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Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church

Every church can do more to encourage unity across ethnic and economic barriers.

I recently had the opportunity to return to my native Arkansas. I had forgotten that spring arrives in some parts of the country by March. But I was even more surprised to find, in Little Rock of all places, a vibrant and growing multi-ethnic church.

Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, led by pastors Mark DeYmaz and Harry Li (with several supporting staff), is an intentionally multi-ethnic and economically diverse community in Little Rock's University District. Though only six years old, the church has gained credibility by shining forth the love of Christ in a historically divided town. It has done so through its focus on inter-ethnic ministry and worship. In his book, Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church, DeYmaz warns:

I believe the homogeneous church will increasingly struggle in the twenty-first century with credibility, that is, in proclaiming a message of God's love for all people from an environment in which a love for all people cannot otherwise be observed.

In his book - and on ...

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