A church for all paper and pathway

I use class, Foundation of missionology to develop my paper

A Church for All People

Unity and Diversity

Seventy primary languages were spoken in the neighborhood of the church and thirty percent of its members came from eighteen different nations. Such diversity causes a lot of problems. People from different countries have different behavior. For example, they could understand the grieving process differently. Ansa hoped people could be with her, not just call her and ask her to work at the church. But Jonathan thought that asking her to work was a way for her to resume activity in the church.  Furthermore, people have different attitudes toward the committee. Upper middle class white professionals have more influence on the committee. Meanwhile, people from other countries refuse to be members in the committee because they say that they have no time, and have to work for two jobs. Finally, people from different places have different traditions. For example, during worship, international folks from missionary backgrounds wanted to sing songs with militaristic themes which they had used in worship back home. Unfortunately, the themes of these hymns contradict the liberal American tradition.

America is a country of immigrants, which is often referred to as a “melting pot.” Every one has very strong culture backgrounds, traditions, and values. Some people want to keep their heritage and they refuse to accept others’ culture. God gives us the free will to choose what we want. In the contemporary church, no one should force members to do something. Basically, we choose what we want to listen to in the church and who we want to make friends with in the church. This kind of individualism influences the church a lot. Many times, we depend on ourselves, instead of the group or the church. We were told to grow up independently, which is good to some degree. Everyone can use their own gifts. Therefore, people understand the Bible differently, so they do things differently. For example, new Christians differ in their understanding on God and Jesus from the elders. People have their own ideas about God, and various understandings about God’s calling. Everyone has their own relationship with God. Therefore, people understand unity and diversity differently. Unity does not mean to do the same thing together, which is impossible in now-a-days. Diversity does not mean conflicts. Unity and diversity can be together at the same time.

A Church for all People, as the sign in the front of the church building said is a church for all the nations and all the races. The World Communion Sunday is an exciting moment for Bruce when people from various nations gather around the communion table, dress from their countries and lead prayers in their own languages. He believes that diversity is a gift of God, and that God called diverse people into community¸ called them together to be the body of Christ in the world. It is possible for them to be united in the body of Christ, if they live together, try to understand the language of the Bible, and to grow up spiritually.

Unity

Diversity cannot be avoided. In Genesis 2:21 it says, “The LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs.”[1] God created man and woman, we are different creations. Also in Genesis the story of the tower of Babel shows that God created the different languages by confusing their one language so they could not understand each other. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth.  Thus, diversity is from God.  God, then, gives us free will to choose what we want. He does not force people to listen to him.

Diversity, however, is a gift from God. Hauerwas states: “God’s confusing the people’s languages as well as his scattering of them was meant as a gift. For by being so divided, by having to face the otherness created by separate-ness of language and place, people were given the resources necessary to recognize their status as creatures.”[2] Different languages and cultures is a way for us to know our identity as God’s creation. We cannot be above God; we need to be humble as God’s children. God did not isolate human beings, because through the promise between God and Abraham we do not have to be alone.  In our diversity we can be unified through Jesus Christ’s saving work. Romans 12:6-8 says,

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

We need diversity to be the church. Different people have different jobs for the church. Through this diversity, we can know God and ourselves more.

Someday, in God’s time, we will be united in the Christ through diversity. Genesis 2:24 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Man and woman are different, but God unites us together. 1 Corinthians 12:4-13 says,

There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.  Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines. The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

We are different, and we have different gifts, but we use the different gifts for building the church by one spirit. Diversity is good for us to build the church.

Revelation 7:9 says, “After this 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.” The ultimate goal is Christ’s desire to “create in himself one new humanity” which is only achievable through each individual’s personal union with Christ.[3] This is God’s final goal. He wants us to be united with all the nations, tribes, and all the people.

In this case, “World Communion Sunday” was highlighted when persons from numerous nations gathered around the communion table in dress from their country and led prayers in their own language. This is diversity:  peaceful coexistence between peoples from different cultures who speak different languages. In this moment of communion everybody is happy and proud to be a part of Christianity, which brings everyone together. Only in the church, so many different kinds of people can sit together, talk with each other and bless each other. God can unite everyone.

Such a display of diversity, infused with such a spirit of unity, would be undercut by the homogeneous church principle, which Bruce thinking about exploring. The homogenous unit principle is an attempt to respect the dignity of individuals and allow their decisions to be religions rather than social decision. It was developed by Donald McGavran as part of Church Growth. Compared with a diverse church, it may appear to have fewer problems.  But homogeneous church has issues too, like not one everyone like the style of the songs, the worships. I think this may be the reason we have so many dominations in the US. In this specific church, those issues are expanded. Furthermore, a church for all, maybe the special characterics can be attractive to the people because people wants to see the harmony and peace between people. I believe that if the church focus on God more, people are nice, love each other, it can attractive more international people.  In Galatians 3:26-29, it says that “you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.”  A church for all is possible.

Furthermore, I do not agree with other aspects of Donald McGavran’s Church growth theory.[4] Anyone who would comprehend the growth of Christian churches must see it primarily as faithfulness to God. God desires it. Christians, like their Master, are sent to seek and save the lost.[5] I do not agree that the growth of Christian churches is faithfulness to God and God desires it. Personally, God wants people to choose him and love him. Church can grow without faith. For example, the emperor Constantine thought of himself as a Christian, but he still ordered the execution of his own wife, father-in-law, and three brothers-in-law. Because he was emperor, his soldiers and people became Christians. People can become Christian for different reasons.

McGavran asserts that God’s obedient servants seek church growth not as an exercise in improving humanity, but because the extension of the church is pleasing to God. Church growth is faithfulness. He claims that Church growth is a result of human being’s faithfulness.[6] I think that “maturity growth” is of first importance and it may eventually lead to church growth. What I mean is that if an individual or community grows maturely with the heart, then perhaps church growth will come as a result.  That is, we obey the God, and do what God tells us, because God knows the right order for us.

Furthermore, McGavran says that Church growth is basically a theological stance and that God requires it. It looks to the Bible for direction as to what God wants done. It holds that belief in Jesus Christ, understood according to the scriptures, is necessary for salvation. Church growth rises in “unshakeable theological conviction.”[7] It seems to me, though, that based on Church growth theory, Jesus was a failure. Compared to the thousands that his followers converted at Pentecost, Jesus only gathered a small band of followers. According to the gospels, Jesus does not seem so interested in people becoming “Christians,” rather he seems much more interested in their response to him as they meet him in the world.

I agree with McGavran that in this world, mission must be what God desires. It is not a human activity but Missio Dei, the mission of God, who himself remains in charge of it[8]. God wants all of his children to obey and follow him, which cause the church to grow automatically. We can tell church must be grown through this long mission process. But it is God’s goal, not a human goal. He does not want us to worry about the growth. He cares much more about our hearts. We are just a small step to his goal. We cannot make the church grow, if it is not God’s time yet. As humans, what we need to do is obey God, and make the order right. Through this process, God may let the church grow. What we can do is to help it grow up spiritually. The Bible does not tell us to make the church grow.  1 Corinthians 3:5-9 says,

What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

God provides the growth, the Bible tells us to follow him. I believe, if we fellow him, grow into maturity, in God’s time, the church will grow. Real church growth is not a human goal, it is God’s.

We should not worry that the church growth, even at the ending of the age, there are still lots of people who will not believe in God. It is not our responsibility to make them believe. Our job as Christian is to have relationship with one another in the covenant community and share the Good News with one another. We can only be responsible to them.

What is the church?

Ephesians 5:23-24 says, “For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.” Jesus goes to everyone, the elite, powerbrokers, roman governmental representatives, and those on the margins, and tells everyone to repent and believe for the Kingdom of God is near.  Because he wants to please God, Jesus says in John 8:29, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” Therefore, the church’s mission to care for the poor and marginalized, the weak and sick, and disabled people is a part of the gift of salvation that God has given to a lost world[9], which is an expression of the church’s faith. Jesus extended fellowship, sharing, and acceptance to people before they repented. The challenge is the call to live as a new covenant people and embedded in this good news is not a “new way to go to heaven or to get to God”.  Part of the good news is the call to join Jesus as his helpers. The Church as the body of Christ is to welcome everyone and to accept everyone just as Jesus did. The task of the church in the world is to believe, proclaim, and live out the message of Jesus about the kingdom of God.[10]

Church is about God and others. We are Jesus’ helpers to proclaim what Jesus claimed in the gospels: the kingdom of God. Therefore, church is not just about us. It is more about Jesus’ message. Jesus uses parables to tell the crowds, let them to choose, and give them the free will. He accepts that some will refuse. He is interested and desires a response but does not assume or require a response. What we need to do is to include everyone in the church, not requiring them to be Christian, but instead proclaiming the good news when we are reaching out.

In conclusion, the church is a space where everyone’s unique contribution is necessary and essential to the proper functioning of the whole — a multicultural community of faith giving witness to an accepting God.[11] Church is meant to be for all of the people according to what Jesus does.

It is not easy, however, to unite a diversity of gifts. Our mission is dependent upon the hospitality of the others.

Hospitality is the creation of a free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people but to offer them space where change can take place. It’s not the bringing of men and women over to our side but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. Hospitality is not a subtle invitation to adopt the lifestyle of the host but the gift of a chance for the guest to find their own.[12]

In reality, however, hospitality is hard to practice. If freedom can cause conflict, how can we solve it, especially if an important aspect of hospitality is to provide freedom?  How can we provide space for those non-Christians who are against us? In a word, to achieve this goal, we need to make more of an effort to be united.  As Philippians 2:5-18 says:

⁵Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:  ⁶Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, ⁷but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!  ⁹Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ¹²Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. ¹⁴Do everything without complaining or arguing, ¹⁵so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe ¹⁶as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. ¹⁷But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. ¹⁸So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.

The problems in the case are very common in secular organizations. We cannot expect people to leave behind their issues as soon as they join the Church.  Church is a community to help people transform their heart to be more like God. Church is for people to share life together, old Christians lead new babies to know more and grow more. Every church needs continual transformation. There is no ending of conversion for the church.

What should we do to unite “The Church for All People”?

Sherwood G. Lingenfelter in his book “Leading Cross” says that

the complexity of leading cross-culturally lie in the challenge of building a community of trust among people who come from two or more cultural traditions that provoke a clash of worldviews. Because people rely on their cultural understanding for meaning, security, and significance, cultural difference have inherent power in human relationships to foster fear and mistrust.[13]

He is right that it is hard to understand another culture totally. It becomes much harder when this church has so many cultures.

Moreover, he addresses that

as elaborated earlier in this Gospel, Jesus told his disciples to “love your enemies, do good to those who hate you” (Luke 6:27). Instead of judging and condemning, they were challenged to forgive and to be forgiven. Instead of being greedy and seeking their own interest and good, they were encouraged to give and give generously. The good news of the kingdom turns their culture upside down, challenges their values, and calls them to a deeper relationship with God and with one another.[14]

Church is to help each other to change their values, some cultures through the relationship with each other based on God’s calling. Changing is a long term goal.

Lingenfelter talks about Kingdom values at page 49-50: denying of self, serving others, releasing control and trusting God for all outcomes.He says that “People use their cultural values and systems to critique those who fail to live up to their values, to judge and condemn based upon appearances, and to punish failure to conform by inflicting emotional and physical pain. Kingdom values, in contrast, employ the illogic of grace. When we follow God’s way, we focus on loving one another and extending grace to our brothers and sisters in contexts where we have disagreements and conflicts with them. We try to implement the commands of the Lord to love one another, to deny ourselves, and to be servants. Our relationships are then guided not by logic but by the illogic of love that flows from grace.” I agree with him about kingdom values. Through the church, everyone will have more Kingdom values with the help of others and God.

Ansa expects the church to act differently from how it acts now, so she is mad. She asks “what is the church for if not to be with you when you are grieving?” Ansa wants the church to show the love to her when she is grieving. The first thing the church can do is to go her house and apologize to her. As a church, we should try to understand different people’s gift. Maybe through her grief and great emotion, people in the church can unify to comfort her.

Look at this church’s situation: several of the more liberated professional women were indignant at the flirty, macho way Latin American men related to them. It is not proper. But we accept everyone in the church. The reason someone acts improperly is because they do not understand the Christian language very well. So many people are from different countries. Everyone understands the Bible differently. Sharing everyone’s spiritual journey can draw people to understand God and their relationships deeply. Spiritual autobiographies and testimonies are very powerful ways to influence people’s hearts. For example, they can tell the testimonies in Sunday morning Bible class. They also can watch some videos about strong Christians, like mother Teresa. They could even do this once a month for the Sunday worship. They can make a book, titled “Everyone’s Life Journey,” so that others can better understand different cultural backgrounds and different people’s gifts. Uniting different people’s gifts and stories helps others understand the Christian language and world.

A church’s mission work depends on God. God can unite people. Furthermore, Church is about God. So they should pray and ask God for unity. They can set a time just for praying during the church service. They can do it once a month, praying together in the Sunday class. People can pray for other countries’ people. In this way, people will know they are loved by others and God. They do not need to worry about anything, because God will take away the burden if they do everything that God commands.

Our goal is not to make everyone similar. We want to expand peace among the existing diversity. What we should do is show and share kingdom values with every member, especially sacrificial love. When we meet people from different cultures, we should explore various ways to show love that are culturally appropriate. For example, when people from an “individualistic” culture encounter people from a more collective, group-centered culture, it is likely that their ways of showing love differ. It is likely that this could be a starting point for misunderstand and eventually conflict. When we have conflicts, the first thing in our mind is God and Jesus. As it says in Proverbs chapter 3:5 trust in God, do not lean on your own understanding. Practicing this, we will begin to look more like Jesus; having less conflict and learning how to handle conflicts that do come up better. This process, however, takes everyone’s efforts and also God’s help.

When we have conflicts, we should forgive those we are in conflict with, as God has forgiven us. For example, I live with an American lady who is a strong Christian. I am a new Christian, but am trying to be good as Jesus commanded. We had a big argument the Tuesday morning of Chinese New Year week 2010. She was teaching me how to do something in American way.  I did not want to listen, I just wanted a peaceful morning and to do things the Chinese way. Usually, I would not care, I would patiently go along with what she was saying. But that week was Chinese New Year, and I missed my family in China, so I just lost my temper. Later we apologized to each other, and I explained why I was feeling that way to her. Forgiving can make things easier.

Conflict will exist to the end of the age. Christians’ calling is not to make conflict disappear, we are called to bring peace to all people. My argument with my American friend was our first argument during my time here in Abilene. Since we try to know each other more, and we know God is the foundation for our relationship, we are able to forgive each other when we have conflict. When we focus on God more, our relationship becomes easier and stronger even though we have great cultural, linguistic, and personality differences.

Here are some ways the Church can move beyond conflict to work together.  The Church is the body of Christ. Everyone should live together. We are not just listening or talking. We should live the way that Jesus lives. Therefore, they can organize some activities. For example, they can participate in environmentally friendly activities once a month together, like planting some trees, picking trash and so on. They also can go to the nursery home, to show God’s love. They also can have their own life group, to decide what they want to do and grow up spiritually together.

Since the internet has influenced every aspect of our life, I think they could even build an internet community. They can upload prayer requests, so others can pray for them. They can also share stories and useful information with others. Furthermore, they could make an address, birthday, or personal information book to share with others. By doing so, it could be easy to know others and understand diversity.

Bruce, as a minister, is in the position to bring peace to the church. In Luke 10, Jesus asked his disciples to stay in one house and not move around from house to house and eat whatever they provide. I think this shows that Jesus wanted relationship-oriented church. If the disciples moved from house to house, more people could hear about the Good News.  Numbers, however, were not that important for Jesus. “Peace to this house” is the first thing for the disciples to say when they entered a house. Therefore, for Bruce, the first thing he needs to do is to bring peace to the church.

As a part of the church, he needs to have a good influence on others. He should include everyone and love everyone. That is, he should believe with a passion that a “church for all people” is possible and that it is their goal. He must be skilled in the taming of hearts. It is true that only God can ultimately tame the heart, but it is also true that God desires to use to be sensitive and skilled human agents in that effort[15]. When people are complaining, he should get everyone’s feedback, not just those from dominant culture. He needs to encourage other nations to give more feedback about the church and what they want. He needs to know how to unite the people; letting everyone realize that unity is so important, and it is good for everyone. He needs to corporate with the congregation. For example, how to organize the Sunday classes, and Sunday worship times, and how to build the internet community is essential for him to unite the church. He is the one to serve all of the people. But he is not enough for all the people. He needs to make use of different nations’ gifts. He needs to find different people’s gifts, and ask them for help. What he can preach depends on what the church needs at different time.

Bibliography

Harrington, Daniel J. The Church According to the New Testament: What the Wisdom and Witness of Early Christianity Teach Us Today. Franklin, Wis.: Sheed & Ward, 2001.

Kallenberg, Brad J. Live to Tell: Evangelism in a Postmodern World. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press., 2002.

Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. Leading Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2008.

McGavran, Donald A. Donald Anderson. Understanding Church Growth. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1990.

Nouwen, Henri J. M. Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life. Garden City, N.Y.: Image Books, 1986.

Sheffield, Dan. “Toward a Theology of Diversity: a Christian Response to Multiculturalism.” Didaskalia (Otterburne, Man.) 13, no. 1 (Fall 2001): 39-59.

———. “Toward a theology of diversity: a Christian response to multiculturalism.” Didaskalia (Otterburne, Man.) 13, no. 1 (Fall 2001): 39-59.

Thomas, Marlin E. “The Pastor’s Role in Managing Church Conflict..” Direction 19, no. 2 (Fall 1990): 65-74.

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[1] All biblical quotations come from the New International Version (NIV).

[2] Dan Sheffield, “Toward a Theology of Diversity: a Christian Response to Multiculturalism,” Didaskalia (Otterburne, Man.) 13, no. 1 (Fall 2001): 47.

[3] Ibid., 49.

[4] Donald McGavran founded the popular “church growth” movement and asserted the importance of the “homogenous principle” in planting churches.  For more information see Donald A. McGavran, Understanding Church Growth, 3^rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI:  Eerdmans, 1990).

[5] Ibid, 6.

[6] Ibid, 6.

[7] Donald Anderson McGavran, Understanding Church Growth, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans, 1990), 8.

[8] Ibid., 20.

[9] Brad J Kallenberg, Live to Tell: Evangelism in a Postmodern World (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press., 2002), 76.

[10] Daniel J Harrington, The Church According to the New Testament: What the Wisdom and Witness of Early Christianity Teach Us Today (Franklin, Wis.: Sheed & Ward, 2001), 20.

[11] Dan Sheffield, “Toward a theology of diversity: a Christian response to multiculturalism,” Didaskalia (Otterburne, Man.) 13, no. 1 (Fall 2001): 50.

[12] Henri J. M Nouwen, Reaching Out: The Three Movements of the Spiritual Life (Garden City, N.Y.: Image Books, 1986).

[13] CitatSherwood G Lingenfelter, Leading Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2008),20.

[14] Ibid., 35.

[15] Marlin E Thomas, “The Pastor’s Role in Managing Church Conflict.,” Direction 19, no. 2 (Fall 1990): 68.