A few years ago, I heard Erwin McManus speak at Catalyst about how the church can become more multi-cultural. He said that it starts with people reaching out and making friends with people who are not of the same culture and race as themselves. At the time, I agreed with his statement and vowed to put it into practice when given the chance. That time has now come!
I am a homeowner now which means that I live in a neighborhood with other people. As I am discovering my new neighbors do not all look like me. This is a tremendous blessing and an opportunity. For most of my life, I have lived with and around people who look like me. Now for the first time, I live in a city and an area where many of the people around me do not look just like me. Yesterday, I met two of my neighbors: Erica is a nurse and her husband Brandon is a cop and they are African American. Sydney is my other neighbor and he is African American. Looking across our street I see another neighbor who is also African American. I find myself for the first time as a minority and I am happy to be so. I must force myself to make relationships with my neighbors because my Lord Jesus ask me to! The church can only truly be a reflection of Jesus when it is multi-ethnic and multi-cultural. If the church is going to be the hope of the world, and look past race and nationality to bring all people together under the lordship of Jesus Christ, then we who are apart of it must not be afraid of what it could look like. Amen.
Question for my readers: how is your church seeking to become more multi-cultural? How are you becoming more multi-cultural?
Brian Brunke 