OT: Multicultural Churches(long)

[Tanishia]

Hello,
I don't get to post often but I am enjoying the site. Here is the question. Does anyone else attend a multicultural church? The reason why I'm asking is because I've been at my church for about 10yrs now. It's overall a good church and we have a lot of memories there(wedding,kids given back to God and a few relationships with friends) but there has been a pull in me for the last 2 yrs to find a new church home. I don't believe in church hopping but I believe this is in my heart. Why? I have no idea and it's scarey. I have always invisioned being a part of a church with different people and different cultures. Has anyone else had this type of change for them and their family. I'm very catious at what we decide to do because we have two young boys and I know it will impact them as well. Thanks for you input and expeirence.

[Laya's Mama]

My husband and I attend a mulitcultural church and I can't imagine it any other way. We are an interracial couple so it is very important for us to attend a church with diversity. Its a beautiful thing because you look around and know that this is what heaven is like - people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and languages that love God and each other. It took sometime for us to find, but if you pray for it God will lead you the right church for you and your family.

[Shawn]

My husband and I pastor a multi-racial church. It was an adjustment to make...let's be honest...everyone doesn't enjoy the same type of music and yes in Christian music there is no difference. This adjustment was so minor that we have incorporated Contemporary Christian with Gospel...we even sing praise and worship in Spanish. In the very beginning of our ministry my husband and I were the only blacks in the church and we are the Pastor and Co-Pastor. Our church is prodominently white...and gradually becoming a prodominently Hispanic church...we just got our first black member about two months ago...I praise God for the shift that is taking place in the Body of Christ...where we test the spirit by the spirit instead of looking at the hue of the skin.

I pray that you get your answer and have peace with whatever God decides for you and your family.

Be Blessed,
Pastor Shawn

[Ebony G.]

Tanishia,

I posted a bit on this topic in another forum, but we have the same issue in a sense. My husband and I , ( due to our children going through a bit of an identity crisis) have decided to move from upstate NY to NC just to be at a multicultural church. The church is called the River church and it is powerful! The pastor and co- pastor are married to one another, are white and have a very multi-cultural thing going on! Most importantly...God lives there! We went down there last summer and knew that that is where we were going to move to. There are white members, black , and hispanic. I don't know where you live, but if it's anywhere near Durham, NC...Check out the River church. I'm moving in AUgust...maybe I'll see you there : )

[Jan Muhammad]

I guess you would have to ask your self and pray about "why" are you feeling you need to move churches and "where" to?

Maybe where you are is not serving your complete needs? I don't know. But pray about it and you will get the answer! I see you said you "visioned" yourself in a certain place but we have to put first what God wants first. Man plans and God plans and GOD is the BEST of planners!

[Donalacasa]

Hi,

I agree with Shawn. My husband and I pastored a multicultural church. For a time, we were the only African Americans members there. For the past year or so, we have been going to a church where we are the only African Americans. There are some Africans from Kenya, but as we have learned, just because you are black does not mean you share the same culture.

Our white pastors have been such a blessing to us. They, too, lost a daughter to a brain tumor and they have been instrumental to our healing.

My advice would be to go where the Spirit leads you and don't worry about the color of the faces around you.

Blessings!

[Sharonda Smith]

Hi There!
We have attended multicultural churches, and always will. We are ethnically diverse, and want our children to know diversity. It has been so interesting over the years, having different people in our home who become as close as blood relatives. We have so many differences, which are ok, but we also have so many things in common, that you wouldn't think of. We have been able to learn from others, as well as others from us. I like what I've heard so far, how this is just a little taste of what Heaven will be like. We serve an awesome, mighty God, why not serve Him together?

In His Grace,
Sharonda