Episode 11: Cultivating Unity in Diversity for the Modern Churches

Ordinary Radicals
Ordinary Radicals
Episode 11: Cultivating Unity in Diversity for the Modern Churches
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In this episode of the Ordinary Radicals podcast, Jonathan Hayashi and Brandon Boatner speak on the topic of pursuing multiethnic health churches in your local ministry context.

What does it even mean to bean multi-ethnic church? Why does this matter in the current 21st-century evangelical churches? The Bible seems to give a compelling vision of diversity in the kingdom of God. Here’s the breakdown of the conversation looking through the biblical lenses on the importance of diversity in unity for the Christian community.

Some highlights from today’s episode;

  • The unity of the body is supposed to lead people to know who God is and not just people, but all the angels and everything.
  • The people will see unity and say, “That is the power of God!”

  • Churches say, “We welcome you with wide stretch arms” But when people come in a sense says, “Hey, leave your culture out the door. You will fit how we do stuff here.”

  • Your church should always look like your local Walmart. It is always contextual.

  • People often choose comfort over Christ.

  • Is church about comfort or is it about Jesus? Is it about coming as the nations like heaven is going to be, or is it about me wanting it to look like my Facebook feed with my best friends that are my country club?

  • People say that the fastest and the quickest way to grow a church is to have a specific target people group to reach. The question is, is that the healthiest and most godly way to approach it?

  • People tend to desire to be around people who think like us, speak like us, and people who don’t challenge us. What does that do? This begins to create a very consumeristic church, and have we not seen consumerism in our churches?

  • The majority culture has few or any close relationships with people from the culture of other racial or ethnic groups who are not like them.

  • People tend not to listen to each other and those whom you disagree with. You can still listen to them and respect them. 

 

Here are the four questions covered in the podcast;

Introduction 

Dr. Brandon Boatner received a doctoral degree from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 

1. What is Your Doctrinal Dissertation? 

  • Different Doctorates Available: Example Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) 
  • Title: Leading Anglo Churches the Biases Against Identity Formation in Effort to Create Further Opportunity for Multi-Ethnic Ministry.

2. Why Is This Topic Important for the 21st Century Evangelical Churches? 

  • The topic resonated with many pastors. 
  • Question: Why is the church so separated by race?
  • Matters to God (Eph 3:6-11). 
      • Equipping the Saints for Work of Ministry (Eph 4:1-5). 
      • Barriers broken: Racial, socio-economic and gender (Gal 3:28). 
      • Assimilation vs. Accommodation. 
      • Example: The lunch buffet of the salad bar. 
      • Homogeneous churches fail to translate to the cultural context. 
    • Practicing heaven down on earth (Rev 7:9).

3. What Were the Results from the Research Study? 

  • The final product of the study was 360 pages. 
  • Various lenses: 
    • Historical scope
    • Scriptural understanding
    • Identity formation
    • Personal perception 
  • Everyone has a bias. Therefore, churches have biases as well. 
  • Consumeristic churches are the majority of modern churches. 
  • The oxymoron of culture people lives in. Separation of racial and ethnic boundaries.

4. How Did You Approach in Gathering All the Information? 

  • Reading a lot of books: Liberals, Conservatives, Muslims, Christians, Social activities, Pastors…. Etc 
  • Manifest Destiny is the historical scope in the country of America. 

5. Conclusion: Practical Help for Listeners 

  • Listen to each other. 
  • Check your emotions. 
  • Experience the cultures. 

Resources mentioned in today’s podcast

 

Feedback

If you have a question you would like answered on the show, fill out the form on the podcast page here at jonathanhayashi.com.

 

Thanks for listening! If you have found this podcast helpful, go to iTunes and leave a rating & review! That is one simple way you can help me get this in the ears of as many people as possible. Thanks for the help!

 

Ordinary Radicals Podcast is a member of the HNR.GD Network

 

 

 

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