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130 7 Fade to Black Rodrigo: It doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, purple, or green. Just come on in, and let’s do life together. Oasis conducts its ministries with the intent of resolving the tensions inherent in the world of work for those in the entertainment industry in much the same way the black church historically has resolved the tensions inherent in the world of work for African Americans (see Frazier 1974; Myrdal 1944; Anthony Pinn 2002; Pinn and Pinn 2002). Indeed, it conducts its ministry in a way that connects with African Americans who grew up in the black church. Racial Diversity at Oasis Christian Center At 45 percent, African Americans comprise the largest proportion of Oasis’s 2,200 members. Whites represent the next largest at 40 percent, followed by Hispanics at 10 percent, Asians at 3 percent, and others including Middle Eastern and non-native blacks at 2 percent. This diversity, especially the outstanding presence of African Americans at Oasis, is astonishing in a city historically characterized by segregation and racial tension and disharmony. Across the United States, churches like Oasis are equally rare: Churches remain the most segregated social institution in our society.1 Michael Emerson and Christian Smith (2000) established that only 5 percent of Protestant churches in the country (and only 7 percent of congregations overall) show any significant racial or ethnic diversity. Among these few, only one-third have significant percentages of whites and blacks in the same congregation (Emerson 2006, chap. 6). In short, only 2.5 percent of the nation’s churches achieve a significant black-white composition. And racial segregation is highest among conservative Protestant churches like Oasis, Emerson reports in People of the Dream (2006, 42), where he also affirms the scholarly consensus that black and white in America are oppositional cultures, which explains the difficulty of uniting these races, with their distinctive styles and preferences, within congregations. If racial diversity is so rare (and if black/white diversity is especially difficult ), how does a church filled with highly ambitious fame- and profit-seeking attenders become one of the largest, most racially diverse in the United States? Certainly, the answer lies partly in the congregation’s commitment to racial and ethnic diversity. Leaders and attenders universally agree that Oasis is committed Fade to Black 131 to diversity and that racial equity is fundamental to the mission of the church. Messages, ministries, and counseling sessions regularly deal with prejudicial attitudes. I often heard direct confrontation of interpersonal discrimination. Holly said, “We talk about bigotry. We don’t just talk about it on Martin Luther King Jr. Day either. We talk about it all the time. We try to deal with it straight on.” Stacie said, “Philip brings it up and keeps it in front of our faces.” And Philip concurred: “No matter what topic I’m teaching on, that usually comes into play. We will use an example because it affects so much of our lives.” The church regularly gives away CDs with Pastor Philip’s message on racial harmony. I found especially significant an Application for Ministry form dating from the late 1980s and filled out by those who wish to volunteer and lead in the church. The form inquires about drugs, sex outside of marriage, and other behaviors typical of such applications but also asks, “Are you racially prejudiced or do you have struggles in that area?” With this question, the church boldly acknowledges racism as a sin for which one must be accountable. Yet sincere commitment to diversity is not sufficient. Believers at Oasis share a deep purpose: becoming champions of life, pursuing their God-given potential, and becoming able to withstand disappointment and heartache. In the pursuit of their mission to empower believers with an awareness of their significance in the world, the congregation cultivates a new identity centered on this purpose, which encompasses a commitment to racial equity. Overarching the commitment to racial equity, Oasis builds a distinctive religious community based on shared struggles, goals, and ambitions. At one worship service as the vibrant worship music subsided and people sat down, an associate pastor jumped onto the platform. Holding a brightly colored card in his hand, he shouted, “John Smith, you rock the house!” Everyone enthusiastically whooped and cheered as the crowd turned to spot John, who looked a little embarrassed. The pastor read from the card and talked about John, telling the congregation that he worked “faithfully” every week in...

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