My experience within church and ministry is most likely going to be different than most people.
As a child of immigrant parents, I had to wrestle with being bi-cultural, bi-lingual, bi-social. I wanted so badly to be “American.” But being American meant acting like the majority, embracing a new set of values, and shedding all the unique things that made me, me.
While church friends ate peas and carrots, we ate beans and rice. While my friend’s parents both worked long hard hours to take a one-week family vacation, we survived off one income so our family could remain intact. While other parents spoke without an accent, I was busy trying to correct the pronunciation of my dad trying to say the word, sandwich (which he still pronounces sangwich).
At a young age I could see a set of values in our family that was different than other families. But instead of seeing individual values as independently good or worth value, we were looked at differently within our home church because our American dream looked different. Quite honestly, we looked different.
As part of this next generation (from social media to university philosophy class), most 20somethings have a concept of embracing difference. Globalization has made our world much, much smaller. Technology allows us to communicate with the other side of the world in nanoseconds. Pop culture connects us trans-nationally. Yes, when Americans can identify Christian Reynaldo’s abs and Japanese girls suffer from Bieber Fever, you know ethnic lines are blurred.
But we don’t see this is in the church. To be embraced or accepted in many large denominations or mega-churches today, you either have to look like your church or act like those who attend your church.
Jesus hung out with Samaritans. Jesus hung out with marginalized and disenfranchised. Jesus lambasted the religious elite for their separation and hyper-religiosity. I know we aren’t Jesus, but are we even remotely trying to remove ourselves from our Sunday bubble, speak another language than Christianese, and love our neighbor as we love ourselves?
As externally focused Christians and people who want to engage our culture, there needs to be an acute awareness of reaching in [to meet with believers], reaching out [to meet with unbelievers], and a reaching up [to meet, connect, and direct them to God].
All in favor say, aye. All against, say why.
I wrote about a similar issue a few weeks ago on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/25s6wb9
I think we as Christians have to push to get ourselves out of our comfort zone because Christianity is not about being comfortable and cozy with your everyday life. In some ways, i think homogeneity in church contributes to this. Not to say it's something people do on purpose, but at least recognize how situations like this can keep you from reaching others. Honestly I think if more Christians were working on creating diversity in our lives we could truly overcome the things that keep us divided when it comes to race, socio-eco, etc.
Soooo good Bianca!!! And so true. I love starting my day off with reading your blog and being challenged to be better than I was yesterday! Have a great day!
AY! Everything you said is so true…my mom is mexican, and to this day i still sometimes say sangwich…:)
Aye!
Aye!
I agree. I think we can add what Christ said in Matthew 12 about a house divided against itself. If a house is divided, it has walls. So…taking your thoughts from above, a house divided doesn't necessarily mean that we're fighting, but it may mean that we (consciously, subconsciously, or unconsciously) separate ourselves.
If we continue to do so, we (the church) can't be AS effective as we SHOULD be.
AY, Bianca! You are just about taking the words out of my mouth on what I previously wanted to talk to you about!!!! GOOSE BUMPS! Thank you so much for your boldness in sharing God's Word whether by blog or by mouth.
Aye, aye cap'n! As Pastor Poncho puts it, "Not uniformity, but diversity and unity."
Hmmm… I think my 5 language church must be in the minority… we look like that picture you posted. Seriously. I love this blog for oh so many reasons.
PS… Javi says sangwich. And valume (instead of volume).
AYE! yet there are why's? To be different is a challange but to accept somone who is diffrent is more of a challage. I am a Mexican who started to live the American dream at age 7. It was hard to be surrounded by different people at school. I struggled until I embraced my peers as my own. Then I started to struggle with being different at home. Being the translator to my parents wasn't easy at that age. It was hard to accept that I was both Mexican and American. I started to feel like the India Maria (Ni de a qui ni de aya). My family didn't become American like I once wanted them to be. I just learned that I needed to embrace them for who they are and what theve always known.
The reason why I didn't think this way while growing up was because I too was afraid of not being accepted by the ones who I had embraced at a young age. I didn't want the name calling that I got when I first arrived here. In this same way I believe that when we come to Christ we dont want to go back from where He took us out of. Many Christians think that embracing people who are outside of the Church will take away what they have in Christ. Its fear that makes us choose to stay within the circle rather than to do what Jesus left us as an example. I feel afraid sometimes to reach out to the ones who are different, but God reminds me that He didn't give me a spirit of fear. With God all things are possible and reaching out to others is something we must do regardless of their background.
Aye! The "in-out-up" approach you outline is right on!
If you are ever in NYC, you need to visit Times Square Church. I think that church is the closest thing to "every nation, tribe and tongue" you can find on earth. So amazing.
wOW, i used to go to times square, yes it is very close!
This reminds me of a conversation I had with…you, in Phoenix. I love this post and agree with what you wrote. I will say though that I dislike the word multiculturalism. It is a hot button word, thrown around to signify some kind of tolerance and everybody-gets-along mindset. There is no such thing.
But there is Christ and His redeeming love and blood that binds us all. The church should be representative of all skin tones, socioeconomic backgrounds, and cultural differences. We should be diverse and expansive. We should be proving to the world that God saves all men, regardless of their tan lines or lack thereof.
Thanks for posing these important questions Bianca.
amazing…i was JUST telling my boss about a class i took my Senior year and the thesis I wrote on the subject of globalization, and how I think it can be a beautiful thing when we value and embrace diversity. I grew up in an asian country, the only white girl with the super curly, very red hair, and so being the odd one out has always been the norm for me. I think the American church needs to step up and has a long way to go in being the Body of Christ, with all the wonderful diverse parts, because there is true beauty out here.________all that to say…amen! 🙂
aye. i LOVE seeing churches that have people of different nationalities in the their congregation.
the church and the ministry that i belong to love and embrace people from different nations. our "mantra" is every nation in our generation and in our leadership team alone, our senior pastor is white, our executive pastor is filipino, our youth pastor is cuban, our college pastor is chinese and our arts pastor is black =] love the diversity. it has challenges, but seeing that gives a lil fortaste of what heaven will look like =] every tribe, every nation, every language.
Interesting, B. I wish my church at home was more multi-anything, rather than just kinda average, but my area is pretty void of minorities. I, personally, wish I wasn't so white bread! I feel uninteresting most of the time. Anyway, my church is mostly bland just because there aren't many dissenting viewpoints. Actually, that's not true – those with different ideas get squelched. It's really sad. It's as if the leadership is afraid of any sort of discussion because they're afraid they can't answer it.
Yes. On so many levels.
I still feel like the mediator between "American" culture and family. But there is ONE Mediator– that's Christ and He reconciles us with the Father and each other. I've needed to stop doing Christ's work & let our faith and love speak for itself… and when they do, I'm sure they will speak Spanglish ;-D
Great thoughts, Bianca!
One of the things I love about my church is that we have over 50 different nationalities represented in our congregation and about 50 percent often come to church dressed in beautiful traditional wear true to their country of origin.
I love seeing and hearing the different accents and outlooks on life from various members.
Most of all, I love hearing the Bible-based sermons and beautiful music from visiting gospel choirs.
We are all God's children and international gatherings help you to see the beauty in how God designed us– different, unique, breathtaking. 🙂
AYE!
i hate that in order to fit and make others comfortable i have to leave parts of my heritage behind. but I suppose God is more concerned about unity and offending your brothers
Praise the young and they will blossom
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