Learning from Multicultural Ministries (USA)

As a result of globalisation, migrant communities are springing up in every major
city in the world; this is as true of the UK context as anywhere else. And migrant churches are increasingly being established. Growing numbers of urban churches hold their own service on a Sunday morning, and then allow (e.g.) a Nigerian congregation to use their premises later in the day. These ethnic congregations are generally lively and missionary, reaching other members of their own community.

However, segregation is surely not appropriate in the kingdom of God. What is needed, surely, is for the inherited, established churches to find ways of integrating members of other cultures, languages, etc. Initially, this may mean regularly worshipping together with the migrant congregation. But the goal must be the establishment of one church with a diverse membership. That is quite a challenge, and will not necessarily be an easy task. But it is essential for the credibility of our message.

The multicultural church movement in the USA uses three images to speak about different types of church in a multicultural context.

The ‘melting pot’ refers to a traditional attitude that expects outsiders (from diverse cultural backgrounds) to attend American churches and fit in with American ways of worshipping.

Many immigrants are unhappy with such an approach, and are beginning to form their own congregations, and the ‘salad bar’ image refers to these separate, segregated ethnic/racial groupings.

But the multicultural church movement rejects both of these in favour of a third image. The ‘salad bowl’ type of church sensitively mixes a variety of individuals and cultures in a way that respects and values everyone.

The conviction of this movement is that many churches in the USA are declining precisely because, where their communities have become multi-cultural, the churches have not: “… while most of us experience cultural and racial diversity daily, the majority of our churches remain racially and culturally homogenous … Sunday at 11.00 a.m. is still the most segregated hour across America.”

It is evident that, as social patterns change and ethnic populations shift, churches need to be creatively embracing their neighbours. The Office of Evangelism and Racial/Cultural Diversity of the US Presbyterian Church (http://www.pcusa.org/diversity/index.htm) seeks to assist congregations as they welcome all people in a diverse society. And they find a biblical mandate for multi-cultural church:

"When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place (Acts 2.1),
no longer Jew or Greek, slave or free, male or female (Galatians 3.28),
a house of prayer for all peoples (Isaiah 56.7b),
a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language (Revelation 7.9),
all are one in Christ (Galatians 3.28).
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28.19)."

A (unified) multicultural church will therefore intentionally recognise, celebrate and incorporate a diverse membership in all areas of church life. The congregation will worship using different arts and languages, spiritual practices and theological expressions. The church leaders will ensure that the different cultures and ethnicities who make up the congregation are equally represented on church boards, in committee meetings, in executive positions, and in all aspects of power-sharing. And when the church engages in evangelism, it will ‘provide Good News in a cup that people recognise’ with great sensitivity and respect to their cultural and traditional backgrounds and needs.