Meet the Puritans

If I have written this before, please excuse me; but African American Baptists have a Puritan heritage. African American slaves and free men and women joined Baptist churches in large numbers during the First Great Awakening, which was a Reformed Puritan revival. African American Baptists believed the same doctrines as their white brethren, especially the necessity of the new birth if anyone is to be saved.

For the second week, I'm preparing a Sunday school lesson on the English Puritans and I'm struck at the penetrating preaching and the true conversions that the Spirit was pleased to work in the people's hearts during this time.

Where is that type of preaching today,especially among African American Baptists? How many church members are geniunely converted? From my view point, there are few giving evidence of true conversion.

Rather than being slaves to fads and human innovation, African American Baptists need to meet the Puritans and emulate them: their preaching, their worship, their home piety.

I pray for a Puritan-like revival in African American Baptist churches.