Articles for tag: Multicultural Ministry

November 6, 2019

Multiethnic Church Planned for Johnson University Florida Campus

By Chris Moon A church plant is in the works at Johnson University Florida. Encounter Church is expected to launch at the Kissimmee campus in September 2020. It will be led by pastor Gonzalo Venegas and is backed by Florida Church Partners and Nexus Church Planting. “Things have gone pretty fast,” Venegas said. The church already has 53 committed adults involved in its prelaunch phase. Venegas was featured in March 2019 article in Christian Standard as he embarked on planting a church in Florida after leaving his former home in Michigan. Part of Venegas’s story is his history as a

November 7, 2017

Christian Standard

Mission & Evangelism

When You Can See the World from Your BackyardÂ

By James C. BookÂ The church I serve is located near Walt Disney World in Florida. We encounter people from all walks of life””it”s almost like having the United Nations in our backyard! Because of this, we realized we had a golden opportunity to reach people of many different cultures with the love of Jesus.Â As David Hesselgrave notes in his book Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20) contains a “single imperative” . . . to “make disciples of all nations.” It”s awesome to be able to do that in our own community and to have those folks

August 22, 2013

Christian Standard

Family & Relationships

The Extended Family in America

By Gregory K. Moffatt The phrase extended family largely meant the same thing for generations. These were families living under a single roof, a household that commonly included grandparents, adult children, and other relatives or close family friends. But our evolving culture has changed the meaning of extended family. This change has come about due to economic difficulties, the advent of our digital and mobile culture, and today”s ever-changing multicultural environment. The once distinct lines defining our past concept of family blend into today”s complex cultural melting pot. These changes present critical implications to the Christian church as we attempt

September 30, 2010

Christian Standard

Culture & Public Square Race

“˜Forcing This Issue Is a Waste of Time”

By Darrel Rowland We don”t all agree that God wants his churches to be multiculturally diverse, even in communities where such a goal can be achieved. “I think the issue of racial reconciliation is borderline irrelevant,” said Brian Jones, founding pastor of Christ”s Church of the Valley in suburban Philadelphia. “Forcing this issue, trying to create forced “˜reconciliation gatherings,” is just a waste of time and 99 times out of 100 stems from white guilt.” Fernando Soto, Hispanic minister with First Christian Church in Anaheim, said the vision of whites, blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and others coming together for church services

September 29, 2010

Christian Standard

Culture & Public Square Race

White as Snow? Guilty as Sin?

By Darrel Rowland Some 50 years ago Martin Luther King Jr. pierced the church”s soul by pointing out that the most segregated hour in America was 11:00 Sunday morning. Things sure have changed in the five decades since, haven”t they? I mean, we gather at all sorts of hours other than 11 am Sunday these days. But about that other part . . . Let”s just ask ourselves a brutally honest question: Why are Christian churches and churches of Christ among the last bastions of society to remain predominantly white? Once we answer that one, we must tackle an even

July 31, 2005

Michael D. Starks

Church & Ministry Community Outreach

CHURCH IN THE CITY 3: Better Than Oscar in Torrance, California

Michael D. Starks reflects on victory as a spiritual celebration and shares how Greater First Christian Church brought hope, baptisms, and growth through outreach in a once-dangerous neighborhood.