Dreaming of a non homogeneous church
Got to quickly post this up ... from Out of UR. Just noticed it.
Yes. Down with homogeneous unit principle! :-) For article go HERE
I am glad someone is openly questioning what I have been saying for years so that I don;t feel like an "arrogant smart alec wannabe" ... I sometimes think I am like a broken record (yes I am now old and my figures of speech are from another generation :-). I have had to explain too often my vision for the local church to be not just multi-cultural but needing to cross racial, linguistic and class barriers. I repeated it again last Sunday in my sermon ... This is my vision and I believe God's vision for KCC as well. To do our best to try and model an imperfect church that is doing its best to be a community where people from all races, backgrounds, socio economic levels and age groups become family in Christ.
Man, I am "chuffed"! :-) Okay, back to my sermon preparation!
Down with the Homogeneous Unit Principle?
Can we call our church model “biblical” if we’re not reaching out to everyone?
Ninety-five percent African American, five percent other. These are the demographics of the Chicago neighborhood where our three-month-old church has been planted. I am “other.” White. One hundred percent white. As the pastor of this young church plant, I have lost sleep over these percentages.
Most of the church planting models and examples I’ve been exposed to are very different from my current cross-cultural experience. In the recent past, the Homogeneous Unit Principle (HUP) was viewed positively as the rationale for starting churches of demographically similar people. This principle states that it is easier for people to become Christians when they must cross few or no racial, linguistic, or class barriers. Ideally, then, these new churches were led by pastors whose culture, class, and skin color closely matched those of their flocks.
Yes. Down with homogeneous unit principle! :-) For article go HERE
I am glad someone is openly questioning what I have been saying for years so that I don;t feel like an "arrogant smart alec wannabe" ... I sometimes think I am like a broken record (yes I am now old and my figures of speech are from another generation :-). I have had to explain too often my vision for the local church to be not just multi-cultural but needing to cross racial, linguistic and class barriers. I repeated it again last Sunday in my sermon ... This is my vision and I believe God's vision for KCC as well. To do our best to try and model an imperfect church that is doing its best to be a community where people from all races, backgrounds, socio economic levels and age groups become family in Christ.
Man, I am "chuffed"! :-) Okay, back to my sermon preparation!
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