Pastor Bell's Words To Live By

One of the problems that plague us is the need to belong. For many of us from the African  Diaspora, this was made doubly difficult by the systematic destruction of our heritage once our ancestors arrived in the west in the 16^th and 17^th centuries. The issue of identity and of who we really are is one that scholars have long debated and have come to different conclusions.

Some say that we have retained a significant amount from our ancestors through a sort of osmosis, that is, some things are so ingrained in our psyche, that it is very difficult to remove. Others say that we are now a new hybrid human with a Euro-centric worldview.

Nevertheless, who do you saw you are? If you are from the Caribbean, you identify yourself from that particular island. If you are from a state or a country in the Americas, you identify yourself with that state or country. Therefore, how far back can you go? And who are you really?

The vast majority of those of us, who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ, find a new identity in him. However, we cannot deny the fact that we have a heritage rooted in history. Our heritage in Christ gives us freedom, spiritually and emotionally, however, our cultural heritage has bound many of us. Therefore, there are still Christians who are devout, dedicated and committed to their fellowship, but still practice, Obeah, Santeria, Juju and other forms of witchcraft. There are those who burn black candles when they want to snuff out their enemies, and still others who tie ‘red cloths’ on their door handles or hang tape measures over their door frames to ward off evil spirits or departed ones who may come back to trouble or visit them.

Everyone  need to know their ancestry. Like a large section of the exiles who returned to Jerusalem during the time of Nehemiah and Ezra (see Nehemiah 7:61ff), they could not prove who they belonged to and so were excluded from the religious celebrations. Today a vast swathe of those in the Diaspora and particularly our boys, do not have a clue about their ancestry and buy into the media images that ‘white is good, black is bad’. They effectively live on the edge of society surviving by any means necessary and are excluded from the benefits that this country offers. They despise their own people and reject who they are. Others become so Afro-centric, joining movements like the Ausar Asset, that they deny the liberation that being in Christ brings. Therefore, my brothers and sisters, start the process of finding out your true spiritual and your historical identity. Read Nehemiah 7:61-73.