Persistence and consistency are key to Black pastors’ vaccine messaging

Black churches like the ones we pastor have sought to use the power of the pulpit to vouch for the safety of vaccines and to push back against misinformation. 

The Black church has always been the foundation and strength of the Black community. Our mission is twofold – to uphold both spiritual and social salvation. Our members trust the voice of their pastor. They trust that when we give a call to action, it will advance our lives and our community in meaningful ways. In this instance, social salvation means vaccination.

When COVID-19 first hit, there was an issue around accessibility for Black and brown communities. We became actively engaged in learning more about this deadly disease, and facilitating testing and vaccination efforts to protect our parishioners and neighbors.

Our members see their churches as safe places where they can go to their faith leaders and get their questions answered by someone they trust. We also recognize that it’s primarily older generations that attend church in person. However, we do see parents in their 40s or 50s with school-age children. Our congregations play a significant role because they are primary sources of information for their children, nieces, nephews and grandchildren.

We have hosted COVID-19 testing and vaccination events in church halls and parking lots throughout the state that have attracted people of all races, faiths and ages. Similarly, we have coordinated events in businesses, beauty shops, barber shops, during Delaware State University’s homecoming, at the Modern Maturity Center, and wherever we can find a willing partner and permission.

This is nothing new for Black churches. We have a proud tradition of social activism, and providing leadership and direction from the pulpit. The issue of engaging Black clergy in vaccination campaigns – part of the Choose Healthy Life initiative in Delaware – is one that can transform our lives. We must present the loudest voice, the most intelligent voice, and the clearest voice to our congregation and constituent communities.

What do we tell them? We tell our parishioners and neighbors, “Don't wait, don't hesitate, vaccinate! Do it for you, your family, your partner/spouse, and your children. Do it as an act of love that may save our community.” We encourage parents to get the vaccine and encourage them to let their young children get the vaccine as well. We tell them that this virus is killing people, especially African Americans. And we believe that the only way to eradicate it is to vaccinate people, just as we did with measles and polio.

We tell them to get the vaccine because it has proven to be safe. There is no COVID-19 virus in the vaccine. It will not interfere with your DNA. There's no chip in it. It will not interfere with young ladies wanting to become pregnant. We're not guaranteeing that it will prevent you from getting COVID, but if you do get it, you will not have as severe case as if you were not vaccinated.

We try to address the concerns we hear most often, about the speed with which the vaccine was developed and about possible side effects. We also make the case that the kind of conspiracies we saw in the past were real, but do not exist about these vaccines. And we try to combat the misinformation they’re seeing on social media.

Some young people feel invincible; some think they cannot die from COVID. Young people don’t believe the COVID-19 virus impacts them like it does older adults and seniors. That’s why we must help them understand the fatal flaw in accepting feelings over facts. Their lives and ours depend on it.

Black churches and Black pastors – all churches and clergy, in fact – need to be persistent and consistent with our messages around this deadly disease. When pastors push this lifesaving information from their pulpits, we can be very persuasive. Our congregations and our beloved Delaware need to be open to hearing and acting on these messages. If we can make an impact, then we have accomplished that to which we have been called. To be silent is not an option.