In this video Efrem Smith suggests that what the church is missing is leadership that sees ethnic diversity, in our Christian community, as both a necessity and a possibility. Smith sets forth his dream and vision for a post-racial church that embraces the value of many who see beyond race and ethnicity.
The most notable part of this video is when Smith suggests that well-known African-American, such as Barack Obama, Oprah Winfrey and Collin Powell, are perfect examples of post-black leadership. He suggests, these individuals represent a group that has managed to look beyond race issues, instead pursuing their careers as people who happen to be “black.” They, according to Smith, represent a general movement of people who refuse to advocate for the agenda of “their people,” but rather are dreaming for a day when we can maintain our racial and ethnic identities, while also transcending them. Smith’s greatest concern is that the church has not achieved what the nation has achieved. In this way we [the Church] have failed to be the pacesetter in our culture. Post-racial leadership can serve as a transforming presence that can change the face of our congregations. For Smith, church leaders must look beyond the days when segregated churches were needed in order to create safe communities for minorities and first-generation immigrant. Instead we must see that people are searching for a post-ethnic church that can create an all-new vitality and hope for the future.
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ReplyDeleteTo advocate for a post-ethnic mentality in the church is a very needed and valuable thing to do. However, I think that the problem of ethnic diversity in churches is much bigger than people needing to overcome their own sense of fear or discomfort at the differences in others. Whole communities and neighborhoods have been segregated, especially by the flight of many whites to the suburbs, which means that it is practically difficult to have different races in churches from a predominantly one race community. Sadly, those minorities who attend these churches in the suburbs have typically embraced the dominant ethos and mannerisms of the majority.
ReplyDeleteOne of the only ways for churches to embrace the post-ethnic mentality is to have visible leaders of the church be of different ethnicities, and for churches to embrace a style of worship that can appeal to different backgrounds. However, a church cannot appease every group. In my own community we have a strong Ghanian, Somali, African-American, and Korean presence. Their cultural differences are so profound it is difficult to bring them all together. However, more churches are looking at developing partnerships with churches of different ethnic make-ups in which fellowship, outreach, and occasional worship is done together. This is a good first step.