Young Leaders of a Multicultural Church
This may or may not surprise some people, but the reality is we are a multicultural church and have been for quite some time.
One of the challenges we face as a church is how to be better leaders in the multicultural space.
It can be scary enough being a young leader in your community, and so it can be even more intimidating to lead in the multicultural space but know that God gives you strength to have your voice heard in the places he calls you into. Remember that for a body to function, it needs many parts that all work differently and rely on each other.
For an effective multicultural ministry it is important to cater to all of the diversity of the church.
Here are some simple things to keep in mind when leading in our multicultural church:
- Be mindful of the resources you provide for art & craft. Have a wide variety of materials that allow people to create things that represent themselves and the diversity of the church, which reflects the diversity of God’s creation. This includes different textured material that can represent different hair types and styles, different coloured texters and pencils.
- Be mindful of online resources you provide. In today’s dominant western culture, there are many videos and online resources that show representation of Euro-centric features. Remember to also search and provide resources that represent the whole diversity of the church.
- It is important to actually have conversations with other leaders on experiences of leadership in community and in the wider church. Sharing with other as leaders allows everyone to learn and grow together, offering different perspectives, goals, and solutions.
- It is okay to not know everything! When leading, especially in multicultural spaces, you will not always have the answer. It is okay to acknowledge that and to ask others for help when needed.
- It takes a village. Ministry in the multicultural space includes everyone, not just the leaders. When one thrives, we all thrive!
In addition to these tips there is an open conversation on our Intercultural church where the Assembly Resourcing Unit is inviting people who are inspired to talk about what it looks like to live faith and life cross-culturally to come together for an online conversation. The first online gathering was held on Thursday 29th July and in the weeks to come continued conversations will be held.
Don’t miss out on this opportunity!
More info can be found here!
Remember, the church is still learning on how to be a multicultural church, so don’t think that you need to be on top of all this immediately. The important thing is to trying to lead as best as you can in this space, learning as you go, and guiding others who are on the journey too.
Remember you can keep in touch with PULSE by signing up for our monthly newsletter, or for further information contact our team via email, Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.
Ofa Foiakau is the Field Officer (Central/West), and Youth/High School ministry leader as a part of the PULSE team.
