"I got Donald Trump's ear," Pastor Darrell Scott told a packed house at New Spirit Revival Center on Sunday morning. "He told me, 'Bring all the programs that you think will benefit the black community, and I'll take a look.'"
Last month, news broke that Scott had publicly endorsed Trump after organizing a gathering of dozens of black ministers and religious leaders at Trump Tower in New York City. (Trump later told reporters that there was “great love in the room.")
Back in Cleveland Heights now, Scott spent much of this week's sermon — a fiery meditation on the Book of Acts — railing against the "liberal media" and the religious institutions that have criticized his recent Trump endorsement. Of note, Scott seemed intent to dispel the perception that Trump speaks and acts from a racist point of view. "There's a disconnect in the black community about some of the things people perceive," Scott said, referring to the wide variety of national reaction — in favor and against — to Trump's rhetoric w/r/t minority populations in the U.S.
One church member told Scene that Scott has long blended political ideas into his Sunday service messages. ("There's more politics in church than on the [campaign trail]," Scott said on Sunday.) Based on his preaching this weekend, it's clear that Scott pours passion into every endeavor, and that he won't be backing down from his support for the Trump campaign.
"I'm not telling none of y'all to vote for him," Scott said to a room full of applause and Amens, cautioning the wary that he's not trying to "brainwash" the congregation. "It ain't that deep."
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