One More Terrible Thing To Waste
Cultural Diversity
Welcome to my newsletter, “Global Witness, Globally Reimagined,” where I dream here about mission in a postcolonial world. Every week, I share one thought that has spoken to me in the week, one resource that I trust will be helpful to you, and three exciting quotes about mission. I pray one of these will energise you in the coming week.
1. Thought I Can’t Shake Off
I have visited several multicultural congregations in the Midlands and Northwest England since January. (Yes, I do not find that “intercultural” describes what I am talking about well, so I will stick with “multicultural” for now). Though these congregations have members of many ethnicities, their pastoral leaders and almost everyone else seen ministering at the front was white. This is particularly evident on their websites where their "Leadership" pages are all predominantly white. While I do not have problems with white British Christians leading their congregations in whatever way they want, I cannot stop wondering why it is so difficult for them to trust non-white people as co-leaders with them. For instance, I have gone back to one famous fairly large multicultural congregation (50% white, 35% black, 15% Asian) for three Sundays. The only time I saw a non-white person at the front was when they had an African man play bass guitar once. (Of course, I saw two Nigerians on the Prayer Team as well but they were at the back of the church). Every "Inclusion and Diversity" resource that has come out in the past decade highlights the need for representation in all aspects of congregational life. People belong better when they feel represented, especially in the leadership. This should be the first rule of leading in a multicultural congregation — diversity has to be seen in everything that the church does. It has to be on full display every Sunday and every time the congregation meets. Leaders must be intentional about this. There is no shortcut to becoming a true multicultural church. All cultures must be seen and heard — that is the definition of multiculturalism. As such, I wonder how leaders of the congregations justify their oversight, especially as I know that some really good non-white preachers, teachers, and spiritual leaders, in general, sit in their pews, listening to their often-mediocre over-scripted sermons, Sunday after Sunday. Has God-given gifts of leadership only to white people in the UK Christian community? Can white people still not recognise non-white spiritual leadership? Of course, I am saying this because I realise that the gifts that come with the diversity that make these multicultural churches are wasted because we cannot share power and leadership. How shall the Body of Christ be healthy when one part believes only it has the right to leadership? As I argued in Multicultural Kingdom, cultural diversity is a terrible thing to waste. We all can do better.
2. Resources I am Enjoying
This is a very rich resource that was launched at the Birmingham Cathedral on 15 June 2023. We recorded quite a few interviews with leaders of multicultural churches. We also visited and recorded multicultural worship services in London, Chesterfield, and Manchester. You will hear how these leaders understand multicultural congregational life. The resource is free. You can download both the PDFs and the videos on the Pathways page. (We do not have rights to put the videos on YouTube yet, but you can download and watch them on your device for free). The videos make the invaluable essence of the journey to multicultural worship more perceivable. They will help you understand how to assess it in our various church settings, some obstacles to such a mission, and ways to practically realise it. This is one resource to strongly consider for anyone seeking to maximise the blessing of the diversity of God’s body in today’s multicultural societies. All videos in this resource can be seen here. (Vimeo may require you to sign up or sign in).
3. Quotes I am Pondering
In fact, with the shift of Christianity’s center of gravity from its traditional heartlands in Europe and the US to the “Global South” of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the focus of mission must also shift from a preoccupation with ‘transmission’ so as to engage the wider issues of the teleology of missio Dei. — Emmanuel Katongole
What is required of cultural hermeneutics is to sift the good aspects of the culture and religion and affirm them, knowing that there is room to reject what is bad. — Musimbi Kanyoro
Mission is not an appendage to divine nature nor is it possessed only by a part of or some Persons in the triune God. God is missionary in his very being. — Lalsangkima Pachuau
I pray that you have a missionally faithful week.