Gary Payne has posted his PowerPoint slides for, "God's Power Changes Relationships," based on Ephesians 2:11-22.
Does your church have a ministry to Hispanics? For example, long ago, the church I attend started a mission to reach Hispanics. We actually met in the same facilities, but in different buildings. E.g. The Hispanic mission worshiped in a smaller chapel building while the church congregation met in a larger worship center.
After growing over a couple of decades, the church recently voted to make the mission just part of the church (i.e it is no longer a mission). Now, however, we have one church but two separate sets of believers meeting in separate buildings in the same facility.
The cultures of the two groups are very different--music, art, dress, etc., and the language barrier is substantial. It precludes joint socials, for example.
Paul dealt with the issue of Jews and Gentiles in the same congregation and it seems my church is dealing with a culturally divided congregation, too. Don't get me wrong, everyone is congenial, but there is a divide.
Do you have a similar issue in your church?
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2 comments:
Sounds good, S.H. We will be able to relate to this as our Church (First Baptist Conroe) once had a Hispanic mission group.
Our association now has seven Iglesia Bautista--start of their names--churches.
The one that started as a mission in our chappel has grown into independency with its own building . Attendance has grown from the teens to now over 200.
We also have Hispanics who have remained in our church as 'mainstream' members.
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Thanks Jim. The issue is not exactly the same as what Paul faced in Ephesus, but it is similar.
To bring unity in the church, it will take a miracle from God to bridge the cultural and language barriers of the type I am describing.
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