- Coming up on "American Black Journal."

Our "Black Church in Detroit" series is gonna examine the priorities for the church in the New Year.

We're gonna talk with three religious leaders about the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead for the Black church and its congregants in 2026.

You absolutely don't want to miss today's conversation.

"American Black Journal" starts right now.

- [Narrator 1] Across our Masco family of companies, our goal is to deliver better living possibilities and make positive changes in the neighborhoods where we live, work, and do business.

Masco, a Michigan company since 1929.

Support also provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit PBS.

- [Narrator 2] The DTE Foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit PBS.

Through our giving, we are committed to meeting the needs of the communities we serve statewide to help ensure a bright and thriving future for all.

Learn more at dtefoundation.com.

- [Narrator 1] Also brought to you by Nissan Foundation and viewers like you.

Thank you.

(gentle upbeat music) - Welcome to "American Black Journal."

I'm your host, Stephen Henderson.

Today, we are continuing our series on the "Black Church in Detroit," which is produced in partnership with the Ecumenical Theological Seminary and the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

The African American community has several New Year traditions that celebrate our history, our culture, and our resilience.

Among them are the New Year's Eve Watch Night Church Services, which date back to 1862, when enslaved African Americans waited for the Emancipation Proclamation to take effect at midnight.

Today, New Year's Eve is a time to reflect on the past year and launch a call to action for the year ahead.

Here to talk about priorities for the Black church in 2026 are Reverend Charles Christian Adams from Hartford Memorial Baptist Church, Reverend Cindy Rudolph of Oak Grove AME Church, and Reverend Aramis Hinds of Breakers Covenant Church International.

Welcome to all three of you, and Happy New Year in advance.

- Yes, thank you.

- Thank you, Stephen.

- Yeah.

- So, let's start by talking about the year behind us and I guess how it frames the year ahead.

It's been a long time, I think, since we've had a year quite like the one that we are wrapping up now, where so many things changed, where there were so many challenges presented to not just the African American community, but, of course, the Black church.

And so I'm really eager, actually, to have this conversation with the three of you about, boy, what are we getting ready for in the next year?

But let's start by talking about the kinds of things that each of the three of you have experienced and encountered in 2025 that really informed the way that we are gonna be thinking about 2026.

Pastor Hinds, I'll start with you.

- Yes, and thanks again, Stephen, for having me with this great company of clergy.

This year has been challenging, to say the least.

Started off, and I think a lot of people were very concerned about what was gonna happen with our president.

I knew cabinet, and I don't know if any of us were prepared for how aggressive things would be and the decisions that he would make.

We watched quick attacks on minority communities, the Black community specifically.

We saw program funding, and we saw even the museum in Washington quickly being struck at.

And ultimately, it put us in a position where, as pastors, we're having to console individuals not just on the impact economically that it had on homes, government workers who were losing their jobs.

But there's this fear factor, this uncertainty, this anxiety that has risen up.

And in a sense, our responsibilities have been great to meet the felt needs of individuals, but also to meet those emotional and spiritual needs so that our church families and our communities continue to remain resilient.

- Yeah, yeah.

Reverend Pastor Rudolph, was this year more challenging than years that you have had before in terms of the things that people either brought to you or that you saw happening to them in your congregation?

- Without question, Stephen.

This has been a year like I have never seen.

And we all knew that it was going to be challenging, but I think our minds are still somewhat blown by just how challenging it's been.

We are witnessing an assault on American citizens by our own government.

We are seeing challenges in the areas of diversity and inclusion, civil rights, affordability is a huge issue, immigration enforcement that's targeted at Black and Brown communities.

One of the first things that this administration did coming into office was to make prescription drugs less affordable for senior citizens.

Healthcare is a major issue.

And so many people who have relied on the Affordable Care Act subsidies are now faced with these huge copays and all kinds of really, really cost-prohibitive ways in which they now have to navigate their own healthcare.

And the racism is what is so unapologetic.

I mean, referring to Black immigrants as garbage, referring to countries that mostly are Black in nature as... Well, in ways that I can't repeat and will not repeat, but very derogatory terms.

The racism has been unapologetic.

And it's absolutely stunning.

And so I think for 2026, it's up to us in the Black church to stand in the gap for our communities.

And so the ways in which we are seeing our people struggle with affordability and things of that nature, it's up to us to not only stand the gap in terms of providing that outreach, but also to advocate and to... One of the things I've been talking with some of our statewide leaders about is: How can we insulate Michigan, so that regardless of what the federal government does, there will be some level of insulation that will protect our citizens, protect Detroiters, protect Michiganders, so that we are not as marginalized as we see so many people around the country.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

Reverend Adams, give us a sense of what's going on in your congregation, and what that is asking of you and your church right now.

- Yes, you know... And thank you for having me on as well.

I certainly see both of what my colleagues are saying.

I've seen the psychological and emotional components of this year because it has been very stressful.

There's a lot of the anxiety, there's a lot of fear as to what is going to become of them, their grandchildren, and their other ancestors in the future.

And that is a very real situation.

Culture has... There's been a culture shift, and it is a felt problem.

It is real when you walk out and you can feel the kind of resentment that we have felt.

It's beyond scapegoating.

It is open season on immigrants, on African Americans, on anyone who is not a part of the status quo.

And there's also, as the pastors have pointed out, a very real problem.

The safety nets have been withdrawn.

And that is the first reality that we are facing, and that is causing a lot of the anxiety moving forward.

People are wondering, "Well, if this has started..." And let me tell you something.

My fear is that this is just kind of a test administration.

I think, just personally, I feel like, you know, the conservatives that are more in the middle, more moderate, close to moderate, they're saying, "Well, let's see how much this administration can get away with.

And then in the future, if this works, if they accept this, then we can..." I mean, 'cause a lot of this is just distraction.

It's tomfoolery, it's- - Yeah.

- Or they're doing things that they know can easily be reversed, right?

- Yeah, so that was actually... That's a great point to make to lead to my next kind of question, which is: How do you, as pastors, counsel people to keep their eyes on what's really happening, what really matters, and not get distracted by some of the things that are being done, I think any way you look at it, being done intentionally to rile people up?

- Right, right.

- As opposed to make substantive change.

Like, what's the the way to manage that?

- Well, since the first was last, and the first will be last and the last will be first, I'll just say this.

(Stephen laughing) You have to remind people, it's all about the money.

Randall Robinson and his book, "The Debt," said that if you want to know what the problem is, trace it back to the money.

This is all about money.

It's been a money grab from day one.

Everything else is a distraction, and that's what I try to keep my people focused on.

We've seen departments shut down a huge cuts in agencies before.

Sometimes, that can be a positive in that more money will be released to the community in grants and other types of funding.

However, it's difficult to do with $10 million, which you would do with $1 billion or $100 million, right?

But, certainly to your point, I tell my people, "Stay focused on the money and don't worry about these politics of mass distraction."

- Oh, yeah.

Reverend Rudolph, what are you saying to people about what's real about this moment and what they should be doing about it?

- So, because we're people of hope, I'm always encouraging people to trust in God, even in the midst of all of the challenges that we are facing.

And I think what we have to do is prioritize those things that are essential and important, which is one of the reasons why we are going to continue to advocate for healthcare and bringing down the cost of prescription drugs.

We're gonna advocate with regard to education.

Some of the absolute pillars that we know we need in order to see our communities thrive, those are the things that we're going to focus on.

But we will do it in a posture of hope because we are resilient people.

We have come such a long way in spite of all of the oppressive ways in which our people have been dealt with.

We are very resilient people.

And so we'll continue to hope, we'll continue to trust in God, and we know that we're going to make it through this just as our ancestors have and just as our people always have.

- Hmm, yeah.

Pastor Hinds?

- Yes, I agree with everything that was shared.

What I would add is that even scripturally, when you look at the kings of Israel and Judah, most of them were identified or classified as wicked kings.

There were just a few that did it in a righteous way.

And even Christ, our Savior, He lived within a Roman Empire, a culture run by the Romans.

And I think sometimes, it is important for us to identify the fact that what we offer is hope, but what we offer is also very powerful because pastors deal with the heart of men.

In many cases, we're trying to buy our way out of problems.

Like, historically, for the last, what we say, about 50 years, the Republican Party is supposedly the party of conservatism, it is supposed to be the party that's gonna hold tight to the biblical morals in this, that, and another.

And what we seen, actually, is that this party doesn't really have an identity anymore, other than just following whatever their king tells them to do.

And the reality is that in these moments, we do more as pastors on the grassroots level than allowing ourselves to get wrapped up in what's happening on social media.

A lot of it is not even trustworthy, more so than ever.

Artificial intelligence that is creating whole narratives, and whole stories, and using real images and real people's faces.

And so really trusting in what you see, even on social media or out in the media, is not reliable.

So take people back to the core, take them back to our faith and the truth of our living God, and remind them that whether it was in the time of the Hebrews of Old, or whether it was in the times of our Savior, when Jesus walked the earth, He brought a very powerful message.

And His message turned the world upside down.

It was a message of love.

It was a message of freedom for those that are oppressed.

It was a message that had hope, but it wasn't this unrealistic hope, it was very strategic.

And so for us, rendering into evil, those that do evil, rendering good to them, it is not haphazard and it's not weak.

Meekness is not weakness, but utilizing what we know to be a righteous stance to take on positions of influence, take on positions of a authority in the public sector, so that when the righteous rule, the people rejoice, empowering our congregation to be bold, to step into political arenas, step into positions of leadership in the legal world, in the medical world, in the grant and philanthropy world.

Just being present and being confident in what we know will outlast evil.

And that's good.

And doing it in a very strategic, very practical, and in a very educated way.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

So, Pastor Rudolph, what do we say to people in '26 and what do we get ready for in '26?

I mean, that was a lot of heavy stuff we just talked about, and that's just from the last 12 months.

What are you thinking about as we get ready for the next 12?

- So there is a passage of Scripture in Jeremiah where Jeremiah is sort of venting about all of the evils in society and how difficult life is for him, as well as how difficult it is for him to press through his calling.

And one of the things that the Lord says to him is, "You have to learn how to extract the precious from the vile, pull out the good and the hopeful things in the midst of all of the challenges."

And so there are some good and hopeful things that are happening.

For example, in the city of Detroit, a city that's over 300 years old, we just elected our first woman mayor.

- Mm-hmm, right.

- And we're looking forward to some really good things happening in the city of Detroit.

In the midst of all that we are facing, there are still good things happening.

And so I really wanna hone in on extracting the precious from the vile, focusing in on that, and centering on that in a way that allows us, then, to go out and advocate for change.

Because I firmly believe that trouble don't last always.

That's bad English, but it's good gospel.

And so we're going to get through this, as difficult as it is, as unprecedented as it is.

As difficult and challenging as it is, we're going to get through this.

- Yeah, yeah.

Reverend Adams, what are you looking to have to kind of deal with in '26?

And what's your counsel, I guess, to people in your congregation about what's next?

- I don't know, I think I've thrown out all the strategic plans that I developed.

But I tell you, first of all, I'm looking for some vindication.

I don't think that the policies that have been established and proclaimed are going to work.

Evil never works.

Within evil lies the seeds of its own destruction.

And I'm looking for a great vindication in that people are gonna start to see the fallacy of what is being proposed, and the futility of isolation, and the possibilities of community.

So, I think we should look for... for a change in 2026.

In the meantime, I think we should take advantage of the moment.

I agree with my colleagues.

This is an exciting time.

I remember when Martin Luther King Jr.

said that he wouldn't have wanted to been born in any other time than the time that he was living in.

He said that might sound strange.

Well, let me tell you, it might equally sound strange that 2026 is going to be exciting and it's gonna be a year of opportunities.

But I'll tell you, if we have that mentality, maybe we will make better decisions, rather than poorer decisions.

- Yeah, yeah.

Pastor- - Can I add something, Stephen?

- Yeah, yeah, go ahead.

- So 2026 is the year when our nation will celebrate 250 years since its inception.

- Yes.

- And I think this is an opportunity for us to shift things because we're clearly going in the wrong direction.

And as we mark 250 years, I think it's up to us to ask the question: What kind of nation do we wanna be?

- Yeah.

- And if we see that we're in a place that is not in line with the kind of nation that we want be, then it's up to us to shift things.

We're seeing the midterms are coming up, we're seeing a lot of opportunities.

We have a lot of people who are stepping down and resigning.

That makes room for some new people to come in and to shift things.

And so that's what I'm looking for in 2026.

As we mark the 250th birthday, this is an opportunity to see a shift.

- Yeah, yeah.

Pastor Hinds, we've got just a few minutes left, but let me hear what you're planning for the next 12 months.

- Yeah, so I'm excited as well because I, too, and this is a balance of prayer and just the landscape as a people, especially the Black community, we're not who we once were.

We are not Black folks from the 1940s, and '50s, and '60s.

And I don't say that in a negative way at all.

We've reached a age of education and intelligence where some of these schemes and things, they're just not gonna work anymore.

So I really see a lot of what we see happening in society.

It's like that last kick before you have to give it in.

And in Scripture, Moses, he led the children out of Israel, but Pharaoh's army got real close to them.

But it was for a purpose.

You know, they had to be that close for those things to be drowned completely.

And I am really hopeful, especially with our mayor, who I have a personal relationship with.

She's been our district council person and president of the council for a while here in District 5, but she's already taken steps in the city of Detroit through the Rise Higher Detroit Initiative that is streamlining our efforts so that we can work in collaboration with one another in every sector.

And I believe that's a very powerful and potent move for us as a people, it's a collective move.

And at the same time, this is an opportunity for the church to be present intentionally and have our voices not in a partisan way, but in a nonpartisan and prophetic way to ensure that the mistakes of our past as a city, that we can avoid those mistakes moving forward and really see the righteous rule and the people rejoice, not only in our city, but throughout our nation.

- Yeah.

Yeah.

Well, I wanna thank all three of you for being here.

I mean, I was very eager to hear how you were feeling about this year, and looking forward to next year and six months.

I'm gonna have to have all three of you back and we will talk about where we are and what's happened in the first half of 2026.

- It's going to be a great year.

- Yes.

Let's- - This is gonna be the best year of our lives.

Just keep telling yourself that, please.

- That's right, put that out there.

That's right.

All right, well, thanks to all three of you for being here on "American Black Journal."

It's always great to talk with you.

- Yes, thank you.

God bless you.

Happy New Year, everyone.

- Thank you, Stephen.

Always a pleasure, Happy New Year.

- Yeah, indeed.

That is gonna do it for us this week.

You can find out more about our guests at americanblackjournal.org, and you can connect with us anytime on social media.

Take care, and we'll see you in the New Year.

(lighthearted music) - [Narrator 1] Across our Masco family of companies, our goal is to deliver better living possibilities and make positive changes in the neighborhoods where we live, work, and do business.

Masco, a Michigan company since 1929.

Support also provided by the Cynthia & Edsel Ford Fund for Journalism at Detroit PBS.

- [Narrator 2] The DTE Foundation is a proud sponsor of Detroit PBS.

Through our giving, we are committed to meeting the needs of the communities we serve statewide to help ensure a bright and thriving future for all.

Learn more at dtefoundation.com.

- [Narrator 1] Also brought to you by Nissan Foundation and viewers like you.

Thank you.

(uplifting music)