A Multicultural Church
We value God’s Multicultural heart:
Conscious effort is made to breaking down dividing walls, bridging the gap, with genuine acceptance and love for people from all nations, race, culture, language, generation, education, backgrounds, and financial status. Our heart is to see diversity in unity, to see all nations, tongues and tribes.
Revelation 7:9 After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.
Jesus prayed for unity in this gathering of many cultures -John 17: 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one, you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me.
As this is Gods heart for heaven, so it is for earth as the Lords Prayer says in Mathew 6:10 – May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
For further information click here to read an article by Pastor Jeannie in the Renewal Journal: http://www.pastornet.net.au/renewal/journal18/18c%20Mok.htm
What is a Multicultural Church?
A Multicultural Church must be both have qualitative and quantitative elements, which means it’s more than a church with a lot of nationalities represented. In Australia, most churches will have some other racial groups. All will love these people and may even feel you are condemning them for racism if you suggest that theirs may not be a multicultural church. Gal. 3: 8 is a well-known scripture and all churches will say they follow that.
But there is more to it than that. It is not just about it being with many other races etc. but making it work; i.e. enabling positive outcomes that will empower each other. Breaking any walls of sexism, ageism, racism etc. contributes to the strength of each side of the wall The wall comes down; you see me as I am; I see you as you are; we step over the rubble and enjoy each others differences. We participate in each others? viewpoint, culture etc AND GROW STRONGER for it. . Synergy is a key product.
Australians official understanding of multiculturalism includes many religions? Of course we represent only ONE religion, Christianity.
In a multicultural church, there is no dominant culture imposing their values on the congregation. Most churches will run with a white Australian culture as their dominant culture and very few ‘other-culture’ leaders. This is largely because of the number of white Australians in most churches. A multicultural church, even where one culture is numerically greater should be seen to represent other cultures present.
Our monthly Multicultural Combined Celebration Service:
We have people from 40 different nationalities and ethnic groups. Once a month we have a combined celebration service where all our morning services are combined in to one big service where we enjoy multilingual praise and worship songs (singing in English, Mandarin, Spanish and one day French – these four languages cover the languages spoken on all the continents of the earth and are used at the Olympic games). Come and be inspired by a message from our Senior pastor as he casts the vision and purpose of this church.
Some helpful keys to breaking down dividing walls
* Understand our own culture – Recognise our prejudices and preferences that stem from ethnocentrism. If we don’t understand our own culture how can we hope to relate to another. Many cultures are event rather than time oriented (hence, some groups may not start meetings ‘on time’); Some cultures have a communal rather than individual ownership concept and different ways of confrontation.
* Give ourselves to people of other cultures – begin by befriending people of other cultures. Personal relationships are the basis of effective understanding and ministry. In ICC we are strongly encourage hospitality and the sharing of meals together as a way to cross cultural boundaries on an individual or group basis. This may require understanding in simple everyday things for example: using chopsticks or spoons in stead of forks and knives. Learn a few words of greeting in as many languages as are represented in your church.
* Maintain a good platform mix – at ICC we understand that people respond very positively to seeing someone of their culture up front at the pulpit. We have different cell groups serving communion, mixed representation in our creative arts teams, giving deliberate exposure to a variety of ethnicities. Many people join our church because of ethnic diversity.
* Building a representative leadership team – we are in the process of building a vision team that broadly represents the ethnic groups in our church. This enables us to develop policy that will be inclusive and to sort though cultural issues.
* Be culturally sensitive – things acceptable in one culture may not be in another. Things such as alcohol and dancing are examples. We are also aware of the need to speak slowly and clearly, to avoid colloquialisms to adapt illustrations for greater cultural relevance, and to simplify our language. Building trust is a lone process, but well the effort in the long term.
* Build cultural groups – It is important for the different cultures to have opportunity for same –culture, same language fellowship. These groups also provide a bridge of evangelism in to the church. Don’t try and impose one pattern on all our ethnic groups – they respond to different dynamics. We want to encourage ethnic groups to evangelize their own people and to reach out to those who are culturally near.
* Visit their countries if you can – Be open and grow a desire to appreciate various cultures by visiting their countries or cultural festivals. This builds a tremendous sense of identity and belonging.
* Be transparent and vulnerable – people will love you having a go and will forgiver your occasional cultural language blunders when they know your heart.