Is It Still Good to Be Here?

In this powerful sermon, Rev. Dr. R. Douglas Throop explores the vibrant tradition of the Black Church — where worship is whole-body involvement and faith extends far beyond Sunday mornings into meals, community care, and social action. Drawing on the Transfiguration story, where Jesus reveals his divinity to Peter, James, and John on the mountaintop, Rev. Dr. Throop connects biblical mountaintop experiences to the real-world call for justice. From Moses bringing down the Law to Martin Luther King Jr.‘s final “I’ve Been to the Mountaintop” speech the night before his assassination, we are reminded that encountering the Holy demands courage — courage to get up, speak out, and refuse to accept the marginalization of any people. Rev. Dr. Throop asks us plainly: Is it still good to be here? And if so, what are we going to do about it?