Brethren hold a Cross-Cultural Round Table.

To the question, "Are we here because we are committed to a multicultural church?" came the resounding answer, "Yes!" This emphatic response arose from a group of Church of the Brethren members and leaders convened first on April 24-26, and then in a follow-up session Aug. 30-31, in Richmond, Ind., by the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership.

The underlying concern was how to train leaders and assist congregations in being a multicultural church in which biblical life, theological integrity, and spiritual vitality reside, said Sonja Griffith in her report from the meetings. Griffith is pastor of First Central Church of the Brethren in Kansas City.

Participants included many who have been working at cross-cultural issues for years. At the meeting were pastors from non-dominant groups in the Church of the Brethren, a representative from the Annual Conference Intercultural Study Committee, persons on the Cross-Cultural Steering Committee, the Annual Conference moderator and moderator-elect, several district executive ministers, General Board Congregational Life Team and Office of Ministry staff, and Bethany Seminary faculty and administrators.

The multicultural church vision has been a long time in the making, Griffith reported. The group at the round table recounted the history of efforts toward this vision. From separate associations representing the interests of various ethnic groups, to these groups beginning to coalesce under the banner of urban ministry, to the present time when the cross-cultural movement has become a sign of hope, the whole movement has been guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit, she wrote.

The unfolding story includes the pain of unfortunate instances when the church does not welcome or even, wittingly or unwittingly, drives away people whose skin color and language and ways are "different." The story also includes confession, healing, forgiveness, and recently a joy and fellowship expressed in the worship and work of the yearly Cross Cultural Consultations and Celebrations, which have been held from 1999-2005. At the most recent celebration April 20-22, more people attended and worshipped together than ever before.

Round table participants posed a number of questions regarding the needs of the church for training leadership in cross-cultural work. These were on topics including perceptions of pastoral authority; educating for cultural and ethnic differences; developing ongoing self awareness of those differences and how they affect all aspects of church life; educational resources sensitive to language, ethnicity and cross cultural uniquenesses; gifts, skills, and spiritual formation; ongoing nurture for pastors of multicultural churches; networking, partnering, and shared teaching in multicultural churches; and responsibility for leadership formation. Small groups considered responses to these questions.

As the round table re-gathered in August, participants felt that naming barriers to cross-cultural leadership and church life was important in the ongoing discussion of leadership development. A long list emerged. "Some of those barriers are the very nature of 'church' as people might conceive of it, how often and easily `culture trumps theology' in church matters, and what systems in church structure, thought patterns, and relationships keep members focused on comfort, tradition, finance, and status quo without recognizing opportunities and imperatives for change, growth and transformation," Griffith reported.

Participants identified essential gifts, skills, and attitudes needed by leaders in a cross-cultural church. They also identified resources needed to develop leadership equipped for moving the church into a cross-cultural vision and reality. Opportunities for action were highlighted: the potential of the TOGETHER conversations and encouragement of diversity in them; development of practical ideas to share with churches and districts; review of the work done by the round table in Bethany faculty curriculum discussion and in shaping alternative training programs; ongoing relationship building with Brethren Press, the 300th Anniversary Committee, General Board staff, and other church agencies; sharing identified barriers with the Annual Conference study committee; and developing resources and networks for cross-cultural training.

"As the round table began and ended, the group's passion had not subsided and the commitment was even stronger than at the beginning," Griffith said. "The cross-cultural church is coming alive with hope for new life and a new day!"

Source: 9/28/2005 Newsline
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