September 3, 2011 Some more thoughts on ethnic church planting…
Here are some more thoughts and reactions from my previous post:
I don’t hate ethnic church planting. I just think they’re short-sighted and potentially short-lived in our context. I think it would be wise to plan for that.
If you live in a homogeneous context, then your church will reflect that. No need to bus your favorite token minority 2 hours each way every Sunday morning just so your church can “pave the way” in diversity. In the book of Acts, after Pentecost, the new believers went home– some to a specifically homogeneous context (ie: just Jews) and others to a more diverse one. I happen to be writing from the latter.
If you’re called to reach Russians outside of Boston then, by all means, preach the Gospel in Russian. Don’t hear me saying a nicer, softer version of “This is America! Speak English (one of the hardest, idiosyncratic languages to learn) NOW”. My problem comes when we use the Church to preserve culture instead of to bring news of salvation. I think this is part of the reason the church becomes inflexible, stagnant and irrelevant.
The point is this: the Church is the means to live and share the Gospel as Scripture calls us to– in community. Don’t cheapen the Gospel by using it to propel culture; but I do think one should use culture to propel the Gospel.
- 2 comments
- Posted under Church Leadership, Perspectives
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J
said
Hey, this is a great blog that you have going here! I am enjoying reading your thoughts and reflections on the Christian life, and in particular, some of these posts on ethnicity in the church in today’s America. God bless you, sister, and I hope to see some new posts!
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Itamar
said
Thanks, J! And sorry for not responding sooner- I have been out and about for a few weeks but there will be more posts soon! Hope you had some great holidays!