Leading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church : Seven Common Challenges and How to Overcome Them

Increasingly, church leaders are recognizing the power and beauty of the multi-ethnic church. Yet, more than a good idea, it's a biblical, first-century standard with far-reaching evangelistic potential. How can your church overcome the obstacles to become a healthy multi-ethnic community of faith? And why should you even try? In Leading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church (formerly titled Ethnic Blends), Dr. Mark DeYmaz provides an up-close-and-personal look at seven common challenges to creating diversity in your church. Through real-life stories and practical illustrations, DeYmaz shows how to overcome the obstacles in order to lead a healthy multi-ethnic church. He also includes the insights of other effective multi-ethnic church leaders from the United States and Australia, as well as study questions at the end of each chapter. Leading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church describes what effective local churches in the 21st century will look like and shows us how to create them, together as one, beyond race and class distinctions. –Miles McPherson, Senior Pastor, The Rock Church, San Diego, CA Mark DeYmaz, perhaps more than any pastor in America, has his pulse on what it will take for the Church to find real reconciliation in our generation. –Matt Carter, Lead Pastor, Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, TX Increasingly, church leaders are recognizing the intrinsic power and beauty of the multi-ethnic church. Yet, more than a good idea, it's a biblical, first-century standard with far-reaching evangelistic potential. How can your church overcome the obstacles in order to become a healthy, fruitful multi-ethnic church of faith? And why should you even try? In Ethnic Blends, multi-ethnic church pioneer Mark DeYmaz provides an up-close and personal look at seven common challenges to mixing diversity into your local church. Through real-life stories and practical illustrations, DeYmaz shows how to overcome the obstacles in order to build a healthy multi-ethnic church. He also includes the insights of other effective, multi-ethnic local church leaders from the United States and Australia. Ethnic Blends describes what effective local churches in the 21st century will look like and shows us how to create them, together as one, beyond race and class distinctions. --Miles McPherson, Senior Pastor, The Rock Church, San Diego, CA Mark DeYmaz, perhaps more than any pastor in America, has his pulse on what it will take for the Church to find real reconciliation in our generation. --Matt Carter, Lead Pastor, Austin Stone Community Church, Austin, TX Acquiring The Taste -- I'll Drink To That! Mandate And Commitments Of A Diverse Congregation -- Blending As A Family: Overcoming The Personal Obstacles -- Harvesting Tips From The Old Country: Overcoming The Theological Obstacles -- Regular Or Decaf? Overcoming The Philosophical Obstacles -- Can I Pour You A Cup? Overcoming The Practical Obstacles -- Roasting For Flavor: Overcoming The Cross-cultural Obstacles -- Husking The Outer Shell: Overcoming The Relational Obstacles -- Strange Brews: Overcoming The Spiritual Obstacles -- Conclusion: An Everlasting Aroma -- Appendix 1 Church Profiles -- Appendix 2 Mosaix -- Appendix 3 Of Gifts And Love: Comparing Paul's Thoughts In 1 Corinthians 12-14 With Those In Ephesians 4 -- Appendix 4 Variations Of Multi-ethnic Churches -- Appendix 5 Conflict Norms For Pastoral Staff And Elders: Mosaic Church Of Central Arkansas. Mark Deymaz And Harry Li. Includes Bibliographical References. Acquiring the taste I'll drink to that! mandate and commitments of a diverse congregation Blending as a family: overcoming the personal obstacles Harvesting tips from the old country: overcoming the theological obstacles Regular or decaf? overcoming the philosophical obstacles Can I pour you a cup? overcoming the practical obstacles Roasting for flavor: overcoming the cross-cultural obstacles Husking the outer shell: overcoming the relational obstacles Strange brews: overcoming the spiritual obstacles Conclusion: an everlasting aroma Appendix 1 mosaix global network Appendix 2 church profiles Appendix 3 of gifts and love: comparing paul's thoughts in 1 Corinthians 12-14 with those in Ephesians 4 Appendix 4 variations of multi-ethnic churches Appendix 5 conflict norms for pastoral staff and elders: mosaic church of central Arkansas. In this Leadership Network Innovation series book, Leading a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church, Mark DeYmaz will help you navigate seven common challenges in building a healthy multi-ethnic church. The rise of multi-ethnic churches could become the new Reformation in this century. Yet the movement is in a pioneer stage, and there have been few road maps ... until now.