I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9)

The Church today does not look like the picture given in the book of Revelation. While Christians exists all around the world, we do not always come together across our human-made boundaries of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or age. The U.S. has a diverse population, but our diversity does not always spill over into the Christian church. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. words maintain truth. “We must face the fact that in America, the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing and Christ has no east or west, we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation” (1963).

Not every local congregation will achieve diversity in every way, because not every geography is diverse in every way. However, Jesus gave us the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18). The power of his sacrifice has torn down the dividing walls between ethnicities, socioeconomic status, and genders (Ephesians 2:10-16, Galatians 3:26-29). Now, we just need to learn to live that way. This life and ministry forms part of the good works he has prepared for us to do.

If you would like counseling, training, facilitation, more information, or just someone to talk to about multi-ethic ministry, please contact me.

King, M. (1963). “Dr. Martin Luther King’s 1963 WMU Speech.” Archives & Regional History Collections of Western Michigan University c. 2005.

Resources

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