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I keep reading in various threads about racially integrated churches. It seems that it's very important for many people to either be a part of one, or make sure others know they are in a church that is racially integrated.
Worship styles can be vastly different between cultures. How people hear and receive information (the Word) is also different even within the same race. So why are churches today pushing so hard to show they are integrating and it's importance?
they are pushing it because it is biblical, there is no difference in Jew or Greek, rich or poor, male or female in Jesus Christ, the scripture says.
I guess, we should have only rich churches and poor churches, then since they have different worship styles too.
Nah, we are one body, one Lord One Salvation Jesus Christ
I didn't know churches were "pushing" to be more diverse, my church doesn't push one way or the other. I believe it has to do with beliefs and neighborhood, and community. I go to a bible believing church in my community. With people who try to follow the bible, whether they are black, white, or pink has no bearing on anything. Everyone is welcome. I really don't understand the point of this thread?
spunky, reread what the question was from Hoosier, he asked about pushing.
and that is your experiences so address Hoosier with it, I am addressing Him from my experience as a Christian worker,an MK and what is going on with them many churches and christian conferences and groups I interact with, If it doenst apply to your church then you talk about that with him.
there is a major push on the part of evangelical, fundamental and mainline churches to reach out across racial lines where the church has failed in the past and have been a part of the racial divide. This is addressed in liberal christian(oxymoron) mags like Sojourner and Conservative Christian mags like Christianity Today.
spunky, reread what the question was from Hoosier, he asked about pushing.
and that is your experiences so address Hoosier with it, I am addressing Him from my experience as a Christian worker,an MK and what is going on with them many churches and christian conferences and groups I interact with, If it doenst apply to your church then you talk about that with him.
there is a major push on the part of evangelical, fundamental and mainline churches to reach out across racial lines where the church has failed in the past and have been a part of the racial divide. This is addressed in liberal christian(oxymoron) mags like Sojourner and Conservative Christian mags like Christianity Today.
spunky, reread what the question was from Hoosier, he asked about pushing.
and that is your experiences so address Hoosier with it, I am addressing Him from my experience as a Christian worker,an MK and what is going on with them many churches and christian conferences and groups I interact with, If it doenst apply to your church then you talk about that with him.
there is a major push on the part of evangelical, fundamental and mainline churches to reach out across racial lines where the church has failed in the past and have been a part of the racial divide. This is addressed in liberal christian(oxymoron) mags like Sojourner and Conservative Christian mags like Christianity Today.
Carolina Jack, I guess I should have quoted Hoosier's post, not yours. No offense intended if I did offend you. I was essentially agreeing with your post. I guess I was questioning why reaching out across racial lines is controversial or questionable? If people have similar beliefs and want to worship together then I guess I don't understand the issue.
Thanks carolina. A church my wife and I used to attend was in a racially diverse neighborhood. It was/is a predominantly white church (EV Free church). The pastor took a year to begin preaching on how the church needed to become more racially diverse to better meet the needs of the neighborhood. They went so far as to hire a black pastor to meet this goal.
My thought was, if people want to attend a church, it's their choice. They were blanketing neighborhoods with flyers etc. regarding the church. Many people in the church didn't agree with the way this was approached. I couldn't understand why they were only targeting non-whites. I understand the desire to be relevant to the neighborhood you're placed in, but it seemed a bit extreme the way they went about it.
And as carolina mentioned, I too have seen many articles in the various Christian publications about church integration. These articles and people's comments about racially diverse churches can come across to sound that if you're not in, or do not want to attend a racially diverse congregation then you are quite possibly a racist, or simply what is wrong with you and your walk with the Lord?
The church mentioned above is not the only church I've experienced this topic in. A charismatic mega-church in Portland, Oregon went through something quite similar. Maybe the pastor and staff of both churches had the best of intentions, and far be it from me to speak against God's anointed ones...let's just suffice it to say it came across that the primary desire was to increase the congregations.
all is well spunky, i was confused why you would be addressing me for what the good man hoosier was asking.
I am african american so in the history of American blacks have been shut out of churches and had to form their own. in the US the saying is, "the most segregated hour in American is Sunday Morning 11-12. This is still the case in the majority of churches around the country and it is relevant only in that Jesus calls us to not divide but to fellowhship, worship together as one people(a body of believers), we are one family under God, and the head is Jesus Christ
my father is a missionary in the fundamentalist Baptist denomination which is largely white, he is the first black missionary to go to a foreign country from our denomination
all is well spunky, i was confused why you would be addressing me for what the good man hoosier was asking.
I am african american so in the history of American blacks have been shut out of churches and had to form their own. in the US the saying is, "the most segregated hour in American is Sunday Morning 11-12. This is still the case in the majority of churches around the country and it is relevant only in that Jesus calls us to not divide but to fellowhship, worship together as one people(a body of believers), we are one family under God, and the head is Jesus Christ
my father is a missionary in the fundamentalist Baptist denomination which is largely white, he is the first black missionary to go to a foreign country from our denomination
Worship styles can be vastly different between cultures. How people hear and receive information (the Word) is also different even within the same race. So why are churches today pushing so hard to show they are integrating and it's importance?
I think it's all just about political corectness and I agree with the statement that you if you don't want to attend a racially diverse church you might be looked at as racist or something wrong. People are people, black or white or whatever it doesn't matter. It is just a fact that in history there has been a lot of segregation and people tend to stick with things they're comfortable with. The church I attend is about 97% white and that is true in a lot of areas in the states. Go to the south or Africa or South America and you'll find a totally different story is the same church. I gotta wonder what is really behind these churches wanting to be seen as racially diverse.
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