Published on June 13, 2024, 12:56 am

In a recent sermon, Johnson Bowie of Victory Church sparked controversy with his focus on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) ethos prevalent in modern Evangelical churches. Bowie’s comments indicate a troubling trend toward prioritizing the promotion of diversity over biblical faithfulness and reason.

Bowie cast a critical eye to churches where staff diversity is lacking. “A few months ago,” he begins, “I observed a church whose entire staff was white aside from their janitor. What on earth is going on here? This needs to change; these types of setups should be taken down, even as far as burning your website.”

Much akin to Matt Chandler’s infamous preference for ranking an “African American 7” higher than an “Anglo 8”, Bowie’s call to employ individuals from diverse backgrounds to take influential roles signifies his full embracement of the DEI narrative. Yet, his stance doesn’t seem firmly planted given that we’ve yet to see him relinquishing his leading pastor role to a more diverse candidate.

The sermon takes an unexpected twist when Bowie voices his aversion for church staff pages primarily featuring white individuals. His suggestion that churches with such demographics ought to completely remove their websites seems excessively dramatic and showcases a misunderstanding about what church websites are meant for: They serve as platforms for sharing information about the spiritual leaders within the community rather than billboards for signifying the pastor’s commitment towards progressive ideologies.

In a showing of inconsistency, although Victory Church has in the past had segregated staff teams—an issue that goes unaddressed—Bowie emphasizes employing those who demonstrate love for Christ and have received divine callings but then undercuts this principle by stressing external appearances in hiring decisions—a tactic used to make what he characterizes as “a statement.”

In line with other proponents advocating DEI within churches, he argues that while spiritual qualifications are given importance, ethnic diversity deserves similar weightage—an argument not founded on biblical principles. Bowie, in essence, posits that decisions about hiring and preaching should be influenced primarily by external appearances than inward character or spiritual calling, creating an unsettling paradox.

The unchecked ascent of the DEI perspective in evangelical circles seems to be steering away from the core gospel tenets focused on faith and remorse towards preoccupying itself with fulfilling diversity quotas whilst claiming not to support affirmative action—a contradiction of sorts.

These are challenging times for trusted news platforms committed to offering a Christian worldview perspective on such real news issues. It’s essential to shed light on shifts occurring within religious communities that risk jeopardizing their foundational principles.

This article represents only one viewpoint; you may hold differing perspectives or opinions. As discerning individuals, it is incumbent upon us all to actively study and engage with these subjects for ourselves while keeping our own beliefs at the forefront.