The Banner

By Buster

This book is a true story about the challenge of racial solidarity specifically within the walls of modern day American Christendom. In living color it addresses the naivety of Black and White people when assuming the love of the Gospel alone will cure the deep wounds of racism. A hard lesson is yearned and learned by the author but hopefully that lesson can permeate the hearts and minds of every believer that would have the courage to address this deep rooted issue in the Kingdom of “Heaven...on earth”.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Dec 11, 2019
• ISBN: 9781728332864

Book preview

© 2019 Buster. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 12/11/2019

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3287-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3288-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-7283-3286-4 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Foreword

Prologue

Chapter 1 Minding My Own Business

Chapter 2 No Need To Pray

Chapter 3 The Merge

Chapter 4 The Banner

Chapter 5 Beneath the Surface

Chapter 6 Trust

Chapter 7 A Familiar Place

Chapter 8 Another Notch

Epilogue

Epilogue

Ointment and perfume rejoices the heart; so doth the sweetness of a man’s friend by hearty counsel. (Proverbs 27:9 KJV)

This book is

dedicated to my closest friend in the world.

Foreword

In life, you are extraordinarily blessed if you end up with one or two unwaveringly loyal friends. Those that walk with you through the changes and seasons of life without switching their allegiance. Those that remain in your corner and by your side whether you talk once a day, once a week, or once a month. I consider myself blessed to be able to call Buster a life-long friend. With over 30 years of friendship binding us, we have walked through the good and bad of life together. Our friendship proves that "two are [truly] better than one… (Ecclesiastes. 4:9- 12). It takes great courage to do something different, to go against the norm. It was William Faulkner that said, You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore. Losing sight of the shore is exactly what Buster did. Being willing to forsake all that you know, all that is safe, all that is accepting, all that is home, for the absolute unknown… is one of the greatest acts of bravery one can display. As you’ll read in this book, I, like Buster, was born and bred in the Apostolic faith. So, I must be honest in admitting that when Buster called me and told me what He felt God was leading him to do, while supportive, I had my uncertainties about what this would mean for him. Having watched Buster build a church from the ground up, knowing his victories and failures, and the blood, sweat, and tears that goes into building and sustaining a ministry, my heart ached for the cost of elevation. How would his members react? How would the new church handle him and his congregants? Could this really work? I channeled those fears into prayers for my friend; for I learned long ago that obedience is the summons of Heaven, and if we are wise, we will answer with a yes," lest we face a Jonah experience. Having taken over an established ministry myself, I know the challenge of changing a church’s culture with the introduction of new leadership. I am keenly aware of the pushback that comes from those who feel that ‘we’ve always done it this way’ and ‘if it’s not broke don’t fix it’. However, adding the component of race and racial divide… that is a different ballgame in and of itself. I second what Buster states in this book. The goal is not racial reconciliation, but racial solidarity. It’s acknowledging that the heart of Christ is to see the culture’s come together in unity embracing our differences and