GLUE

Clarifying the Need and Potential for Partnership

As the Multi-ethnic Church Movement gains momentum throughout the world, established ministry leaders who have pursued the development of mono-ethnic churches focused on first generation inter/nationals - whether here in North America or beyond - are concerned with the implications. Does the multi-ethnic vision dimension the importance of their work? Should their efforts continue? Are the two models for church planting, development and ministry mutually exclusive?

Along this line, I was recently asked to respond on behalf of the Mosaix Global Network to the head of an organization with whom MGN has partnered in the past through conferencing. In brief, the response clarifies our position and casts a vision for partnership in the years to come. Here's what I wrote ...

"Dear Dr. __________,

"It has come to my attention that some confusion exists within (your organization) as to the passion of the Mosaix Global Network for the multi-ethnic church. To be clear, our message is in no way intended to denigrate or in any way dismiss other models of ministry; and most specifically, those churches/ministries targeting first generation inter/nationals here in North America or beyond. The fact is, we believe the need for such churches/ministries, as well as the need for multi-ethnic churches is not an either/or but a both/and proposition: for clearly, extending the love of Christ to first generation people groups through their own language, customs and culture has proven effective as a method both for evangelism and church planting here in the US and around the world.

"Yet, it is equally true (as research has shown) that second and third generation believers produced in and through these otherwise homogeneous environments do not as readily identify with them over time. Consequently, second and third generation believers often leave these churches for other churches or worse yet, leave the Church altogether. Beyond this, one partner in a cross-cultural marriage is often (though unintentionally) disenfranchised by churches solely focused on a specific people group and rather than ministering to the whole family, such a church is positioned only to minister to a part of it.

"Looking ahead, then, one God-honoring solution would be to promote the development of intentional partnerships between churches/ministries specifically focused on first generation people groups and multi-ethnic churches who, while respecting the integrity of and the need for first generation fellowships, can work with them to serve the needs of the second and third generation and/or the rest of the family. Indeed, this type of partnership is something we have already established here at Mosaic with a Latino congregation and hope to do soon with a local Korean congregation, as well. And it is precisely with such partnership in mind that MGN can serve (your organization) well.

"All in all, I want to assure you that MGN remains sensitive to such issues and in no way believes or intends to suggest that there is only one way of doing things. And with greater sensitivity to the issue you have raised, we will approach any and all future opportunities to cast a vision for the multi-ethnic church.

"Thank you for raising this concern with Jim Spoonts recently and for this opportunity to address it with you. On behalf of MGN, we look forward to our continued partnership with (your organization) in the future."

One in Christ with you,

Dr. Mark DeYmaz
Pastor, Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas
Board Chairman, Mosaix Global Network

You Tube Promo w/ Dr. George Yancey and Senator Mark Pryor

Here's an informative, three-minute media piece featuring myself, Dr. George Yancey and U.S. Senator Mark Pryor, recently put together by Leadership Network for distribution among pastors, educators and church leaders throughout North America and beyond. In fact, I have already heard from ministry leaders in Australia and New Zealand!

Following your own review, I would greatly appreciate you forwarding the link to those within your own sphere of influence. And thanks in advance for doing so!

A Great New Blog

At this moment, I am sitting with my good friend and fellow multi-ethnic church planter, Mont Mitchell, at a Mosaix Global Network Founders' Retreat on an 80-acre ranch just outside of Dallas, TX. Mont's church, Westbrook Church, in Bolingbrook, IL, is a wonderful example of diversity and unity all for the sake of the Gospel. From his experience, he has begun a new blog specifically focused on mult-ethnic church planting called Color Outside the Lines. For all those interested in the growing movement toward multi-ethnic churches, I recommend you check it out.

Mont is also involved in pulling a team from MGN together to present a multi-ethnic church pre-conference intensive, as well as a multi-ethnic church track at the 2008 National New Church Conference, April 21-24, in Orlando, FL. I am told this is now the largest conference for church planting held annually in North America. I hope faithful GlueSticks will plan to attend!

Mike Leonzo / Living Water in the News

As faitfhul readers know, I post once a week on Wednesdays. Yet today, I'm providing a second post in light of a very nice article that featured the multi-ethnic ministry of Mosaix Global Network partner Mike Leonzo and Living Water Community Church in Harrisburg, PA. The article appeared this past Sunday, October 7, 2007, in The Patriot-News which, according to the paper's website, is Central Pennsylvania's leading news source reaching 436,300 readers weekly. Since Mike has also played the point on MGN's conference coming up this weekend (October 13) at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA, I thought I would pass along kudos for a friend and partner who is not only striving to build a healthy multi-ethnic church, but also serving to help catalyze the movement toward multi-ethnic churches throughout America and beyond. Congratulations, Mike!

Updates on the Movement from Around the Country

On Saturday, October 6, more than 200 people will attend a Mosaix Global Network (MGN) Conference in Houston, Texas. My good friends, Pastor Ed Lee of Mosaic Community Covenant Church and Pastor Rodney Woo of Wilcrest Baptist Church, are among those who have worked long and hard to bring Mosaix to Houston. In fact, Rodney's enthusiasm was expressed in an email I received from him yesterday which read in part ...

Just wanted to drop you a line and let you know that as of today (October 2) we have approximately 230 people enrolled for the Mosaix Conference. Some of these are volunteers from Wilcrest and the other sponsoring churches. We are receiving calls every day. We were able to get on a the second largest Christian radio station in Houston and one of the largest secular radio stations for an hour in a talk show format. Pretty amazing.

By the way that day, I will be in Chicago speaking to 150 or so folks gathering for the 11th Bienniel Multi-cultural Ministries Seminar sponsored by the Multi-cultural Ministries Bureau of the Central Territory (Midwest region) of The Salvation Army.

I also heard today from Mike Leonzo, pastor of Living Water Community Church in Harrisburg, PA. Some 100-150 people are now expected to attend an MGN Conference scheduled for Saturday, October 13, to be held at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. Our dear brother, Jonathon Seda, pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Dover, DE is also a part of the conference leadership team. Both multi-ethnic churches have other good news to report: Living Water, planted in 2001, has just moved into a 20,000 sq. ft. facility, the first they have built on 28 acres of land they own in a prime location just outside of the city; and Grace Presbyterian has just hired Kenny Foster, their first African American pastoral staff team member to oversee Community Outreach.

Congratulations to these faitfhul men who are puruing the multi-ethnic vision!

Congratulations are also in order for Pastor Richard Ellis, founder of Reunion Church in Dallas, Texas, which is celebrating it's 10th anniversary on Sunday, October 7. This multi-ethnic congregation meets each week at 10am in the Dallas Convention Center Theater, and following the service Sunday, everyone is invited to remain for lunch. Richard writes ...

It is amazing to look back over the past ten years and see how God continues to sustain this body of believers we call Reunion Church. Many lives have been affected and changed in so many ways. No one could have done it but God. We give him all the credit and glory due His name.

Elsewhere in DFW, Jim Spoonts, Executive Director of MGN, tells me that some 75 or so will attend an MGN Conference on Saturday, October 20, in Dallas/Ft. Worth. This is the fourth year in which MGN has conducted this conference in the area.

And finally, did you notice that our good friend, DJ Chuang, was quoted last week in a Los Angeles Times article entitled, Asian American Pators Often Minister Across Culture Gap? According to his blog, "the angle of this story was the challenges that 2nd generation pastors faced in doing ministry." It is not coincidental that within the last two weeks, the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor and now the Los Angeles Times have all called attention to the movement in one way or another!

It all goes to show as I state in my book, that " ... in the twenty-first century it will be the unity of diverse believers walking as one in and through the local church that will proclaim the fact of God’s love for all people more profoundly than any one sermon, book, or evangelistic crusade. And I believe the coming integration of the local church will lead to the fulfillment of the Great Commission, to people of every nation, tribe, people, and tongue coming to know him as we do. This, then, is the core of our message. This is the prayer of Christ."

Mosaix Global Network

The MOSAIX GLOBAL NETWORK (MGN) represents a growing movement of believers and congregations seeking to know God and to make Him known through the establishment of multi-ethnic churches throughout America and beyond. Co-founded by myself and Dr. George Yancey, author of the book, United By Faith (InterVarsity Press, 2003), MGN exists to catalyze this movement and to enlist, equip and establish emerging leaders with a passion to develop diverse communities of faith in the 21st century.

Visit the MGN website to learn more and/or to add your church to the growing list of affiliated churches.