New Book Explores Black Church as Enduring Source of Resilience in Turbulent Times

In a period characterized by social upheaval, political polarization, economic uncertainty, and widespread spiritual fatigue, Rev. Dr. W. Franklyn Richardson addresses whether faith communities can still serve as anchors of hope in his new book, Never Lost: The Black Church as God's Ark of the Covenant. Through theological imagery, historical insight, and lived pastoral experience, the book explores how the Black Church has carried God's presence through centuries of adversity, serving as a vessel of resilience, dignity, and communal strength.

Richardson argues that faith does not eliminate hardship, but it does sustain communities through it, providing continuity when other institutions fail. Using the biblical image of the Ark of the Covenant, Never Lost presents the Church as a sacred repository of God's promise—one that travels with people through crisis rather than abandoning them in it. The book speaks to readers wrestling with questions of purpose, belonging, and perseverance in an increasingly fractured world.

Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson Jr., Senior Bishop (Retired) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, emphasizes the book's enduring relevance, writing that Richardson makes a serious case for the Black Church's redemptive leadership role. He describes Never Lost as a source of inspiration and a contemporary witness to the power of God working through God's Church, noting that generations unborn must see it.

By grounding hope in covenant faith rather than circumstance, Never Lost offers reassurance to readers seeking meaning, stability, and courage in uncertain times. The book reminds communities that endurance is not accidental; it is cultivated through faith, memory, and collective responsibility. Never Lost: The Black Church as God's Ark of the Covenant, set for release on February 3 from Wharton Curtis Press, is currently available for preorder at NeverLostBook.com.