Grace to Overcome

Empowering Your Journey, One Story at A Time.

Grace to Overcome invites you on a spiritual and historical journey, interweaving the rich tapestry of black history with the profound narratives of the Bible. Crafted by Pastor Bryan C. Loritts, an influential voice in multiethnic church movements, Grace to Overcome is a powerful collection of 31 devotions that bring to life the stories of both renowned and lesser-known figures who have help shaped society. From the soulful notes of Miles Davis and Billie Holiday to the groundbreaking inventions of Jerry Lawson and Alice H. Parker, each story is an inspiring testament to resilience and faith.

Through these reflections, Loritts not only shines a light on the triumphs and trials of black history across various arenas including sports, politics, and technology, but also challenges readers to see their personal journeys within God's grand design. In a world where the importance of learning black history often faces scrutiny, Grace to Overcome stands as a poignant reminder of the enduring power of heritage and the gospel's call to live with grace and purpose. Embark on this devotional path and discover how each story, including your own, contributes to the divine narrative.



Bryan C. Loritts (DMin, Liberty University) is teaching pastor of the Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina. He has dedicated his life and ministry to seeing the multiethnic church become the new normal in our society. He is also vice president for regions for the Send Network, the church planting arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, where he is responsible for training church planters in multiethnic church planting. He has been a featured speaker at the Global Leadership Summit and Catalyst. His books include Insider Outsider, The Dad Difference, and The Offensive Church.

Foreword by Charlie Dates


Introduction: Cul-de-sacs


Day 1. Jesse Needs a Hug


Day 2. Miles's Back


Day 3. Thank God for a Praying Mama


Day 4. The Godfather of Dignity


Day 5. Olaudah "Oxymoron" Equiano


Day 6. The Dozens


Day 7. The Father of Modern Gaming


Day 8. Billie Holiday and Her "Strange Fruit"


Day 9. Not Today


Day 10. Invaluably Hidden


Day 11. Zipporah's Hot Comb


Day 12. Black Excellence


Day 13. A Moment of Silence for Anarcha, Lucy, and Betsey


Day 14. Edward's Crossover


Day 15. Cookies and Caged Birds


Day 16. Michael Takes on MTV


Day 17. The Black Babe Ruth?


Day 18. Highway Dignity


Day 19. Marvin's Question


Day 20. Don't Waste Your Pain


Day 21. Obama's Crown


Day 22. 90 Seconds to Camelot


Day 23. A Warm Presence


Day 24. I Gotta Be Me


Day 25. Joe Louis . . . the Golfer?


Day 26. How Long, O LORD?


Day 27. Emmit's "Shoes"


Day 28. What's My Name?


Day 29. Whitney's Way


Day 30. The Defiant Mary Lumpkin


Day 31. Leaving Paris


Afterword: Bonhoeffer's Black Jesus


Acknowledgments

"We need these historical narratives from the experience of African American Christ-followers. After all, we have come over a way that with tears has been watered, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered. The intersection of faith and the unique African American story is perhaps the most timely message for America today. It's not just a story that we read, but a story that reads us. This is the kind of book you will want to offer to your children in years to come."



"Full of snapshots of black history, Bryan Loritts has given a tremendous gift to Christians who long to learn and rejoice in God's big story of grace to people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. You'll encounter a wide range of historical figures, some who will encourage you, others who will challenge you. But the story of Jesus and his saving work runs through all of it. Read and be encouraged."



"This is what Bryan does best—unearthing stories we haven't heard to reveal lessons we didn't know we needed. With a sharp eye for the overlooked and an innate gift for storytelling, he brings these moments to life in ways that challenge, inspire, and stay with you long after you've finished reading. Bryan is not just a collector of stories; he's a craftsman, weaving them into meaningful insights that resonate deeply. Grace to Overcome is Bryan doing his best work."



"Dr. Bryan Loritts invites you on a daily experience at the crossroads of the presence and power of God and the historic journey of people of color. Seldom is there such a spiritual synthesis of holy revelation and historic affirmation of the sovereign presence of God in the earthly journey of people of faith. In the tone and tenor of the sovereignty of God in the lives of the displaced and often despised heroes of Israel, Dr. Loritts has sensitively and intentionally woven the revelation of the hand of God and the history of his sons and daughters of ebony hue into a daily call to gather at the junction of the display of the love of God in the lives of those often labeled the least, the last, and the lost."



"Bryan's writing is both endearing and in-depth, comprehensive and clear. His personal vulnerability, historical scholarship, and theological precision shimmer in each devotional. Every page of this work will draw the reader into the deeper story of history and the thread of God's boundless grace that runs through it. This book may help you to understand humanity more fully, but it will do something more, something better—it will invite you to see Jesus more clearly. And isn't that the point? In Bryan's writing and preaching, it always is."



"Grace to Overcome is a must-read that should be in every household! Bryan does a magnificent job interweaving the story of black people throughout history with Scripture and further helps the reader develop an appreciation for black history and the deep roots of Christianity within the black community. Bryan writes in a way that engulfs the reader in story and history just as he's always done as a preacher. Bryan has been influencing the hearts of people since the beginning of his ministry, and this work only further provides the evidence of the gift he has been to many, including me!"



"Depth, balance, clarity, and creativity are words that come to mind when thinking of this resource. This symphonic resource merges history, story, and the Bible for the mind and the heart all in one. My dear friend Bryan has graciously kept all of us from separating our sociality from our theology; he doesn't call us to put our sociology before our theology but the other way around. Seeing the redemptive story of God in any history is amazing; however, seeing this metanarrative in black history is a gift for all of us to continue to see it in our lives today."



"I read these devotionals and remember who I am, who we are, and who God is. Grace to Overcome connects us to God's grace throughout history and proves our miracle is not over or waiting to unfold. It is now." weniger anzeigen expand_less