Archive for July, 2010
You seem different
It may not always seem different but people behave differently depending on whether they’re around peers, parents, culture, etc. I don’t mean people are hypocrites. I just mean there are different expectations imposed on people in different areas of life.
My work friend…
When I used to work at the bank a good friend of mine, Margarita, always seemed stressed. Our managers were pressuring her to set a good example for the other tellers to get sales and, often times, she’d be the one to handle a lot of the managerial duties…even though she wasn’t a manager.
Outside of work she didn’t seem as anxious or annoyed at people. She was actually a person with a gentle heart who made a lot of wonderful dishes.
In fact, when I needed someone to watch Gabe while my wife and I went to some event on a Saturday evening, she was totally up for it. She even made my one of my son’s favorite meals…noodles.
And, when we attended her church for a charity event she helped us get situated, as her church consists mainly of Russian speaking members.
The lesson…
The point I’m trying to make is this: there’s more than one side to someone.
You might notice that your friend, who’s Chinese, is really quiet at work, but when he’s around his Chinese friends he’s actually really funny. Or that boss who doesn’t seem to understand you is actually a strong family man.
I want to encourage you to really immerse yourself into the lives of those you’re trying to build a bridge with, especially those people who are from another culture. There are aspects of their lives that we just won’t understand unless we’re spending time with them in the settings where they are most comfortable.
Have you ever been wrong about a person? What caused you to think differently about them? How does this related to building relationships with people of different cultures in a church setting?
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
© 2010, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
Sharing Your Vision
Peter Park talks about what you need to do before sharing your vision of multicultural worship with others.
If your vision is for a year, plant wheat.
If your vision is for ten years, plant trees.
If your vision is for a lifetime, plant people.
~Chinese Proverb
© 2010, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
I’m weak, but you’re strong
Lately, I’ve been thinking about my weakness a lot differently. As my understanding of how the Body of Christ should function grows, I realize that I’m not just looking for people who are strong where I am weak BUT…I’m looking to work with different parts of the Body of Christ.
Collaborating on style
I’m so glad that my friend Alisa Price came to Cross Cultural Evangelical Free Church to come and help us with the gospel style. 
She’s really knows what she is doing in the style.
When she came to rehearsal she taught us how to sing in different vocal parts, which we never really focused on before. It challenged us and we had a little bit of fun.
And, on the flip side of things I challenge her with incorporating language into the service. I come by the Compass Covenant rehearsal to introduce a new song in the Spanish or Hmong language.
Now, I’m hearing that they’re translating songs into Chinese and Yoruba, which is a language spoken in Nigeria.
Collaborating on bible theology
I’ve been reading my bible every day since the age of 16. But I’ve only recently started learning more about the history behind the scriptures I’ve been reading.
I started doing this as I was encouraged by some close multicultural worship leaders. However, as I desire to provide more value to our E.M.W. members, our online training program, I knew I needed help.
I’ve been going to our church, Cross Cultural Evangelical Free Church, for nearly five years now and I’m just getting to know a guy named Grant. He’s been going to school for biblical studies, but he actually started off as a business/human resource major.
Grant is only a few years younger than me, but he’s also been studying the bible a lot more intensely than I have. I am confident in His ability to look into the scriptures and tell you about the context, history, and circumstances which are there.
That’s why I asked him to help me come up with some worksheets/bible studies. I’ll be working with him over the next few months, probably more, to look into the scriptures for more evidence of God’s heart for multicultural worship.
Lesson…
Once you have a clear understanding of what you can’t do, find someone who can do it. Learn how to rely on the Body of Christ instead of trying to do it on your own.
What are some ways you can rely on the Body of Christ? What are some ways you’ve already done this?
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284
© 2010, Peter Park. All rights reserved.