Theological Thursday (Part 3)

Welcome to our final week of Theological Thursday within our blog. Today we dive into a question that I am asked a lot because of the ministry where I current serve. I will share more of why is just a few moments, but I believe today’s question is pivotal to Christianity in America.I would love to hear feedback and thoughts on today’s post from each of you.

Here is this week’s Question:

What are some ways that the local church can encourage diversity in the church with ought compromising the Gospel or the truth of God’s Word?

Why am I asked this question a lot? Well therein reason that this question comes across my desk often is because I serve in Orlando, Florida in a church that has 6 (Technically 7 if you include English speaking) language communities. These communities worship with our English speaking services, but also have their own language small groups and worship services.

When I receive this question I get excited because I believe that we need to be addressing multi-cultural churches, communities, and how the local church partner to bring diversity into their church. Your churches demographics matter and so does the demographics of your community. If I asked you to do a survey and write down the demographics of your community, but would your church match the community? It is important and vital that the local church where you serve or work partners with and celebrates your community.

If your community has a large single mom population, then what can you do as a church to partner with those moms? What can you do to celebrate those mothers? The church was never meant to be a country club or a place where we serve our comforts.

The local church should look like their community, but the second thing is that the church must create ways to help reach and include the community into the local church. I serve on the board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also serve as a chaplain for several schools. I want the teenagers and families within these schools to attend our church. I will create elements into our ministry or church to include in the schools and community into our ministry.

A great example for a church is to have a “Rivals Dinner.” When the two local high school’s in your community meet, invite them the night before to your church for food, speaker (short message), and parting gift from your church. Why? Because you are honoring the teams and their staff, but you are letting them know they are part of your church. When we open the doors of our church in community events, it allows the people within your town to walk in on a Sunday because they have already met you and the church.

The church is not the walls but the people. May we see the value of all people and realize that our job is to take the Gospel message outside of the walls of the church and out to the people who live in the surrounding area of our church.

If you want ideas or ways to create outreach or engaging moments please reach out to me.