Six Reasons the Church Benefits from Multicultural and Multiracial Outreach

By David K. Bernard

North America is becoming more diverse, and to fulfill its mission the church must win and assimilate people of all backgrounds. There are many reasons why we should engage in multicultural, multiracial outreach.

 

 

 

 

1. Each person is important to God, and He wants to save everyone. Jesus commissioned us to evangelize “every creature” (Mark 16:15) and make disciples of “all nations” (Matthew 28:19). The Greek word for nations is ethnos, which encompasses all countries and ethnicities.
2. The church should represent Heaven.
   

   Our church needs to reflect the increasing diversity of our society, and our leadership needs to reflect the increasing diversity of our fellowship.

   There, people of every tongue and tribe will worship God together.

3. The church should be a positive, credible witness to society, especially in our day of racial tension and polarization.
4. Young adults increasingly expect and desire multicultural fellowship.
5. We can benefit from a diversity of gifts, talents, and perspectives. Diversity can be a weakness if we don’t learn to work together but a strength if we maintain unity.
6. Multicultural and multiracial outreach can be a catalyst for revival and growth. Ethnic minorities and immigrants often have a close network of family and friends. Winning one person can open the door to an entire group.

Minister to Every Ethnic, Social, and Economic Background

Our goal is not to establish churches of one race or color but churches that minister to people of every ethnic, social, and economic background. It’s not enough to say that we welcome everyone. We must develop a church culture in which people of various races and ethnicities feel welcome, have significant involvement, and attain positions of leadership.

Our goal is not to establish churches of one race or color but churches that minister to people of every ethnic, social, and economic background. Click To Tweet

As a movement, we should adopt a threefold strategy. First, encourage all churches to become intentional about diversity. Second, support ministers of various ethnicities in starting new works. Third, increase the participation of minorities throughout our fellowship at every level. Our church needs to reflect the increasing diversity of our society, and our leadership needs to reflect the increasing diversity of our fellowship.

(A version of this content originally appeared in Pentecostal Life. To see more content or subscribe, visit Pentecostal Life.)

Resources and Links

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