Comments on: Why are churches so segregated? http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/why-are-churches-so-segregated/ Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:17:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Chris Ediger http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/why-are-churches-so-segregated/#comment-180 Chris Ediger Tue, 19 Aug 2008 22:28:44 +0000 http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/?p=327#comment-180 Isn't the Church simply the relational body of Christ? We can spend a lot of time, energy & focus trying to create diversity & unity, but I'm not sure it is that important. I think God expects us to be the Body of Christ where we are. Sometimes that lends itself to cultural diversity and sometimes it doesn't. As long as our representation of Christ (both individually & corporately) isn't a skewed/incorrect picture of who He is we're okay. My two cents. Isn’t the Church simply the relational body of Christ? We can spend a lot of time, energy & focus trying to create diversity & unity, but I’m not sure it is that important. I think God expects us to be the Body of Christ where we are. Sometimes that lends itself to cultural diversity and sometimes it doesn’t. As long as our representation of Christ (both individually & corporately) isn’t a skewed/incorrect picture of who He is we’re okay. My two cents.

]]> By: betsy canas garmon http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/why-are-churches-so-segregated/#comment-178 betsy canas garmon Tue, 19 Aug 2008 16:03:41 +0000 http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/?p=327#comment-178 Awesome conversation starter! For me the thing to remember is that sometimes it's about me and sometimes it's not. Sometimes I'm with the body to get fed and sometimes I am with the body to feed the hungry & broken. So, to follow the lunch table idea. Sometimes we get a comfortable lunch with our friends full of laughter and community and sometimes the Holy Spirit calls us out of our comfort zone to go sit with the outcasts or be brave and speak to the popular table. Actually, maybe the analogy isn't so far off. I am finding more and more that for me, "body life" has less to do with what happens inside the walls of a church and more to do with who I break bread with... Awesome conversation starter!

For me the thing to remember is that sometimes it’s about me and sometimes it’s not. Sometimes I’m with the body to get fed and sometimes I am with the body to feed the hungry & broken.

So, to follow the lunch table idea. Sometimes we get a comfortable lunch with our friends full of laughter and community and sometimes the Holy Spirit calls us out of our comfort zone to go sit with the outcasts or be brave and speak to the popular table. Actually, maybe the analogy isn’t so far off. I am finding more and more that for me, “body life” has less to do with what happens inside the walls of a church and more to do with who I break bread with…

]]> By: jessephillips http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/why-are-churches-so-segregated/#comment-177 jessephillips Tue, 19 Aug 2008 12:18:01 +0000 http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/?p=327#comment-177 Josh, I like your idea. Dustin, I agree that the cause of division is cultural style and preference - which I think includes: music style, preaching style, mode of dress, language (talking like a "white person" or in some other American dialect), and culture of the church. Examples: gospel music vs. the rockish Hillsong stuff, preaching loud and yelling and declaring vs soft conversational vs funny vs serious, dress: dressing-up nice or wearing shorts and flip flops. I'm white, and I'm culturally white as well. I'm not comfortable in the black church setting, not because I hate it, it's just a totally different culture for me, I don't like the music or preaching style, or mode of dress, or the "church culture" (assumptions, beliefs, etc). Catalyst Wild Goose Chase: clue 7 - Ben's Blog. Josh, I like your idea.
Dustin, I agree that the cause of division is cultural style and preference – which I think includes: music style, preaching style, mode of dress, language (talking like a “white person” or in some other American dialect), and culture of the church. Examples: gospel music vs. the rockish Hillsong stuff, preaching loud and yelling and declaring vs soft conversational vs funny vs serious, dress: dressing-up nice or wearing shorts and flip flops.

I’m white, and I’m culturally white as well. I’m not comfortable in the black church setting, not because I hate it, it’s just a totally different culture for me, I don’t like the music or preaching style, or mode of dress, or the “church culture” (assumptions, beliefs, etc).

Catalyst Wild Goose Chase: clue 7 – Ben’s Blog.

]]> By: Josh LeRoy http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/2008/08/18/why-are-churches-so-segregated/#comment-172 Josh LeRoy Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:18:24 +0000 http://dustinahkuoi.wordpress.com/?p=327#comment-172 What about Desmond Anderson? Did he and dad sing ebony and ivory whilst staring into one another's eyes, or was that just a horrid nightmare? Seriously though, because of the sometimes insurmountable discrepancies in worship, I think the best way to start is for white churches and black churches to form sister church relationships that don't initially focus on joint services. Mens' breakfasts, service projects, and a good ol' church picnic are all easier times to facilitate community. What about Desmond Anderson? Did he and dad sing ebony and ivory whilst staring into one another’s eyes, or was that just a horrid nightmare? Seriously though, because of the sometimes insurmountable discrepancies in worship, I think the best way to start is for white churches and black churches to form sister church relationships that don’t initially focus on joint services. Mens’ breakfasts, service projects, and a good ol’ church picnic are all easier times to facilitate community.

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