Preparing for the Shift
Incoming Lewis Center Director Doug Powe says that demographic shifts will bring increased diversity to the neighborhoods around most churches in the coming decades. Rather…
Browsing: Diversity
Articles
Building Multicultural Relationships
Mark DeYmaz and Bob Whitesel say that the church must reposition itself to maintain credibility in an increasingly diverse community. They stress the importance of…
Five Keys to Becoming a More Inclusive Community
Mark DeYmaz and Bob Whitesel maintain that congregations must become more inclusive communities that embrace oneness across race and class distinctions. They advise that churches…
Next Sunday is Not a Presidential Primary
Following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a remarkable focus emerged among churches. We know there were instances of…
Starbucks, Communion, and Race Conversations
Many of us were skeptical and even downright hostile when Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, initiated the idea of “Race Together” to promote conversations…
Nelson Mandela — A Leader for His Time
Late last year, the world paid tribute to the remarkable life of Nelson Mandela. Some said there had been nothing like it since the death…
Church as an Uncommon Community
“My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples,” says the LORD through the prophet Isaiah (56:7). What could this possibly mean…
Worshiping at Two Vital Congregations
Readers of Leading Ideas are familiar with the Lewis Center’s focus on the church’s challenge to “reach more people, younger people, and more diverse people.”…
Reaching More Diverse People
How effective is the United Methodist Church in reaching the increasingly diverse population of the United States? Recent research by the Lewis Center in cooperation…
Addressing Diversity in Congregations
According to the measuring tools used by Natural Church Development, my church — New Hope Church in Maryland — falls in the top 5 percent…
Two Myths Relevant to Reaching Younger and More Diverse People
Each Sunday The Washington Post has a feature in the opinion section dealing with common myths about a particular topic. Noted demographer William H. Frey…
Multicultural Fluency and the Discipline of Dialogue
The Bible has much to say about community. In the very act of creating humanity, God initiated community. For community to have the equality that…
The Church and Race Relations — Then and Now
In reflecting on the church and race relations over the past forty years, and whether it is possible or even desirable for us to strive…
The Welcome Table
In the summer of 2006, I led a study group from Wesley Theological Seminary in a doctoral course that retraced many of the steps of…
Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church
The Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas gathers each week in 78,000 square feet of space that originally housed a Wal-Mart. The large glass front features…
Diversity Leadership in the Church
As church leaders attempt to address the challenges presented by the expanding diversity of local congregations and American culture at large, a new energizing vision…
By Any Means Necessary
Her name is Essalia. She is 25 years old. Ella no tiene tampoco novio o esposo, no sweetheart and no husband, but she is going…
Divided by Faith and United by Faith
Ann Michel reviews two books abut the relationship between race and religion. Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by…
Leadership and Racism
Leadership requires us to declare that racism is wrong, and we must work constantly to confront it and end it, according to Lovett Weems, writing…
Multicultural Church Offers a Distinctive Gift for Children
A small membership church finds a distinctive gift in offering a multicultural environment for children and learning. I have found an important starting point for…
The Rhythm of Home Creates a Sense of Welcome in Multicultural Congregations
A pastor discovered incorporating familiar elements of worship from each segment of a multicultural congregation created a sense of welcome for all. have learned that…
Demographics and Leadership
Lovett Weems offers the example of the Girl Scouts USA who understood that continued viability depends on adapting to changes in national demographics. A community…