I. A Testimony by Ange Gentry
- Ange is one of our founding pastor’s wife. A beautiful bi-racial woman of God whose dedication and faith are displayed here.
II. A Sermon by Pastor Hong on Our Vision
Diversity: harder but more beautiful (9/3/17 Vision Recast)
ATTN: In light of all that’s happened with the police and charlottesville, race is on the forefront of american media. And unfortunately, the church should be leading in this vital area of american life, but we are lagging behind. Schools, workforce, sports teams are integrated and yet most churches are still mono-ethnic. It’s not because they are racist. If you asked most of these churches if they want to be more diverse, almost every one of them would say that they would want to. They see it as ideal, and yet for so many, it has not become reality. Why? B/c it’s harder.
- It’s Harder –
1) Feels unnatural – from the time we were little, we are used to being with people who are like us. About the same age, same gender, same ethnicity usually, and definitely the same language. We just feel more comfortable around those that we feel comfortable around. And church is a place where we want to be comfortable. After doing battle all week in the world, we want to come to a place of rest on Sundays and be with people whom we share most commonalities with. So, diversity in a church is hard because it feels unnatural with people who are not like us.
2) Satan is against this. Mark 3:27, “ And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.
Satan knows that if he is divided, he will crumble. And so, he will try to do that to us. Satan does not want to see God’s people being united and so he will do everything to divide it in every which way possible – ethnically, generationally, culturally – take every little difference and make it into a cause for contention rather than celebration.
3) Going against the culture – even the church culture. According to church growth gurus, if you want to grow your church, then target one specific group because it’s so much easier to grow one group such as young English-speaking Professional Korean-Americans, led by a slightly older pastor in the same demographics. That’s how you grow a church – give people what they want which are people exactly like themselves… So, a diverse church would be going against this homogeneous principle.
So, it’s harder. ILL: A frined: too uncomfortable…
TRANS: Then, what do we insist doing the harder? We don’t do it just because it’s harder and we feel adventurous. But we do it because it’s more beautiful.
- It’s more beautiful
1) It more beautifully represents Christ’s body – 1 Cor 12:18 But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single member, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
My interpretation of this is that more diverse the parts of the body is, the more exotic and more balanced and beautiful the body. After all, who wants to have all thumbs or two left hands? But different parts with different talents, backgrounds, experiences, coming together as one in harmony, like a four-part choir is more beautiful than everyone singing the melody. And having Korean food and pizza and Spanish rice is better than having hamburgers all the time.
2) It more beautifully follows Christ’s heart. – john 10:16 16And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” He is referring to the Gentiles – the non-Jews here. So, Jesus wanted there to be ethnic diversity in the church and this was realized soon after the resurrection at the Pentecost when Jews and Gentiles who were former enemies came together As One to become one church under one Pastor in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul later on reminds the church of this fact: Gal 3:28, There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus.
3) It more beautifully demonstrates Christ’s leading. This is more personal and specific to our church. Many of you do not know this story… 7 years ago. The Gentry’s and the Hong’s. Soon after the Lee’s joined. Agustins.
Why do we insist on diversity? B/c that’s what God told us. We do not come up with our own vision, but we let God show us His vision for His church.
III. What are we uniting around?
1) Truth – Ephesians 4:13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. This is why the word is shared everytime we get together. We center around the truth of the gospel and we do not simply unite around a current cause that happens to be popular.
2) Care – 1 cor 12:24 “But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, 25that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
It’s not just coexisting, but truly caring for one another from the heart. Romans 12:10 Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.
Affection means with feeling. If we have no such affection for the body of Christ who are different from us, then we have not gotten to the point of Christian maturity yet. It’s something you must strive for. Beg God for affection for the people of God.
3) Purpose (aim) – Romans 15:5 May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. 6 Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The ultimate purpose in all of this is the make God look good. Even though it’s harder, even though the language is difficult, we don’t share as many commonality, we don’t feel as comfortable with some, but because we follow Christ, because we strive after the beauty of Christ, we strive to be the church that is diverse but one in Christ.
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