Archive
Why the Black Church Should Support Asian Lives Matter
The below post was originally published by The Christian Recorder and The LA Sentinel. The Rev. Mark Whitlock wrote it with Hyepin Im, CEO of FACE and an alum of the USC …
When a Pastor Shows Up at a Black Lives Matter Protest
I posted a question on Facebook at the beginning of 2018: “What ever happened to Black Lives Matter?” The question wasn’t prompted by animosity, despite the disagreements between clergy and BLM. To …
A New Pitch for God’s Resources – Church Finance Series
This post originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. Church Stewardship is raising, expending, and managing God’s funds and property. This is the fundamental principle of biblical stewardship. Too many church leaders …
Online Giving Works – Church Finance Series
This post originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. Online giving is one of the fastest-growing methods of giving to churches. Online giving is a way of donating money via the internet …
How to Handle Church Rip-Off Artists – Church Finance Series
This article originally appeared in The Christian Recorder. In bad economic times, churches are the target of professional con artists committed to ripping the church off. Some rip off artists hit 50 …
Words of the Week – Empowering Poor People
The post originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. The church has a dark hidden secret. It has been a secret for decades. The secret is churches have a number of the …
Bank Data on Diversity Can Help Close Racial Wealth Gap
Rev. Mark Whitlock, Executive Director of the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, wrote this Op-Ed for American Banker with Aubry Stone, president and CEO of the California Black Chamber of Commerce …
How to Give to the Poor Without Getting Ripped Off – Church Finance Series
This version of this post originally appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. In bad economic times, churches are the targets of professional con artists committed to rip the church off. Some rip …
Securing God’s Sanctuary – How to Protect Your Congregation from Attacks
A version of this article also ran in LA Sentinel. The vicious killing of nine people attending Bible Study at Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC has created a national concern for …
Shooting at Charleston AME Church Won’t Slow Civil Rights Church
In addition to serving as the Executive Director of the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement, Rev. Mark Whitlock is pastor of Christ Our Redeemer AME Church in Irvine, CA. Last night, …
Let the Church Say ‘Thank You!’ – Church Finance Series
This post originally appeared in The Los Angeles Sentinel. Every Sunday morning, the church offers prayer, scriptures, songs, a sermon and the almighty offering, but does the church say, “Thank you?” Giving …
Ask and It Shall Be Given! Church Finance Series
A version of this article appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. Our church needed money to build a new sanctuary. We had raised some money, but it was not enough. Our small …
How To Create a Church Budget – Church Finance Series
A version of this article appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. The church budgeting process can be difficult or delightful. Either way it’s necessary. As I wrote in part one, churches have …
Show Members the Money! Church Finance Series
A version of this article appeared in the Los Angeles Sentinel. Churches are required to be transparent and fiscally accountable and to work together to manage God’s money. But too many churches …
Obamacare and the Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation
Our nation cannot fully celebrate the freeing of slaves 150 years after Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation. Black poverty, unemployment, poor health care, inadequate housing and a variety of social ills remain unaddressed. President …
Whitlock: Black History Month, Our Story
This post originally appeared in the Orange County Register. “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” —Marcus Garvey We all have …
Would Jesus Use a Handgun or an Assault Weapon?
A 43-year-old African American man—a member of my church—was shot in the back nine times and over 50 bullets riddled the yellow SUV in which he sat. At his funeral service, no …