In Righteous Discontent (1993), E.B. Higginbotham notes that "From the early days of slavery the Black church had constituted the back bone of the Black community."

In The Black Church in the African American Experience (1990), C. E. Lincoln and L. Mamiya suggest that "The Black church has no challenger as the cultural womb of the black community. Not only did it give birth to new institutions (such as schools, banks, insurance companies, and low income housing), but also it provided an academy and arena for political activities, and it nurtured young talent for musical, dramatic, and artistic development."

Further, in Climbing Jacobs’s Ladder: The Enduring Legacy of African American Families (1992), A. Billingsley observes that "The black church is at the leading edge of the African American community’s push to influence the future of its families. . . . [It is] both preserver of the African American heritage and an agent for reform."

In these nascent days of the 21st century, African American congregations still constitute the backbone of the their communities, still give birth to social programs and spiritual uplift, and still remain a voice for—and a hand in—reformation, reconciliation, and hope. With the task of serving the growing needs of its community ever before it, the African American congregation requires access to the best resources and tools available. Resources for and from African American Congregations provides such access and intends to serve as an effective tool in equipping congregations to accomplish their mission.

While the black church grew out of an oral tradition, this resource guide focuses on written resources to assist the church in achieving its goals. And although the African American church is comprised of distinct denominations ministering in various locales, this compilation of resources intends to speak to that diversity by presenting resources that bear witness to practical, hands-on, innovative, and helpful tools. The members of the Alban Institute hope you will find this guide helpful and, as always, we welcome your comments, concerns, and suggestions.

-- The Rev. Dr. Zina Jacque