Three New Books by Black Church Leaders Examine History, Women in Ministry, and Youth Engagement
Three prominent Black denominational leaders released books in early 2026 examining the history of the Black church, the role of women in ministry, and strategies for engaging younger generations. The authors include the Rev. Boise Kimber, Bishop Teresa Snorton, and the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson.
Three new books by prominent Black church leaders, released around Black History Month in 2026, offer detailed looks at the history of African American Christianity, the ongoing push for women's equality in ministry, and the challenge of keeping younger generations engaged.
The Rev. Boise Kimber, president of the National Baptist Convention USA, published "Breaking the Stained-glass Ceiling," a study of women in ministry that began as a Yale Divinity School thesis. Kimber writes that women in ministry were "too often unseen, unacknowledged, and certainly not affirmed" within the convention, but says progress has been made over the past seven years. He calls for shattering not just the stained-glass ceiling but also "the brick wall of resistance."
Bishop Teresa E. Snorton of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church wrote "Roots of Resilience: Black History Through the Eyes of Faith," a volume she says fills a gap in resources available to pastors and lay leaders. The book traces Black history from African traditions and the transatlantic slave trade through the Black Lives Matter movement, with each chapter anchored in a Scripture reflection.
The Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson, who pastored Grace Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, New York, for 50 years, published "Never Lost: The Black Church as God's Ark of the Covenant." Richardson argues that the church must include young people in leadership, integrate technology into worship, and address mental health and economic struggles to remain relevant.
All three authors emphasize resilience as a defining characteristic of the Black church. Richardson writes that the church must partner with banks, credit unions, and mental health professionals to meet the financial and emotional needs of congregations today.
