For Mission On Our Doorsteps I interviewed Pastor Doug Banks of Maranatha Chapel in Evergreen Park, IL. Maranatha is a fascinating case study of a congregation in touch with it's changing community and that does multi-ethnic ministry excellently. It is, I think, a vision of what the Church will inevitably increasingly look like in North America.
Maranatha Chapel at a Glance:
Vision: One Message/Many Languages
Congregations:
English: (multi-ethnic: 50% white, 10% African, 15% African American,
20% Hispanic, 5% Filipino). 150 ASA at 10AM
Spanish: 125 ASA at 12noon
Arabic: 60 ASA at 3PM
Messianic Jewish: 30 ASA on Fridays at 7:30PM
English: (multi-ethnic: 50% white, 10% African, 15% African American,
20% Hispanic, 5% Filipino). 150 ASA at 10AM
Spanish: 125 ASA at 12noon
Arabic: 60 ASA at 3PM
Messianic Jewish: 30 ASA on Fridays at 7:30PM
Finances and Leadership:
One budget, one board, one senior pastor, one youth pastor, one worship pastor, one Christian education director, 3 ethnic specific pastors (Spanish, Arabic, Jewish).
One budget, one board, one senior pastor, one youth pastor, one worship pastor, one Christian education director, 3 ethnic specific pastors (Spanish, Arabic, Jewish).
Denomination: Assemblies of God
History:
In the year 1999 Maranatha Chapel was looking for a new senior pastor and was considering hiring Doug Banks, a returning Assemblies of God missionary in Mexico. When it was time for a congregational vote Doug told the congregation, “I would like this congregation to reflect the demographics of the community that we live in. If you don’t want to move in this direction don’t vote for me.” Doug received 99% of the vote of the then primarily Caucasian congregation, although there was some fear as to what this new direction for the church would entail.
In the year 1999 Maranatha Chapel was looking for a new senior pastor and was considering hiring Doug Banks, a returning Assemblies of God missionary in Mexico. When it was time for a congregational vote Doug told the congregation, “I would like this congregation to reflect the demographics of the community that we live in. If you don’t want to move in this direction don’t vote for me.” Doug received 99% of the vote of the then primarily Caucasian congregation, although there was some fear as to what this new direction for the church would entail.
In speaking with some SIM missionaries who were a part of the congregation he realized the need for some early cross-cultural “wins” to dispel the fears that were present and to help the folks get a taste for multi-cultural ministry. Two events were organized.
The first entailed a multi-church worship service during the Christmas season in which several ethnic congregations joined with Maranatha for a simple one hour service, with each congregation getting 15 minutes to present 2 songs in their own language and then in English to share the significance of Christmas in their own country and culture. A French speaking Haitian, a Hispanic and a Arabic congregation participated. The event was to start at 6PM and at a quarter to 6 the only ones present were the Caucasians from Maranatha who started getting nervous that no one else was going to show up. At five to six the Haitians showed up. At five minutes after six the Arabs showed up and then at 6:15 the Hispanics showed up. After the service there was a potluck and opportunity for everyone to fellowship and get to know each other. The second easy “win” involved partnering with a local organization to welcome Chinese university students by having families in the church adopt them and then invite them to a special church service in which they were prayed for. For many of the Chinese this was their first time in an American home, even though they had been in the US for several years already, and the first time they visited an American church. For the Maranatha members as well as the students it was a powerful experience. Both of these events helped to dispel the fear and clear the path towards becoming a more diverse church.
That year 2001 they began a Spanish speaking service and the next year an Arabic speaking service, less than a year after 9/11.
For a time there was an African service in English, but with an “African flair” but soon these members asked to be integrated to the main English service which they did. The latest addition is a Messianic Jewish Shabbat service on Friday evenings.
How does this congregation handle some of the most common hurdles in doing multi-cultural ministry under the same roof? What have been some of the necessary ingredients and components of this successful model?
Leadership:
“It’s all in the leaders” says Pastor Doug referring to this model of multi-ethnic church. At Maranatha there is one leadership board that is diverse and is comprised of leaders from each of the congregations. Pastor Doug says this was never “mandated” or “forced” but came into being naturally. Doug is the senior pastor for the whole church, while each language specific congregation having a leader. There is also one youth pastor who serves the whole church and one worship pastor who acts as a coach for each of the language specific worship teams. The leadership team meets weekly for prayer, vision and planning. “This model of church is a lot of work and requires a lot of meetings” to keep things flowing smoothly. Maranatha is also unusual in that they have grown their own leaders from within. They have even sent out leaders to help start or lead other congregations. One of the Arab leaders is now in Jordan leading an Arabic church and an early Hispanic leader is now leading a Hispanic congregation in another neighborhood of Chicago.
“It’s all in the leaders” says Pastor Doug referring to this model of multi-ethnic church. At Maranatha there is one leadership board that is diverse and is comprised of leaders from each of the congregations. Pastor Doug says this was never “mandated” or “forced” but came into being naturally. Doug is the senior pastor for the whole church, while each language specific congregation having a leader. There is also one youth pastor who serves the whole church and one worship pastor who acts as a coach for each of the language specific worship teams. The leadership team meets weekly for prayer, vision and planning. “This model of church is a lot of work and requires a lot of meetings” to keep things flowing smoothly. Maranatha is also unusual in that they have grown their own leaders from within. They have even sent out leaders to help start or lead other congregations. One of the Arab leaders is now in Jordan leading an Arabic church and an early Hispanic leader is now leading a Hispanic congregation in another neighborhood of Chicago.
Finances:
There is one budget for the whole church. “This takes a huge burden off of the congregations and frees them up to focus on their strengths: reaching their own people groups” says Pastor Doug.
There is one budget for the whole church. “This takes a huge burden off of the congregations and frees them up to focus on their strengths: reaching their own people groups” says Pastor Doug.
Children and Youth:
On Sunday each congregation has its own Sunday school classes led by their own team of leaders and volunteers. The importance of this was an early lesson that Doug learned. Initially there was a caucasian children’s pastor that was leading the Sunday school for each group, but this inhibited the growth and potential of each congregation. Once they were each required to step-up and provide their volunteers and leaders things became much more healthy. On Tuesday evenings (“Mega Ministry Tuesdays”) there is one youth and children’s program that incorporates the students from all of the congregations and those of families that are in the ESL outreach program. Many of the older 2nd generation immigrants from each of the congregations have now begun to migrate over to the English speaking service which has become increasingly multi-ethnic. “At first some of the parents were uncomfortable with this, but we told them ‘it’s the same church’ it’s just a service at a different time.”
On Sunday each congregation has its own Sunday school classes led by their own team of leaders and volunteers. The importance of this was an early lesson that Doug learned. Initially there was a caucasian children’s pastor that was leading the Sunday school for each group, but this inhibited the growth and potential of each congregation. Once they were each required to step-up and provide their volunteers and leaders things became much more healthy. On Tuesday evenings (“Mega Ministry Tuesdays”) there is one youth and children’s program that incorporates the students from all of the congregations and those of families that are in the ESL outreach program. Many of the older 2nd generation immigrants from each of the congregations have now begun to migrate over to the English speaking service which has become increasingly multi-ethnic. “At first some of the parents were uncomfortable with this, but we told them ‘it’s the same church’ it’s just a service at a different time.”
Mission/Outreach:
The ESL outreach is a key component of the church and a key way new families are integrated into the various congregations. It also helps the church “keep a pulse on the community” and on what new people groups are moving in, whether Lithuanians, French Speaking Africans or Polish people.
The ESL outreach is a key component of the church and a key way new families are integrated into the various congregations. It also helps the church “keep a pulse on the community” and on what new people groups are moving in, whether Lithuanians, French Speaking Africans or Polish people.
Because of their multicultural ministry Maranatha’s local ministry has had global impact. Chinese doctors coming to their ESL program have returned to China. One of their Arab leaders is now pastoring a church in Jordan.
In reaching out to a local densely Hispanic neighborhood, the Hispanic congregation encountered many Caucasians and English speakers and so now are partnering with the English congregation of Maranatha to reach out. They have made teams of 3 in which each team has a man, a woman and an English speaker.
Balancing Unity and Diversity:
In general Maranatha seems to have done a remarkable job in balancing unity and diversity: unity but not uniformity and diversity but not disparity.
In general Maranatha seems to have done a remarkable job in balancing unity and diversity: unity but not uniformity and diversity but not disparity.
On the “mega-Tuesdays” there is “big synergy” by being all together in the same place and time. Besides the ESL outreach and the youth and children programming there is the International School of Ministry curriculum, a Bible study curriculum that is in 60 different languages. Each congregation has a study on Tuesday nights using this curriculum. “One time a week we are learning the same thing but each in their own language.”
Gifted Cross-Cultural Facilitators:
Key to the Arabic Ministry has been a SIM missionary couple that are gifted in crossing cultures and facilitating connections. Over the years they have acted as a sounding board to Pastor Doug and have helped bridge the Arabic cultural differences and conflicts that have arisen. Though they have never had an official pastoral role they have functioned as “strategic leaders for the whole church” and Arabic ministry in particular.
Key to the Arabic Ministry has been a SIM missionary couple that are gifted in crossing cultures and facilitating connections. Over the years they have acted as a sounding board to Pastor Doug and have helped bridge the Arabic cultural differences and conflicts that have arisen. Though they have never had an official pastoral role they have functioned as “strategic leaders for the whole church” and Arabic ministry in particular.
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