Redemption Boulevard A Multicultural Worship Ministry » expectations

Character vs. Diversity

Peter Park — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:00:38 +0000

I believe having a diverse worship team is very important whatever stage you’re at in your pursuit of a multicultural church. In fact, I pray and hope God is bringing those people to your team who are of different ethnicities, gender, and background.

That being said…we never want to put someone on the team because they’re Chinese, Korean, Black, Haitian, or any other ethnic group. Not just because it would seem like a token, but we also need to see if this person can be part of a team. Why?

Because you know as well as I do that those serving on the worship team, whether you’re leading the team or serving as a team member, have an important leadership role.

The congregation is watching each member of the worship team both on and off the stage. The worship team is watching to see if they can respect one another’s time. And, I believe, God is watching to hold the entire team accountable as we TEACH the congregation theology through the songs we sing.

Years ago…

Back when I was at my old church I remember we were still trying to get the hang of trying to make practice on time. On one occasion we were more than an hour into practice when I got a phone call from one of our guitar players. He was calling to let me know that he was on his way.

Now, I realized just then that had a choice to make. I had to decide whether it was more important to have this talented guitar player who also represented an ethnicity of our neighborhood or tell him to go home.

It was a hard decision, but I asked him to join the team the following weekend.

Whether it’s developed or already there…

The process for someone to join the team varies from church to church. Some churches do a lot of work auditioning and interviewing someone before letting join the team. Some churches bring someone on board and see if they can handle being part of the team.

Whatever process you feel called to use I want to encourage you to keep your team accountable to the expectations for being part of the team. This can range from being on time to setting up their equipment before practice begins. Or it can be an expectation to participate in the devotional time, if your worship team does that.

So, I don’t want you to feel guilty for setting a high standard on the team. And, I don’t want to you feel guilty if you have to let someone go, who represents a certain ethnic group, if they can’t be abide by the expectations of being part of the team.

Scripture Passage

Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly.
James 3:1

Blog post by Peter Kihyun Park

You seem different

Peter Park — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:00:18 +0000

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

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Expectations for Second Generation Asians

Peter Park — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 12:00:56 +0000

Second Generation (Adjective): Of or relating to a person or persons whose parents are immigrants.

In a recent conversation with Peter Ahn, pastor of Metro Community Church, I revisited some of the expectations that are put on second generation Asians.

Growing up as a Korean American many of my friends experienced the following expectations:
1. Learn piano or violin at a young age.
2. Get really good grades.
3. Respect our elders.
4. Be able to speak to our families in their native tongue.
5. Taking care of your parents when they retire.

You’re probably thinking that many of those expectations are part of your culture. And you’re probably right.

But there’s something in the Korean culture which puts tremendous pressure on kids to be the best, as to show honor to their family. This can be a good thing, but it can also have the opposite effect.

A common theme I saw in the Korean community was this: Brag about your kids in public, scold them in private.

This can create some interesting dynamics in a Korean person.

Language factor…

I want to take some time to address how important it is for the second generation Asian to communicate in the native language of their parents.

I had to attend “Korean School” as a kid. Every Saturday morning I’d go to a church where teachers would help you learn the Korean language. I have to admit…I hated it at the time.

Most of that hatred was due to the fact that I had to go to school six days a week. Not something a kid wants to do.

But now I’m reaping some of the benefits of it.

My wife, who’s Caucasian, is able to communicate with my family. She only says a few phrases, but my relatives love it.

I already see the expectation for my son to learn the Korean language from my family.

And yes, language has a way of building a bridge, especially within the family unit.

Getting involved with worship…

For awhile I heard how difficult it was for many of my non-Korean friends to get Koreans involved on their worship team. But a big part of that difficulty was because they weren’t asking them.

I believe most Koreans won’t volunteer to do something at church, they like to be asked. And there’s an obligation that we feel with that, especially if a pastor asks us to get involved.

Also, be sure to gently encourage them to learn the Korean language. At the very least to communicate with their families. And who knows, maybe they’ll pray or sing in Korean during the service.

Share your story and your life…

Sincerely,
Peter Park
Blogger/Worship Leader/Speaker
peterpark@redemptionboulevard.com
(800) 453-3284