Earlier this week I had a little chill time at home. Ivey and Robby were doing homework and Amy was helping. That left me and Elijah - and a little TV time. After a few minutes of channel surfing, trying to find something I could watch with Elijah, he chose his show with excitement... Finding Bigfoot.OK, I thought... "maybe there is something interesting here." That lasted for about 5 minutes. Then my thoughts included: "This is the dumbest show I have ever seen," and "surely this isn't real." I moved on to silently wonder, "do people actually watch this?" and "do they think week after week after week - MAYBE this will be the week that they actually FIND Bigfoot?" Meanwhile, Elijah is loving it! The night searches scare him. The people talking about what they saw in the woods captivates him. He loves it... cuddled next to me he loves it. He's 8. I didn't love it... not the show... not for a whole hour! But I do love Elijah. And I enjoy seeing him happy. And sometimes he just needs to sit and talk, and laugh, and be scared with daddy. So for Elijah, and enjoyment of him - I watched the entire episode!
At New City Church we value life lived in community... a diverse community... we believe that this community should be racially diverse, culturally diverse, socio-economically diverse, and age/stage of life diverse. THIS should describe our Missional Communities (MCs). Sometimes living in that diversity is tough as one group or age may enjoy things that others don't. One group may want to do things, see things, talk about things that are as important to others. BUT learning from one another and living in this diversity is a) the biblical example for church, b) the best way/place for the "one anothers" of Scripture to be lived out, and c) according to the apostle Paul is the way that best exhibits to creation the manifold wisdom of God in the Gospel.
So - how with the difficulties associated with diversity do MCs work?
Like Finding Bigfoot with me and Elijah.
For the good and unity of the community and our own good and for the glory of God, we sometimes set ourselves and our desires aside and put others first. Paul said it this way in Philippians 2:
3Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus
3 comments:
Excellent!
I like it. I have definitely experienced the joys of "finding Bigfoot" at NCC. Although probably not racially. Should we pursue relationships with racially diverse people even if we don't naturally meet them where we work, live, and play? Our MC has discussed this issue and most everyone said that it would be unwise to single out others just because they are different because they would certainly feel targeted when they realized that the rest of the MC is white and that we have little insight into their subculture. I believe you have said that we should not kick/bag on other churches because they are reaching people that we can't. Is that because of subcultural diversity? I think that's what you may have been implying. If so, should we go out of our way to awkwardly start conversations with people that we hardly understand so that our church can appear to be racially diverse? I don't have a problem with people of other races nor do the other missionaries I run with, but we are concerned about how we should think, feel, and act on this issue. Thanks again for the post!
Chris,
I am not sure where you live, work, and play... in Houston County, roughly 40% of the population is "other than white." It is tough for me to believe that 40% of the population lives, works, and plays in different places than you - but if that is the case, then I certainly understand why you have no friends or acquaintances of a different race.
Most often we have people of different races and cultures all around us, but because we do what is "natural" (sticking with those most like us)we don't interact with them or become friends. Therefore we have no relationship with them. Without a relationship, we don't invite them into Christian community, to church, or ever have opportunity to share the gospel with them.
So - rather than starting with a diverse church, I would start with loving the people around me and opening my life up to a diversity of people. Through genuine relationships I share the gospel and invite people into community. This isn't "targeting" to achieve diversity - it is loving the people around me. It isn't making a church "appear racially diverse" - it is loving the people around me.
So - as missionaries you should love 100% of the people around you, not just 60%. Strive to love 100% and to love that 100% into the Kingdom... I think that is how you should look race and being a missionary.
As far as negativity toward other churches, generally if Jesus is preached we should celebrate that. It is Jesus' church and not ours and he uses all types of churches to reach all types of people. People who like traditional piano/organ music will likely attend a church that does that - they will reach that person where likely as a church, New City will not. we shouldn't be negative about the music, but celebrate that the gospel goes forth and they reach people.
Post a Comment