My Ministry Setting is not culturally diverse.
Your Question:
“How can I best serve in a ministry setting that is not culturally diverse?”
The Issues:
Today’s world is becoming more culturally diverse, and yet there are still “pockets” of people who are not interested in spending time with anyone who “doesn’t look like themselves.” To increase the diversity of a church or organization may attract some, yet repel others. The challenge is to decide what is more important; keeping those who don’t want diversity, or attracting new people from other “cultures.”
Scripture Foundation:
“So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3: 26-28.
Short Answer:
God created humans. He set up the process that has produced people with different skin colors, different languages, and different cultures. He told Adam and Eve to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1:28). He also told Noah and his descendants the same thing in Genesis 9:7 “…be fruitful and increase in number; multiply on the earth and increase upon it.” From these scriptures, and from so many others in the Bible, it is clear that God loves diversity. He doesn’t love one culture more than another. Human nature tends to be more comfortable around similar people.
In international settings, you’ll find Dutch people attracted to other people from the Netherlands and people from France spending time with others from that same country. This is why you will see sections of large cities identified as areas specifically identified as “Little Tokyo,” or “Little Italy,” etc. So, the challenge of “diversity” tends to go against the natural nature of most people. But, does this please God? Did God encourage (command?) us to “fill the earth” with diversity in mind? In Galatians, and in other writings of the early Church, God’s perspective of “His children” removes any cultural or even “religious” boundaries. It was shocking for the Jews (God’s “chosen people”) to hear the news that the “children of God” are neither Jew nor Greek (Galatians 3: 26-28). They were also equally shocked to hear that the title of “children of God” was available to both males and females!
It appears that God doesn’t approve of anyone being discounted because of their gender or their culture. The critical requirement for fellowship with God is ONLY what the person believes regarding Jesus. People from different cultures, who believe in Jesus, should “get along” with each other. There should be no “discounting” because of culture. This is a challenge for a church or ministry environment that has been “monochromatic” for years. A church may have begun when the culture in the community was “monochromatic.” If the community around the church has become more culturally diverse, and the church hasn’t adjusted, then those who are now living in the diverse community may visit the church, but they may not feel comfortable enough to stay.
A church that fails to adapt and adjust to the surrounding community faces the danger of becoming a “cultural island” that is different from the surrounding community. If this happens, it is almost a certainty that the church will “die” as the members of the church die or leave.
A church that is more welcoming to diverse cultures will survive and thrive longer. Your question about how to best serve in a “monochromatic” church or organization is a complex one. You, as the CM director may not be able to influence the whole church or organization, but you can be a voice. Here are some ideas to help the church or CM become more culturally diverse:
1) Hire or recruit – Place people from diverse cultures into critical areas. Visitors to the church will look for people who “look like themselves.” The two most critical areas for which you should hire or requit are the worship service platform (worship team, associate pastors, etc.) and the CM hallway (information booth, greeters, etc.). With this goal in mind, you may feel yourself “conflicted.” You may ask yourself, “Do I recruit and place people in those areas just because of their culture?” The answer is, “No!” You want to recruit, hire, and place people who match the ministry vision, and who will be strong members of the team, regardless of their culture. BUT, it is important to ask God to lead people to you who could further the ministry vision, while also increasing the cultural diversity. It is difficult to place the first few people in a non-diverse ministry because of the “monochromatic” look of the ministry. Be patient and continue to pray for God to lead people to you.
2) Share your concerns and ideas – If you are a part of the pastoral staff meetings, gently suggest that the whole church seek God’s help in making the entire church more diverse. Share what you are planning to do, and encourage the youth ministry, men’s ministry, women’s ministry, and worship team to do the same.
3) Interview and learn – If you have team members who are from another culture, ask them for their views and ideas about increasing the cultural diversity of the CM or church. Invite them to rotate into the hallway greeter team periodically. Don’t worry about offending them, they will understand and agree with your motives and goals.
4) Train and equip – Adjust your CM training to include discussions about being culturally sensitive. If your church or CM team is “monochromatic,” they may have never considered how to be culturally sensitive. Making the team members more aware of the cross-culture value of smiles, good eye contact, kind words, and respect will greatly increase the ministry’s attraction to other cultures!
Continue to pray for God to help you and the church leadership to do all they can to make the church or organization a welcoming place to all cultures. For more help in understanding the setting of the children’s ministry, click on the APPENDIX link below.
Visit other articles in the “Understanding Your Ministry Setting APPENDIX”
