Published December 7, 2016
Although churches are as unique as individuals, there are general principles that can be helpful in many contexts. Here are four tips we have found helpful for fostering a nourishing environment for our multicultural church.
1. Develop a corporate identity.
You should be unique from the common stereotypes of any particular worship culture. Issues such as service length, music styles, preaching style (including sermon length) and congregational involvement are deeply impacted by cultural expectations. Since it is unlikely that the church will be able to meet the various cultural expectations of its different ethnicities, the church needs to decide ahead of time what it is going to be. While most (maybe all) of your congregants will have to make some adjustments to their expectations, individuals are less likely to feel that they are exchanging their cultural preferences for preferences of another group.
2. Be flexible.
Hold firmly to biblical truths, but allow flexibility in the areas where Scriptures allow it. Let people know that individuals (and cultural groups) adore Christ in different ways. Some people sit quietly and worship; others may raise a hand, stand or say “amen” during personally impactful portions of the service. Emphasize that these expressions are ok, and none is more or less spiritual than the other.
Flexibility can also be expressed by singing a familiar song in another language. Singing in the “heart language” of one of the groups of your congregation enriches the worship experience for them and helps the speakers of the dominant language to better appreciate some of the struggles their brothers and sisters face as they worship primarily in a language that is not their “natural” tongue.
3. Develop a sense of humor.
It is inevitable in a multicultural congregation that both leadership and congregation will occasionally commit cultural faux pas. A sense of humor protects people from responding too seriously to innocent errors and reduces the tension that can be present as people strive to avoid offending each other.
4. Refrain from over-emphasizing your multiculturalism.
While you are intentionally multicultural, do not let it appear to be a profound and strange thing. Go about your multiculturalism as if it is perfectly normal (which it is if your community is multicultural). That way, your congregation learns to take people for who they are without undue emphasis on ethnic or cultural differences. It is fine to celebrate cultural differences from time to time, but constantly harping on your diversity can end up doing more harm than good.
Dr. James Richards (’15)
Pastor of Mountain Stream Baptist Church in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania
Recent Comments