I’m Vineyard Church Kansas City Pastor, Greg Hartmann, and I am back with the latest installment in my blog series. This series allows me to share my thoughts on topics that I don’t normally get to speak about. This time, we are going to look at how to minister and engage with a multicultural congregation.
Our country is made up of people from all cultures and races. It is full of people who grew up very different from me and from you. The United States is at least somewhat like what Heaven will be in that Heaven will and does have people from every culture on the planet.
As your pastor, it is my responsibility and my heart to reach all people of every nation. When I answered the call to ministry I was planted at a church in Los Angeles. I don’t know how much you know about L.A. but it is one of the most diverse cities you can be in. Then, I headed to Texas to plant a church where the population was mostly made up of people who immigrated from elsewhere. In both instances, I was surrounded by people who were different from me. I was given the opportunity to minister and encourage people from several different ethnic backgrounds. By the end of both of those experiences, I was changed forever.
With my experiences, I have this deep appreciation and love for those who are different from my own culture. And with that, I have a conviction to ensure that VCKC is offering an environment that is inviting to those of all backgrounds. That is why I feel it is important for me to share my thoughts on the subject. But more importantly, I want to share what God says about it through His word.
If you would like to check out any of the previous blogs, please click here.
The Holy Spirit arrives
In Acts chapter 2 we see a miracle take place between people of all different cultures. Allow me to set the scene. 10 days have passed since Jesus ascended into Heaven. The disciples had been waiting for the Holy Spirit to arrive just as Jesus said. But they didn’t know how long it would be. Then, on the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit arrived in a miraculous way.
1 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
After waiting for 10 days the Holy Spirit shows up and allows the disciples to speak in different tongues! They didn’t have a language tutor work with them for years or the Duolingo app. The Holy Spirit filled them with this miraculous ability to be able to spread the good news of Jesus to new cultures. See, Pentecost, was the most highly attended Jewish holiday because it was a feast that celebrated the first fruits of the wheat harvest. At this feast, Jerusalem was full of people from all different walks of life and backgrounds. Isn’t it just like God to use the most perfect moment to do something amazing?
Speak their language
The chapter goes on to say this:
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”
When the Holy Spirit arrived on the scene, it changed everything. This is the first account in that we see the gospel being spread in this many different languages. So, you may ask, what’s the significance?
The presence of God draws people from all different backgrounds and all different ways of life. The Gospel isn’t just for 1 group of people. It’s for all people. As a church, we have to understand that fact. We also have to understand that a multicultural congregation doesn’t just happen. We have to be intentional about it.
Jesus Filter
There are so many different identifiers that we can use to describe ourselves. If you sit down with someone you just met and they ask you to tell them about you. To describe who you are. What would you say? What are your first identifiers?
Every identifier we put in front of our lives is the filter in which we view ourselves.
Whatever filter we look through, informs us how we see the world. If my first filter is that I’m a husband, then every decision that I make will first be filtered through that I’m married to my wife. Or maybe if my first filter is the community I grew up in or that I’m a dad, then every other filter will be impacted by how I view my life.
If my first filter is that I’m a Christ follower, then every other filter will be informed by that. It informs every other relationship I have in my life. I’m not just a husband. I’m a Christ follower who is a husband. So, then the way I treat my wife is different because I’m a Christ follower first. If you have the Jesus filter first, whatever way you identify yourself will be different. Yes, you may be Hispanic, you may be Haitian, you may be Canadian, but we can’t allow those facts about us to distract us from living our lives for Jesus first.
Reaching the multitudes
Obviously, God created us all to be different and He delights in our differences. It is a beautiful tapestry when all colors are represented. It does make me angry that there are sects of Christianity that have tried to whitewash Jesus. He did not have blonde hair and blue eyes. He would have looked very much like His fellow Jewish men in the first century. He would have had a darker complexion with dark hair. He would have been seen as a minority in our society.
Jesus’ ministry started by fellow Jews witnessing Him being baptized by His cousin. It’s presumable to say that all of the witnesses were from the same culture and background as Jesus. But those audiences quickly grew to include non-Jews. As He traveled around with His disciples, the word of His miracles and accomplishments quickly spread like wildfire. People of all cultures, Jew and Gentile, were enthralled with what He was doing. It didn’t matter what Jesus’ culture was. They knew that He was speaking the truth. Because God transcends race and culture. Paul said this in Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
The message of Jesus was meant to be spread to all people. There is no superior race or group of people. We are all sinners. And that message should be enough to stir our hearts. A life that is built on the foundation of Jesus is paramount for all of us. If we, as church leaders, focus on an approach that shares the truth we will see a multicultural congregation develop. Regardless of your race or demographic, we can all spot a church that is trying too hard to cater to the world. We have to be bold and stand up for what we believe in. That is how we reach the multitudes.
Intentional
Creating a multicultural congregation requires intentionality. This begins by examining our own hearts and challenging any biases or prejudices we may hold. In Christ, our differences are not erased but celebrated. So, being intentional does take some effort. A great way to be intentional is by educating yourself. You are obviously doing that because you have made it this far in this blog and that’s fantastic! Reading books about the topic is a great way to be intentional. Here are some that I would suggest checking out:
United: Captured by God’s Vision for Diversity By Trillia J. Newbell
Education
Education is vital in building a multicultural congregation. But we can’t always expect other people to carry the burden of educating us. Remember we talked about being intentional? Well, take the initiative to learn. Take the time to educate yourself about different cultures, customs and tradition. That is how you can work towards reaching and creating a multiethnic congregation.
Choosing to learn about other cultures is going to almost instantly open your eyes to seeing the world as God does. Once we break down those filters that maybe our parents helped foster or maybe someone else in our past, then we see the beauty in the differences. We start to see these other people groups as God intended us to. It’s easy to fear what we don’t understand. But by educating ourselves we learn the truth and the truth is that they are just like you. They may look different. Maybe they talk differently. However they are different, at their core, they still need Jesus just as much as you do.
Love
I don’t want to sound corny or give that generic Sunday School answer, but the most important factor with this is simply love. Love must be the driving force behind our desire to create a multicultural congregation. The love of Jesus transcends all the world’s cultural boundaries. Without His love, we would never be able to come together and create a church that is a reflection of what Heaven is like. Because when you truly love one another you open up your heart to another plane of existence within the body of Christ. You begin to understand that your opinion and your way of doing things aren’t always the best. Loving one another also forces you to feel their pain. For far too long the American church has stood on the sidelines with our hands in our pockets when it comes to race in our country.
We have to be better. We have to love like Jesus and weep with our brothers and sisters when they hurt and stand up for change. We don’t respond with anger but we should fight for righteousness. By doing those things, we will create a church that is honoring to God. Providing an environment that is welcoming and uplifting to a multicultural audience is what we are commanded to do. Don’t let the Devil divide us with our differences. We should be united under the banner of God. Because all of us are sinners who were destined to live in an eternity separated from Him. Until Jesus came down, died on the cross, and then rose from the dead 3 days later. Make it all about Jesus and the rest will work itself out on its own.
If you would like to see what a church that is focused on building a multicultural congregation is like, please join us for our in-person worship on Sunday mornings at 8:30, 10, and 11:30. You can also watch the 10 am service live at VCKC.com.
Pastor Greg Hartmann