Why This White Church Merged With a Black Church in Charlotte

You've probably heard it said that the most segregated hour in America is 11:00 on a Sunday morning.  That line, often credited to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., still hits a little too close to home in cities and towns all across the country.  In a city like Charlotte, North Carolina, with its own deep and complicated history, that reality can feel especially sharp.  Week after week, people who work together, eat together, and live as neighbors often go their separate ways on Sunday, retreating into congregations that look, sound, and feel just like them.

But what if two churches — one mostly white and one predominantly Black — decided to defy that status quo?  Not as a strategy for more members, or to get a bigger building, but as a deliberate and powerful statement that unity is more than just a word in a prayer.  This is the story of how two pastors and their congregations did exactly that, and in the process, provided a stunning example of what it looks like to put unity into action.

An Unlikely Friendship

This story doesn’t start with a committee meeting or a strategic plan.  It starts with a simple, human connection between two men from different backgrounds, leading two very different flocks.  Pastor Jay Stewart was the lead pastor of The Refuge, a large, multi-site, and predominantly white church near Charlotte.  Pastor Derrick Hawkins was pastoring the House of Refuge, a smaller, historically Black congregation in Greensboro, after being installed in that role in June 2016.

Around 2014, looking for mentorship, Pastor Hawkins saw a billboard for The Refuge's Salisbury campus.  That impulse led him to a service, and then to a conversation with Pastor Stewart.  What began as a request for pastoral advice quickly grew into something much deeper.  They started meeting regularly, not to talk about church growth, but to talk about life.  They discussed the pressures of ministry, their families, and the burdens they carried.

Crucially, they started to talk about race.  As Pastor Hawkins later recalled, "He would share his stories, I would share my stories."  They built a foundation of trust by trying to understand each other's experiences.  This wasn't a merger negotiation; it was the slow, steady work of friendship.  As they met and prayed, a different idea began to form — one that felt less like a strategy and more like a spiritual calling.

After about a year of these regular meetings, Pastor Stewart felt a strong prompting.  He posed a question that would change the trajectory of both their churches forever: "Have you ever had conversations about becoming a campus of The Refuge?"  The question hung in the air, filled with both radical possibility and immense risk.  It was an idea born not from a boardroom, but from a relationship.

A City on Edge

To really get the weight of that question, you have to understand what was happening right outside the church walls in the fall of 2016.  In September of that year, the police shooting of Keith Lamont Scott, a Black man, sent shockwaves through Charlotte and led to widespread protests.  The national media descended, and the city became a symbol of America's fractured soul.

It was in this exact moment of civic crisis that the two churches were preparing to make their decision public.  The merger had been planned months in advance, but its timing felt almost pre-ordained.  The announcement was made just two days before the protests began.  Pastor Stewart would later reflect on the timing, saying "The Lord knew and I don't think it is coincidental."  In a moment when the world was watching Charlotte for its division, these two congregations were about to offer a story of radical unity.

The heightened tension in the city raised the stakes immensely.  A merger like this would have been challenging in the calmest of times.  In the midst of civic unrest, it became a profound public witness.  People weren't interested in hearing more talk about unity; they needed to see it lived out.  This merger was no longer just an internal church matter; it was a potential beacon of hope in a city shrouded in pain.  As Pastor Hawkins acknowledged, there were people sitting in the wings, hoping it would fail.

The Practical Path to Unity

Forging one new church out of two distinct congregations — each with its own history and culture — is a monumental task, especially across racial lines in the American South.  The pastors knew a successful merger couldn't be achieved with a simple handshake.  It would require a slow, intentional process of building a single family.

Their first and most foundational step was prayer.  Both pastors have emphasized that the process was guided by a shared sense of divine purpose, not just human strategy.  From there, they moved to practical, tangible actions designed to slowly weave their congregations together.  They knew they had to create opportunities for genuine fellowship, not just parallel existence under one roof.  This started with pulpit swaps, allowing the congregations to get to know and trust the leadership of the other church.

Then came one of the most critical steps: combined worship services.  They planned regular joint services and revival events so that members could actually get to know one another, sing together, pray together, and hear the same message together.  This was about normalizing interracial fellowship, one Sunday at a time.

Of course, this path had challenges.  There was fear and suspicion to overcome.  For some members of the Black congregation, there was a legitimate fear of losing their unique cultural identity and rich heritage — of being swallowed by a larger organization.  The leadership addressed these challenges not by ignoring them, but by acknowledging them and proving that their new, blended family could withstand real differences in worship styles and culture through patience and a relentless focus on their shared faith.

One Body, One Spirit

The official merger took place on November 6, 2016, and the House of Refuge in Greensboro became a new campus of The Refuge.  The first combined service as a single, unified church was held on January 1, 2017.  This was not an acquisition; it was a welding.  In fact, the two pastors would later co-author a book about their experience titled, "Welded: Forming Racial Bonds That Last."

That first service was more than just a gathering; it was a prophetic act.  For members who had spent their entire lives in segregated churches, the sight of black and white families worshiping together was powerful.  One person described it as "a real picture of what heaven's going to be like."

The commitment to unity extended to the organizational structure.  Pastor Hawkins joined The Refuge's ministry staff and was later described as one of its executive pastors, ensuring shared leadership at the highest level.  This process wasn't about erasing differences, but celebrating a unity that transcended them.  As member April Savage put it, the goal was to create a place "where we're not just existing in the same church, but we're celebrated in the same church."  This meant being patient, learning from one another, and extending grace when cultural wires got crossed.  It was, and continues to be, the challenging, messy, and beautiful work of becoming one.

Call To Action

The story of The Refuge is a testament to the idea that racial reconciliation isn't just a theory, but something that can be actively built through prayer, courage, and practical steps.  It required a willingness to be uncomfortable, to listen more than to speak, and to believe that a different future is possible.  As you reflect on this story, consider what this model of unity could look like in your own community, in your own church, or even in your own heart.  What is one practical step you could take to build a bridge across a divide?

Conclusion

Years after the merger, the work continues.  The Refuge has seen its diversity grow.  In 2022, its Kannapolis campus was about 15-20% African American, a significant shift that Pastor Stewart called a huge success and a trend in the right direction.  The story of this merger is not a fairy tale with a perfect ending.  It’s a real story about the ongoing, committed work of unity.

It serves as a powerful reminder that when division seems overwhelming, there is another way.  Pastor Jay Stewart has said that "Unity is the prerequisite for revival."  In a nation so deeply divided, the decision of these two churches to become one was more than a merger.  It was a prayer in action, a demonstration of reconciliation, and a bold declaration that love can, and must, build a bridge.