Study committee listens to pain and receives calls for action.

The Annual Conference Intercultural Study Committee held a listening session at the Cross-Cultural Consultation. The committee asked, "What are the barriers in the Church of the Brethren that keep the church from being multicultural?"

Racism and prejudice were the most painful barriers brought to the committee's attention. Racism remains a fact despite the civil rights movement, said a Hispanic member of a Pennsylvania congregation. "Racism is still 100 percent in America. Because we are surrounded by it, the church is still in it," he said. He told the story of his own transformation from hating Anglos, because of their prejudice against Puerto Ricans, to being able to love all people "who love Christ." Through God he is even learning to love enemies, he said. "That's the way it should be, the way it has to be." He warned the committee, however, that "change is going to hurt."

"We have a lot of work to do because most of us don't recognize the sin in ourselves," said a white participant from Indiana. "It's racism, it's prejudice. It's internal in us." Anti-racism training is crucial for the church, she said. "I pray that more people would be willing to engage in the work of anti-racism training."

An African-American from Maryland pointed to "laziness" that keeps Brethren from educating their children and youth about other ethnic groups. Ingrained racism "goes really deep into the roots of the family of our mainstream members. It's a hard nut to crack." He called on participants in the consultation to "stay determined and stay in the battle."

Language and economic barriers were mentioned several times, in particular by a church leader who identified them as the most problematic barriers for Puerto Ricans. A white pastor from Iowa urged the church to translate other languages into English so that those cultures are heard.

The situation of small rural churches also was of concern. An African-American Pennsylvanian said he hears congregations ask how they can be multicultural in areas where minority ethnic groups are not well represented. An Anglo participant from North Carolina called for the cross-cultural experience to be "brought home" to small rural churches. "I want to bring you home to my church, I want to see you there," she told the group.

Some congregations do not want a cross-cultural group in their midst, said another participant. The church's history of persecution has caused Brethren to build churches in isolated places and to isolate themselves from the world, one person said. That history of fear lives on in many Brethren, "and they fear change," he added. An African-American pastor expressed concern that "we don't do what has been done to us," citing the example of a white family that left a church because they did not feel accepted by the majority ethnic group there.

Institutional barriers in the organization of the denomination were identified. Until the queries that brought the Intercultural Study Committee into being, cross-cultural issues could be not understood in the denomination, said an African-American participant from Pennsylvania. Now, how can what is happening at cross-cultural consultations be organized for the whole church? he asked. A white pastor from Michigan pointed to the Annual Conference election process as a barrier. She called for intentional structuring of the ballot to eliminate gender bias and racial bias. "This is a critical issue," she said. "The denomination needs to be pressed to attend to this."

The committee also heard calls to move beyond talk of barriers, to action. "It's time to do it," said an Illinois pastor, referring to cross-cultural ministries. "This is where God is calling us."

"The first tool to use is prayer," responded a Puerto Rican pastor. Referring to the story of Peter's conversion from anti-Gentile prejudice in Acts, he asked each congregation represented at the consultation to pray continually, "God, change the mind of the Church of the Brethren."

Another tool proposed by a pastor from Illinois was placing cross-cultural leaders in positions of influence in the church. He called on pastors of color to attend meetings of the Ministers' Association, for example, and to serve as district leaders. He warned, however, that those working for change sometimes are hurt in the process. "To do what we intend to do, it's going to take some sacrificial lambs. Who is going to be the sacrificial lamb?"

Others joined in the call for action, including an African-American woman from Ohio who said, "We can't wait for someone to say there's money in the budget. If everyone concerned about this, and every sensitive person gave $1 we could fund a budget for one year of an intercultural agency." Another African-American participant suggested forming a nonprofit agency and foundation for cross-cultural work. An African-American from Michigan gave suggestions for congregations including having a Sunday to bring someone from another ethnicity to church.

Several participants called for cross-cultural evangelism. "Are you telling somebody about Jesus Christ?" asked a Hispanic participant from California. If districts see something they like happening in a congregation, such as evangelism and growth, then the districts need to support it, he said. Another Hispanic participant said that many pastors do not understand that the Great Commission is not just about overseas mission, but also about cross-cultural ministries. "In this country we have all nations, we don't have to go overseas."

Brethren may "fail to recognize the Cross, with a capital C," in "cross-cultural," said a white participant from Atlantic Northeast District. When the cross of Christ is recognized, "then the barriers are broken down."

"We have an awesome task in front of us. We are committed to do our part," committee member Thomas Dowdy responded to the group at the end of the session. The Intercultural Study Committee will bring an interim report to Annual Conference in July. Committee members are chair Asha Solanky, Dowdy, Darla Kay Bowman Deardorff, Ruben Deoleo, Nadine L. Monn, Gilbert Romero, and Glenn Hatfield, ex-officio from the American Baptist Churches USA.

Source: 5/10/2005 Newsline
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