Yesterday I wrote about a successful bilingual church in Stockdale, Texas. As I look at the changing demographics in the United States, I can’t help but think that more and more churches are going to need to go that way. Many people agree to that in theory, but few congregations are doing anything to prepare for that.
Especially in the Southwest, Anglos are going to be in the minority soon. Maybe not this year nor next , but soon enough. So what will churches of Christ do? Content ourselves with primarily serving a minority population? Force Hispanics to adapt to our current way of doing things? Or is there something I’m not thinking of?
What, if anything, do you think our congregations should do to prepare for this cultural and linguistic shift in our communities?
Get involved.
Offer ESL training to the community in your building.
Offer Survival Spanish classes to Anglos.
Prepare Back-To-School benevolence programs, and include bilingual materials.
If part of the mission of God is to remove (or at least undermine) social stigma and strata, we should be in the business of sacrificially serving our communities to draw them together.
Genesis Alliance has scratched an itch that the Anglo church has had for several decades now. “Into all the World” has become “all the world into us” as we see the influx of the nations, not just one. How we do with the Spanish speakers will indicate how we do with the Korean, Japanese, Cambodian, etc. We are recruiting, screening and training Latino church planters to spread the word to one of the most receptive cultures in the world. This is not a commercial, but I got excited when I saw a common passion for our lost neighbors. “Seek first the Kingdom of God” not the kingdom of the U.S. should remain our cry. I fear many of our brethren seek first the country instead of the Kingdom when they neglect the lost of another culture based on fear of the cost to an earthly kingdom.
Good ideas Nick. We need to spend more time brainstorming on such things.
Mike, I’m aware of your work. I pray that God will bless it.
Good questions that you are raising, Tim.
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