How to Grow a More Racially Diverse Church
A new study released recently by Baylor University found that churches with the greatest growth of diversity also experienced the steepest declines in attendance. At a time when racial unity is needed most, these kinds of findings are discouraging.
When my wife and I first founded Christ Church in New Jersey in 1986, we wanted it to be about acceptance and diversity. We started with six people. After two years we were averaging about 50 members; half of them black and the other half white, Hispanic, and Asian. Through our intentional efforts to be diverse, our church grew exponentially over the years, and today we stand as an 8,000-member, multisite congregation representing over 60 nationalities.
What is important to consider regarding the Baylor study findings is that diversity can have a negative impact on attendance if diversity is defined in a restrictive manner. Many groups seeking to attract a racially diverse audience tend to unconsciously want a melting pot rather than a tossed salad. A melting pot is where each ethnic group is unconsciously asked to abandon their cultural uniqueness in lieu of the majority culture of the church. This perspective is sure to restrict growth on many levels.
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A tossed salad as seen in the Antioch church (Acts 13:1-3), is the more biblical model. It seeks ways to celebrate everyone's uniqueness without losing sight of how to form a racially diverse Christ-centered community.
A tossed salad is attractive. This model of a diverse congregation tends to grow, just like the Antioch church did (Acts 11:24). Granted, it takes hard work to challenge people to abandon aspects of their culture that is divisive to unity or contrary to Scripture. But it's worth it, especially when the challenge is about modeling authentic Christianity. When the world sees the true church, with its value and respect for diversity, newcomers are attracted to that. The church grows in that environment.
Our mission at Christ Church is "to Unite People to God and People to People."
If the church is to be a model of unity for the rest of the society, then it is necessary for the church to be proactive in reaching across the cultural and ethnic barriers by creating a rich multiethnic worship experience.
In studying growing multiethnic churches across America, I discovered that they attracted diversity because of one of four reasons:
1. The pastor.
Something in the pastor's life resonated deeply with people of other ethnicities so much so that they chose to be in his world.
2. The worship experience.
The style and uniqueness of the worship experience brought value to people from across the ethnic divide. They chose to make that church their church primarily because of what they weekly experience in worship.
3. The sense of community/belonging.
Some multiethnic churches form simply because people — all types of people — feel a deep sense of belonging. They feel like they are family despite the racial and cultural differences.
4. The sovereignty of God.
There are times God has sovereignly moved throughout church history such as the Azusa Street revival; and those who were spiritually hungry came to experience God. We can't predict it. But when it happens, these moves of God are not limited to one ethnic or racial group. All benefit.
As I wrote in my book, The Skin You Live In, scripture directs us to love our neighbor as ourselves. Performing practical acts of love to all kinds of people, starting first with our own Christian community and then towards all of humanity, is racially attractive.
Through this "brother's keeper" approach, Christ Church has become a model of diversity where each week, people from over 60 nationalities come together to worship Christ in unity.
