Do I have to embrace my own culture’s heart music?
This question continues to challenge me as I wrestle with it. In the past few years I feel like in some indirect way like I’m supposed to love traditional Korean music like this video below:
I’ve certainly grown in my appreciation for the Korean culture and the music of Korea. This process began as I began to serve as a cultural bridge between my family, who are Korean, and my wife’s family, who are Caucasian with various cultural backgrounds there.
Now, I don’t think that my culture’s heart music needs to my heart music. BUT I do believe that if that music serves to help me build a bridge to another person, then I need to embrace it.
Is it possible to use this style of music to praise God? Absolutely.
I think we need to mindful in the multicultural church to see how all the different styles of music, especially as worship leaders and worship team members, can serve the Body. It’s not a matter of “my gift vs. your gift” or my “preference vs. your preference“. It’s a matter of embracing you as my brother and sister in Christ, acknowledging your gift, and giving ALL the glory to God.
I want to leave you today with Psalm 67:5 which says:
May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2012 – 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
These can become buzz words unless…
Setting the vision of what God wants is a tremendous challenge. I know how hard it can be to talk about multicultural Church and multicultural worship can be. But it’s so important to lay a SOLID BIBLICAL FOUNDATION for why it’s so important.
Unless we are active in leading our teams and the congregation in digging into the Word actively, intentionally, and repetitively these words will quickly become buzz words:
1. Multicultural church
2. Multicultural worship
3. The gospel
4. Racial reconciliation
5. Community
6. Being Authentic
7. Jesus
In my experience, I’ve come to see how important it is to keep at the forefront WHY we’re doing what we’re doing. Why else are we pursuing and doing these things?
For His glory? I hope so. I pray that it becomes your reason.
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.
Religious and Philosophical Pluralism
Today I want to encourage you to check out this article by Tim Keller & Charles Garland. I think it will be particularly important for those in the multicultural Church and studying the Word together.
I think we can make the mistake of look at the Church through our cultural lens instead of looking at our culture through a Biblical lens. No doubt that every culture has wonderful gifts to serve the Body of Christ, but I want to be very cautious as we figure what that means as we intentionally do life together.
Here’s the link:
Religious and Philosophical Pluralism by Tim Keller & Charles Garland
Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park
© 2011, Peter Park. All rights reserved.