustain institutions such as churches and universities.
It has been made clear that the gap in wealth between black and white Americans will never be addressed by our political leaders. But it is important that all of us pick up the torch on this important issue to ensure that it is a point of discussion among those who can help to cure the imbalance. Part of the disparity can be addressed by attacking financial literacy within the black community (so our kids aren't getting financial advice from rappers who tell them to waste their money on stupid material items). The other part of the imbalance comes from systemic policies in both government and other American institutions that discriminate against minorities and keep us in the poor house. These institutions and norms must be challenged on a consistent basis in order for us to make things right for our children.
Racial inequality is not maintained by people simply choosing to be racist. We are also perpetuating racial inequality by supporting historic processes and procedures of institutions built on a racist foundation. At the end of the day, we must all work to help clean up the mess in order for our country to move forward.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here. 
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Comments: (41)
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By: ssshhush on 12/31/2010 11:29PM
Please help me to understand this...If the church is 150 years old shouldn't it be paid off by now? Financial crisis or not most mortgages are for past 100 years. I am not trying to belittle the church's plight but is there something I am missing in this story about this church in particular?
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By: escope on 1/01/2011 10:08AM
After 150 years I bvelieve the building has been completely paid for. Therefore bad management and greed might be a factor from the officers of the congregation.
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By: Al on 1/01/2011 11:03AM
Squandered tithes... What else is new.
The root problem with ALL these stories are those that lack basic financial management skills.
It's not rocket science...
May one be so bold to suggest a little restraint and your basic 5 dollar calculator!
We all need to adjust our monetary output when the input declines, especially those that are working, (mis)managing our tithes!
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By: pimpinperry2 on 1/01/2011 3:21PM
ssshhush.....I was thinking the same thing. What type of morgage last 150 years. One thing I can think of is that maybe they refinance the mortgage on the church a few times.
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By: Laura on 1/02/2011 3:02AM
With all due respect Dr. Watkins I would like to know how does a 150 year old church end up in foreclosure. Did the church have multiple mortgages? Did the church have multiple refinancing? If so, why? Who handled the church finances? I guess I'm finding it difficult to understand how a church can survive 150 years (which included Jim Crow, segregation, women's voting rights, civil rights act, the great depression, a recession, assassinations of civil rights leaders, etc.) of history in America and now be in foreclosure.
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By: KW on 1/02/2011 8:56AM
Laura, Bruce, and Brady you are all right! Let's stat with the truth, White household incomes vs. Black incomes has nothing to do with the 150 year old church mortgage getting paid. Most loans are 10, 20, 30 years...not 150 years. Why refinance a loan for $6,500 per month, not including other maintenance fees that must be paid monthly, and you already don't have the money coming in.
If you are not a mega church, bringing in mega money, then sit down and be the church your members can afford. We got to put a stop all this money laudering many minority church leaders do to their congregations in the name of Jesus!
Finally, leave to ".rD" Boyce to once again start trouble. There is no connection between the household income of Whites vs.Blacks and church leaders not having a sound business plan! Amen!
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By: The Truth on 1/02/2011 9:19AM
Tis better to do the work of GOD than continue throwing donations down the toilet.
Men decide to build huge energy starved mega-plexes, not GOD.
The sermon on the mount did not cost ANYTHING!
(Earth to dumbasses...stop allowing others to mismanage your hard earned money, religious leaders ARE NOT gods)
If all involved (including the church goers that supply the funding) were to consider the immediate building costs (in the millions) then the continued costs of maintenance and energy consumption, most would opt for a more modest building to gather, worship, and continue the work of GOD.
It’s easier to squander money one does not have to work and sweat for that is received in an offering basket and that’s EXACTLY what’s going on here.
I’d rather buy that mentally challenged bum on the street a cup of coffee than continue to allow my money to be squandered. If I decide to flush my money down the drain, I’ve got a toilet in my house and I can do it myself.
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By: Gwenola on 1/05/2011 3:26PM
Yes it was paid off. Then it was rebuilt. Then a new pastor came in and changed things.This Chris Tucker's family church and when you go there, you can tell them.They all have the same look. I hear Chris is in trouble with his money.
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By: jamarcus on 1/01/2011 7:49AM
One does not need a Church to seek salvation and enlightenment. Prayer and good deeds to fellow human beings can be done from anywhere and not necessarily at a Church.
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By: Debra on 1/01/2011 9:03AM
It's not Biblically correct, so close it. God has only One Church - Mathew 16:16. Greet each member with a holy kiss - The Church of Christ. The Bible said nothing about Baptist, Catholic, Methodist etc. Those are all man made religions.
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