A Special Message for First Time Visitors
Developing the next generation of multiethnic worshipers is the mission of Redemption Boulevard, Inc.
eBook
Stepping into multicultural worship is an overwhelming process, especially when you first get started. I know that’s how I felt. But, don’t feel like you have to do it on your own. I leaned on the help of many multicultural worship leaders as I began my journey and I still do.
My eBook, Experiencing Multicultural Worship, was written to help you explore specific ideas as you plant a multiethnic church or are transitioning into one.
The lessons I’ve learned through years of trial and error are all in this book. You’ll also get advice and insight from several experienced multicultural worship leaders. Grab your copy today.
The purpose of the blog posts you read here is to help encourage you to talk about many of the issues/challenges you’ll face on your journey. Nobody claims to be an expert about multicultural worship/church, and that’s why it’s so important to lean on one another.
I encourage you to share your insights and wisdom by joining our discussion group on Facebook or emailing me directly at peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
Original music in multiple languages:
As the global worship movement continues to grow the need for new songs is great, especially songs that relate well to many cultures.
Redemption Boulevard, Inc is honored to bring you original music that’s been translated into multiple languages. Not only will you be able to purchase our song project online, but you’ll also be able to find lyrics/phonetics on our website for FREE by clicking on the following link: Lyrics/Music.
Join our group on Facebook for more in-depth discussions, updates, events, and more:
Redemption Boulevard, Inc.
Don’t abandon your own culture, embrace it.
A good friend of mine, Nikki Lerner, called me today and left a voicemail with an excited tone saying, “Call me, I have a funny story for you.”
Being the curious person that I am I called her back right away. She wanted to tell me that her church was planning on doing this song by Steven Curtis Chapman called The Walk. Now, I haven’t listened to his music in awhile, but apparently this song is kind of country-ish.
Nikki thought it would be a perfect song for one of her guitar players to sing and lead on. Well, he came back saying that the song had, more or less, brought up some complications. Basically, he felt that he sounded too white.
Being an observant person that Nikki is, she pointed out that her guitar player was indeed white. He responded by saying, “But, I’m black on the inside.”
…..You know, as we start to become more intentionally immersed in other people’s cultures we may feel the need to abandon our own culture. Maybe the grass seems greener on the other side. I don’t know.
When I sang at my sister-in-law’s wedding a few years ago she asked me to sing a Rascal Flatts song. (They’re a popular country band with a lead singer who always seems to sing beyond my range.)
Anyways, my sister-in-law Erin didn’t want me to try and sing it in the country style. She wanted me to sing it in my own style.
Why? I’m guess that what was important to her were the lyrics of the song and that I be authentic to who I am. I can’t change who I am. I can’t change where I was born. I’m grateful for how God made me.
To be honest, it took me a long time to embrace how God made me because I didn’t quite understand who God made me. And this is not uncommon. A lot of people I know still don’t know who God made them to be. It’s an intentional process we need to be on.
At the same time, once I understood who I was it made it so much easier to fully appreciate how God made other people….whether they are Chinese, Hmong, Black, White, guitar player, vocalist, preacher, etc.
Lesson: Learn to appreciate how God created you while you learn to appreciate other cultures.
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
If it ain’t broke…
Sometimes in the church, even the multiethnic church, we have the mentality that if it ain’t broke, then don’t fix it. But I think you can see the potential danger in this.
Just because there aren’t complaints, riots, or angry congregational members coming up to you after the service doesn’t mean we living these great holy lives.
Can we be honest with ourselves here?
Can we be honest with God?
Could pride be the reason we’re not willing to really let God convict our hearts?
Psalm 90:8 says: You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.
I have to admit that I’m being a bit arrogant and prideful about this multicultural worship/church thing. Part of me wants to go around and shake people and say, “WHY DON’T YOU GET IT!??!?!!”
And sometimes this includes people in my own church, but I know that’s not the way to go about it.
I realize I can’t rush God’s plans with this movement, nor can I convict people’s hearts. I just have to be patient, pray, and trust God’s going to work it all out for His glory.
Why should I feel like I’m better than everyone else? There’s just no rhyme or reason for that.
The multiethnic church is modeled right there…staring at us from the bible. And so is the truth.
Won’t you join me in reading about, seeking out, and living out the truth?
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
My first WIC experience
Last Friday morning was a little different than usual. My son and I had an appointment with WIC.
If you haven’t heard of WIC before, it’s basically a program that provides nutrition education, health services, and food vouchers for low income families. More specifically it’s a program for women, infants, and children up to age five. With my wife being the only one with a regular income we thought we’d ask for help.
The staff there were really friendly. But what I found interesting were the people that arrived there who also needed help.
One woman was a student, possibly a single mom. It sounded like she was having a hard time financially because when the WIC staff tried to call her to remind her about the appointment the phone was disconnected. Hearing that made me feel sad because she seemed so embarrassed by it.
A heavier set man, who was with his son, politely said he could watch my son as I was providing some information to a WIC staff member. The reason why this man offered this gesture was because Gabe can’t sit down for more than a few seconds. (But don’t worry, I don’t let people I just met watch my son.)
Another woman was just anxious to get in an out. She just wanted her food vouchers and leave. I can only assume she had to get back to work.
Then, I saw a very young couple…possibly in their late teens or early twenties. WIC does help people who are pregnant, so again, I can only assume she was pregnant.
As I watched these people come in and out of the office I was thankful for being part of God’s family. He’s been so faithful in watching over my family and providing for us financially. I could see that He wanted us to be at the WIC office to get vouchers to get groceries for my family.
In some ways I was glad to be there. For the first time…the needs of those who are struggling were my needs too, even though I felt like I was well taken care of because of my faith in God.
Are you struggling financially? How bad does your situation need to get before you ask for help? Are you willing to be vulnerable and let someone know your needs?
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
Are you avoiding conflict for the sake of unity?
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
Matthew 18:21-22
It’s inevitable…as different cultures and peoples come together we’re going to have to deal with conflict. It’s especially important in the church that we deal with conflict.
I’m talking about those things those conversations we avoid and turn into tolerance. And tolerance is NOT unity. And tolerance is NOT acceptance.
I believe tolerance is not where we want to be because it’s supposed to be very objective, but it somehow takes away the heart element that we need and want.
To be perfectly honest I tolerated black people for a long time. Why? I grew being taught to be afraid of black people. It’s true.
Maybe it was because of the news reports we would see, which doesn’t report good news. Maybe something happened to my parents, while growing up in Chicago, which made them feel this way. (Things are different now with my parents just so you know.)
It wasn’t until June of 2009 that the number of black friends I had dramatically went up. I was finally ready to accept people, specifically black people, for who they are instead of what I was taught to believe about them.
And those friendships have really enriched my life. Alisa, she’s really given me insight into the pain that the black community is still holding onto. Nikki, well, is a combination of someone who’s very outgoing and a great listener. This means I can ask her all the questions I’ve been wondering about the black community and she’s really gracious to answer them.
And there’s my friend Jelani who seems to know everything about everything…in a good way. He’s really helped me think outside the box because he’s so creative.
The multicultural church cannot be a place where we tolerate one another’s difference or feel like it’s some sort of privilege to be tolerant. The multicultural church needs to create those safe environments where we can ask questions, be honest, be vulnerable, forgive sins, confess sins, cry, and come together in Christ.
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
It’s not about the numbers but…
As church plants or shrinking churches start the process of becoming a multiethnic church I see some potential problems or rather excuses potentially arising. One of the big ones that come to my mind is this: It’s not about the numbers.
Being part of a small church myself, it’s nice to know that you’ll be missed when you can’t attend one Sunday. It gives me and my family a sense that we’re valued. AND…in the smaller church there seems to be a close community feel, but we can’t stop with our small group of believers can we?
I agree…it’s not about the numbers. At the same time, I wonder why we aren’t actively reaching out. Are we afraid of changing the dynamics of our close-knit church by inviting other believers in? Is prayer enough?
Or do we think that our church will automatically grow because we’re striving to be multiethnic? Or do we believe that living out our faith means sharing the gospel without saying a word?
These are questions I’m wrestling with as I take another critical look at my own church. (Let me just point out that my family loves going to the church that we do. We’ve made a lot of great friendships over five years and we don’t intend to stop going there anytime soon.)
John 15:5-8 says: I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
It makes me sad when I hear leaders of small churches get down on “mega churches”. There’s this sense like “WE’RE DOING CHURCH BETTER BECAUSE WE CAN NAME VERY PERSON IN OUR CONGREGATION…or something ridiculous like that”.
Every church, whether you’re big or small, has things they do well and things they don’t do well. Maybe we should be focusing on collaborating and learning from one another instead of condemning one another.
I just hate to see the same problems that we’ve seen in the monoethnic church transfer to the multiethnic church. It’s about enriching the Church culture and having a fully functioning Church body by inviting more people.
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284