During a conversation with Christian rapper Lecrae and Chick-fil-A CEO Dan Cathy, Atlanta pastor Louie Giglio said people should stop using the term "white privilege" because "a fuse goes off for a lot of white people" when it is said.

The statements took place at an online church service on June 14 centered around how communities and the church can address racism. 

Giglio and Lecrae were talking about having difficult discussions with people about racism in the United States, and the Passion City Church pastor explained that white people might be more likely to listen if people didn't use words like "white privilege."

"But I want to flip that upside down because I think the other side of it is true with our nation's history. We understand the curse that was slavery, white people do, and we say 'that was bad,' but we miss the blessing of slavery that it actually built up the framework for the world that white people live in and lived in," Giglio said.

"And so a lot of people call this 'white privilege' and when you say those two words it's like a fuse goes off for a lot of white people because they don't want somebody telling them to check their privilege," he continued.

Giglio went on to suggest using the term "white blessing" rather than "white privilege" and said he was living in the blessing of the aftermath of slavery. 

"I know that [Lecrae] and I both have struggled in these days with 'hey if the phrase is the trip up, let's get over the phrase and let's get down to the heart, let's get down to what then do you want to call it,' and I think maybe a great thing for me is to call it 'white blessing.' That I'm living in the blessing of the curse that happened generationally that allowed me to grow up in Atlanta," he added. 

A number of people took issue with Giglio's comments online once the video made its way to Twitter. A number of white people, including white pastors, criticized the idea that slavery was a blessing to them, and others said needing to replace the term "white privilege" was white privilege itself.

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Black people also called out the racism behind the sentiment.

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Giglio at first tried to correct his statement, writing a clarification on Twitter.

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But once it became clear that people were angry, he released an apology video.

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In addition to the criticism Giglio faced, many also came for Lecrae, questioning why he didn't stand up for Black people.

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Lecrae began responding to complaints on Twitter by criticizing people and demeaning others.

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Candice Benbow shared screenshots of responses Lecrae sent to her as well as an apology. 

She had a lot more to say in the Twitter thread about the situation.

"If you can’t call out the White man in front of you for trying to assuage his own privilege so it makes him feel better about being part of the problem, keep that same energy with the Black women who call your ass out. I stand by what I said and echo Sis. Black evangelicals like Lecrae are the weakest links because their proximity to/affinity for Whiteness will never let them hold White people fully accountable for how they participate in and perpetuate racism," she wrote.

"Dan and Lou were wildly racist throughout the entire talk. It’s a subtle, benevolent racism cloaked in church-speak that they know a dude like Lecrae won’t call out because: 1) he doesn’t have the range and 2) he’s just not going to do it. Leading with love and grace does not mean being a doormat for White supremacy. It doesn’t mean accepting gentler forms of racism because White people are 'just now realizing what it means to be White,'” she added.

She also criticized him for initially trying to justify Giglio's words.

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So many people were commenting on the situation that Lecrae was forced to release his own apology video.

"First of all, I want you to know I wasn't OK with it. Even as I sat there, I was very uncomfortable and I was processing on, like, 'how do I, what do I say in light of this?' It's been a lot of times where, as I've navigated white supremacy or racial injustice, where I been trying to figure out where I wanted to lash out, honestly," he said. 

"I ended up having a conversation with him subsequently. You know, right after we talked and then I talked to him again last night and let him know my views and my perspectives. Obviously, I wasn't OK with it," he added. 

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Some have tried to defend Lecrae, saying he was on someone else's stage and could not speak out. 

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Twitter user @thearmchaircom explained how Lecrae's response on stage was indicative of the larger issue of Black men not speaking out when given a chance to discuss injustice behind closed doors.

"I see this mess in Christian spaces all the time. Black men will not challenge white men who are authority figures out of some misguided sense of honor and propriety. Y’all will straight up let somebody disrespect and dishonor you and everybody else because you want to 'honor the house' or some such nonsense. I just feel really disappointed and let down because I am so tired of seeing Black men be elevated in this conversation who fail to take the opportunity to ask hard questions and to speak truth to power," she wrote.

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In another tweet, a Black pastor from Alabama, Hart Ramsey, criticized Giglio for what he said.

"'White privilege' is NOT 'White Blessing!' Please don’t do that. Slavery was indeed a demonic curse. And what came out of it is also A CURSE. That logic means I can kidnap someone, force them to work for free, & call the profit MY BLESSING! NO SIR! @louiegiglio NOPE!" Ramsey said.

Dan-CathyLecraeLouie-GiglioWhite PrivilegeWhite-Blessing