Multiethnic Church Planting

I. Definitions

A. Multiethnic Church: A church with one language, one predominant culture, but significant percentages of people with various ethnic and racial backgrounds. It involves more than a sprinkling of diversity.

B. Multicultural Church: A church with one predominant language

(second language for many) and various cultural influences. The predominant language does not have to be in English. It involve more than a church that sponsors various language groups.

II. Reasons for pursuing multiethnic/multicultural church planting.

A. It patterns the environment that will exist in heaven.

“And they sang a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.” (Revelation 5:9)

B. When people of different racial and cultural backgrounds attend, they

will have others of similar backgrounds also attending. They won’t stand out.

C. It is attractive to interracial families. D. It appeals to people who are turned off by monoethnic churches, E. There is a need for multiethnic churches because cities are becoming

more multiethnic. F. The church will not survive if it continues to plant churches that

function like many of the churches that currently exist. III. Theological premise for multiethnic/multicultural churches A. An ethnic group can be multilingual. (Acts 2:5-12)

B. Conflict happens and can be resolved between ethnic/cultural people groups. (Acts 6:1-6)

C. God is also interested in others. (Acts 10:34-35)

D. They don’t have to follow our culture. (Acts 15) E. There are different callings. (Galatians 2:7-9) F. Freedom & conformity can co-exist. (Acts 21)

IV. Possible Models For Multiethnic/Multicultural Church Planting

A. Bi-cultural congregations -- Two different cultures and ethnicities, with distinct cultural aspects, are a part of the same congregation. They may or may not speak different languages. (i.e. African-American & West Indian, Caucasian & Hispanic, etc.)

B. Congregations where one or two ethnic groups are in the

majority but other cultures have significant influence. – One or two groups is clearly numerically dominant, but the congregation is intentional in insuring that the ethnic minority is included in

C. Congregations where the ethnic groups are fairly distributed. --

There may ethnic groups that have a few more individuals than some others, but there is no ethnic majority.

V. Challenges of a Multicultural Church

A. Developing an understanding and appreciation of various cultures

a. Relationship styles b. Values

c. Conflict Styles

d. Leadership Styles

e. Learning Styles

f. Decision-making Styles

g. Teaching/Preaching Styles

h. Experiences

i. Worship styles

j. Lifestyle (food, dress, entertainment, etc.)

B. The selection of the church planter, his spouse and children. In addition to the skills needed as a church planter, a church planter who desires to establish a multiethnic church plant should:

a. Have a level of comfort with individuals from other ethnic group

and social subcultures.

b. Be relational in addition to having administrative skills.

c. Be intentional in establishing a diverse leadership team.

d. Be willing to learn and able to place himself in the shoes of others.

e. Not be paternalistic or patronizing of people of other cultures and ethnicity.

f. Take the Cross Cultural Adaptability Inventory by Colleen Kelley,

Ph.D. and Judith Meyers, Psy. D. (http://www.ccaiassess.com)

C. The selection of the core group. In addition to the skills the church planter would desire in a core group, they should also have the following characteristics:

a. Ethnically and racially diverse.

b. Has a level of comfort interacting with individuals from other

ethnic groups and subcultures.

c. Should receive training on cultural sensitivity as a part of the learning process.

i. Training Resources

1. Diversity seminars. Movies. and film clips about

different cultures and cultural sensitivity. (http://www.nicholasbrealey.com/boston/subjects/interculturalpress.html)

D. The building of relationships and development of teamwork.

a. Team and trust building training and activities.

b. The establishment of transparency and confidentiality as a core

value.

c. Have an expectation of high levels of commitment to each other.

E. The establishment of a conflict resolution process. Process proposed by Duane Elmer, in his book Cross Cultural Conflict.

a. Ask whether this issue is worthy of attention or should be let go.

b. Approach the individual(s) you are in conflict with from a place of

concern and a desire to preserve the relationship.

c. Try to understand, through the process of inquiry, before forming judgments, making accusations and assigning blame.

d. Separate the facts from that which is rumor, incomplete

information, feelings and emotions, and subjective interpretation.

e. Consider the level of stress that this relationship can handle. This will help to determine how much time and sensitivity should be given to this issue.

f. Put yourself in the shoes of those you are in conflict with and try to

gain insight into why they feel the way they feel on this issue.

g. Do not attack the individual(s). Address behaviors and how they make you feel rather than assessing motivation to behavior.

h. When defensiveness or tense emotions arise in the individual(s),

take a step back, reaffirm your friendship and your desire to understand where they are coming from.

i. During the conversation, let the individual(s) know that you are

listening by regularly summarizing what they have said and acknowledging their right to have an opinion on that matter.

j. Attempt to achieve a win-win resolution by maintaining a calm

demeanor, in all parties, understanding the point of view and concerns of others, and being fair and having integrity in negotiations.

F. Imposing the cultural values of one group on another group.

G. Providing cross-cultural coaching – create an understanding of how

culture affects behavior with the goal of developing an inclusive universal environment.

V. The Strategy for Planting a Multiethnic Church Plant

A. Make sure that your mandate for church planting comes from God.

B. Recognize that church planting engages you in personal spiritual warfare.

C. Recruit a core team that is comprised of individuals, who come from

different ethnic backgrounds, who match the makeup of the community where the church is to be planted.

D. Develop a thorough knowledge of the community where you seek to

plant – Prepare Community Profile Report.

a. Conduct a survey of area residents.

b. Access information on the demographics and psychographics of your community.

c. Learn which churches are successful in doing ministry in the

community, assess what they do and develop guiding principles for doing ministry.

d. Meet with the civic, business, and community leaders, and with

individuals of influence. Ask them about the history, current situation, future plans and urgent needs of the community and its residents.

E. Contact the conference to obtain direction as to policies for church

planting, and available support to individuals seeking to plant a church in its territory.

F. Connect with a sponsoring church that is in line with the vision and

mission of the church plant.

G. Choose the church plant approach that best suits the community, based on the research obtained from surveys, meeting with leaders and demographic and psychographic analysis. (See Church Plant Models in the Appendix).

H. Develop a partnering relationship with nearby churches and deal with

concerns they may have.

a. Members of their congregation may leave their church and join your church plant.

b. Competition will exist between their church and your new church

plant.

c. Your church will grow, and thrive, and succeed while their church continues to maintain.

I. Be mindful of current shifts in immigration patterns. Immigrant

groups tend to arrive in waves. Strategies needed to reach different groups will vary. What will work for one group may not work for another group.

J. Develop an ingrained church culture that is intentional in recognizing, celebrating, embracing, and including diversity in all aspects of church ministry and function.

a. Insure that there is sensitivity among the core team and

membership of the need for diversity in the music style, language, PowerPoints, and printed images shown during praise and worship, preaching, other church services, programs, and activities.

b. Develop evangelistic outreach that is contextual to the ethnic

makeup of the community that is being ministered to and respecting and appreciating the differing aspects of their racial and cultural backgrounds.

c. Be intentionally inclusive in building a leadership team that

comprises of individuals of all ethnic groups on the church board, leadership team, nominating committee, and business meeting.

APPENDIX

CHURCH PLANTING MODELS

Adoption-Based Church Plant – A core group of church planters in the

process of planting a church and/or an existing church plant approaches an existing congregation with a request to develop a mother/daughter church relationship.

Affinity-Based Church Plant

Apprentice-Based Church Plant – An individual with no experience in

church planting is recruited, mentored and trained to develop a core team and establish a new church plant.

Cell Church – A small group of individuals, who form a congregation, and

meet for worship, fellowship, Bible study, and support. Each time the small group grows and reaches a membership of 15 people, the cell divides into two cells. The process is repeated with each subsequent cell. Cell groups come together at times for joint celebration of the community of believers.

College-Based Church Plant

Colony-Based Church Plant – Members of an existing congregation, who

see the need for a church in another location, leave the existing congregation to plant a new church in that location. The members leave with the blessing and support of the existing congregation.

Conference Initiative-Based Church Plant – A conference sees the need to

plant a church that reaches a particular people group, or in an area that does not currently have a church presence. The conference provides assistance to churches and church planters to achieve this goal.

Cross Cultural-Based Church Plant

Church Plant Based on a Split – A church planter or group of individuals

split from a church because of conflict, differences in theology, or approach to ministry and begins the process of establishing a new congregation.

Church Within a Church-Based Church Plant

Event-Based Church Plant

High Impact-Based Church Plant

House Church Based Church Plant – A church plant that begins, worships and fellowships in a local home. It may or may not be a cell church. Small groups and relational fellowship are generally an important part this type of congregation.

Ministry-Based Church Plant

Mother/Daughter-Based Church Plant – A congregation remains in its

present location but sends a number of members, who have been chosen by the congregation or have volunteered themselves, to a community in which they will establish a new church. This new church can either function as an extension or satellite location of the mother church in another location, or as a separate and new congregation.

Multi-Housing Based Church Plant

Multi-Site Based Church Plant

Multiple Congregation-Based Church Plant – Several churches come

together to work cooperatively in the establishment of a church plant in a specific location or community

Parachute Drop-Based Church Plant – Individuals leave the community

where they currently reside and/or worship, move to an entirely new community, and form core groups in that community with the intent to start a new congregation.

Pioneering-Based Church Plant – A church planter begins by bringing

together a core group of individuals. They develop a vision, mission and approach to outreach with the goal of establishing a congregation. This is the most common method.

Portable Church-Based Church Plant

Program-Based Church Plant

Purpose-Driven Based Church Planting

Restart Church Planting – A church that is dying or stagnant chooses to

dissolve the existing congregation; the congregation is then is taken over by a new core group and a new congregation is started at the same location.

Second Generation-Based Church Planting – A church plant that seeks the

reach the children of first generation immigrants in a particular country.

Seeker Focus-Based Church Planting – A church plant that designs its worship and outreach to attract and disciple individuals who are unchurched or are churched individuals who may or may not have a knowledge of the gospel message, but live lives that are out of alignment with God’s will.

Team-Based Church Planting

Transplant Church Planting – A church is in a location where it is not

effective in doing ministry. The church building is sold and the congregation relocates to a new location(s).

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RESOURCES

Diversity seminars, movies, and film clips about different cultures and cultural sensitivity. (http://www.nicholasbrealey.com/boston/subjects/interculturalpress.html)

DVDs

The following DVDs from Starthrower Distribution (www.starthrower.com) cover topics

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Wealth, Innovation & Diversity

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Discussion of the connection between diversity and innovation, between innovation and

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Working without a Script: Creating a Culture of “Yes, and”

This DVD teaches how the basics of improvisation will help your organization

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Includes additional DVDs with training activities, PowerPoint presentations and program

transcripts. From The Second City Communications

Yes lives in the Land of No

BJ Gallagher, Steve Ventura

This animated program will help viewers deal with negativity faster, more effectively,

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Fun is Good, featuring the Saint Paul Saints

Inspirational training program about understanding how having a positive attitude and

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Paradigm Pioneers

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You don’t have to create your industry’s next paradigm shift to be a pioneer. You can

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