Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I mean this as a genuine, serious question, with no criticism intended.
Dr. King is famously quoted as calling 11:00 on Sunday morning the most segregated hour in America, and it seems to be almost as true today as it was then. Things have gotten better, yes, as some larger churches seem to be better at attracting a more diverse congregation. But it remains that most churches do not have racial, ethnic, or economic diversity.
What can be done about it? What would make you want to go to a church where your race or ethnicity was not the majority?
What is your church doing about it? Does your church reach out to people from all walks of life, and how? How do you make people feel wanted and welcome when they are not the majority (whatever that may be)? For that matter, does your church actually want a diverse membership, or is everyone very comfortable with the way things are?
I appreciate all responses and look forward to a civil and enlightening conversation.
I've always been a part of churches that reflect the community. The demographics of the churches I've been a part of reflect the demographics of the people around the church. In my current church, we are in a mostly white town...so it is natural that's what the church looks like. I was asked this past weekend if a mixed couple (one is black, one is white) would be welcome in the church, and a fellow member that was with me said "Absolutely! If there is any issues, it's OUR problem and we need to know so we can correct it!"
I'm not sure that we should artificially target or recruit people based on skin color...we should try to reach EVERYONE in the community.
People will AVOID the church as long as it demands PUNISHMENT, CALLS THEM SINNERS and DEMAND they change their life to fit the little god box create by humanity.
I think we're talking a bigger issue now than black and white.....right?
I think we're talking a bigger issue now than black and white.....right?
A fanatic is someone who won't change his mind and won't change the subject. The poster in question harbors this weird belief that all churches are identical.
A fanatic is someone who won't change his mind and won't change the subject. The poster in question harbors this weird belief that all churches are identical.
Well, they are identical in the way libraries are identical, because they all mainly contain books.
People will AVOID the church as long as it demands PUNISHMENT, CALLS THEM SINNERS and DEMAND they change their life to fit the little god box create by humanity.
My church is small. About 25 - 30 regulars show up there each Sunday. The majority is white. One long-time member is black. Her husband was also, but he died about two years ago. Another black person, a young man/30s started coming two months ago. A long-time member is originally from Ghana. Her mother used to come but passed away. Her daughter lives in the city but stops in when visiting mom.
We have a newer couple, about 50, who got married in our church last year. He is white, she is originally from Nicaragua, and brown. (He is in a motorcycle club that does charity events, and his friends come once a year and our priest does a "blessing of the bikes".)
There is an Asian female/white male couple in their 40s.
And there is Edward, a mentally ill black man from the neighborhood who comes some Sundays and sings beautifully.
That is not necessary true, as the growth of American churches these days are due to Christian immigrants and most immigrants are not white. Sure there can be all white churches but they are usually located far from the cities and they are in area immigrants don't go.
The USA during Martin Luther King era was a period when there were not huge numbers of non white immigrants. So what he stated then made sense.
Also the 1960s there was a lot more racial segregation in general than today.
Mine is MERCY,JUSTICE, and HUMILITY with a huge DOLLOP of LOVE...
Quote:
Originally Posted by MysticPhD
Too many people can;t handle the Truth, jimmie. They reject Love in favor of judgment.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
