What’s your reason for doing multicultural worship?
What difference will it make?
- What difference will it make if different ethnicities from my neighborhood start worshipping together?
- What difference will it make if our Korean church starts partnering with the black church down the street?
- What difference will it make if we start singing in different languages?
- What difference will it make if we start living this out in the workplace?
Why should I attempt this?
This question will help you move past the circumstantial reasons and focus on the biblical reasons and values for doing multicultural worship.
Circumstantial reasons why some churches are making the move to a multicultural or even multigenerational service are…
- Because their congregation is shrinking or in some cases dying off.
- It’s just cool to do different styles of music at church.
- It’s starting to become trendy
I want to encourage you to dig deep into the scriptures and see the vision God has laid out for the multicultural church. In that, it becomes a conviction and not just a reaction to our circumstances.
So, what’s your reason for doing multicultural worship?
Conviction and Vision
I’ve started to read a book called Visioneering by Andy Stanley. Terrance Rollerson, a pastor friend of mine, recommended to me last year when I first started Redemption Boulevard, Inc.
But I didn’t get around to reading it until now.
A sense of conviction…
As I read the following passage out of the Andy Stanley’s book I was reminded of why I continue with multicultural worship, despite how hard it gets.
“Vision often begins with the inability to accept things the way they are. Over time that dissatisfaction matures into a clear picture of what could be. But a vision is more than that. After all, what could be is an idea, a dream, but not necessarily a vision.
There is always a moral element to vision. Vision carries with it a sense of conviction. Anyone with a vision will tell you this is not merely something that could be done. This is something that should be done. This is something that must happen.
It is this element that catapults men and women out of the realm of passive concern and into action. It is the moral element that gives a vision a sense of urgency.”
My sense of conviction…
For years I’ve heard the Church talk about having a heart for unity. But we haven’t quite gotten there yet.
I believe many denominations and ethnic groups are united, but we aren’t in harmony, not yet. We haven’t gotten to a point where we gather together as a Body of Christ to worship together.
And that’s so important. It’s not just about our personal relationship with God.
Revelation 7 talks about how there’ll be a great multitude in white robes with people from every nation, tribe, people, and language shouting in one voice:
“Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”
If people are worshipping like that in Heaven, why can’t we worship like that here?
Why can’t we embrace one another’s differences? Why do we have to let language be a barrier? Why do we have to let the color of our skin prevent us from worshipping together?
Multicultural worship…Why not here on earth?….Why not now?
Lesson…
Take some time to write down why you’re pursuing multicultural worship. Ask yourself this question many times over, perhaps then, you’ll figure out why you feel convicted about multicultural worship.
Share your story and your life…
Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284