1. Introduction to
Missiology
Ch. 35 – Strategies for
Ethnic Ministries

2. Introduction
Though the North American culture
represents a composite of many
peoples, many North Americans retain
much of what is considered “ethnic” in
terms of language, culture, traditions,
behavior, and heritage.
- Joe Hernandez, NAMB

3. Overview of Session
 Biblical Basis for ethnic ministry
 Understanding ethnic America
 The cultures of ethnic America
 Missiological Issues
 Strategies for ethnic ministries

4. Theological/Biblical Basis for
Reaching Ethnic America
 Every ethnic group is included in the mandate
to disciple the nations
 All cultures are tainted by sin
 The gospel is effective to save in any culture
 The presence of God is found in all cultures

5. Understanding Ethnic America
 Ethnic ministry often plays off of the
heart language of the group
 Assimilation
– Absorbs the ethnic in stages
– Introduces ethnic elements into the
dominant culture
– There is great diversity of language and
behavior within an ethnic group
 Accurate demographics is crucial

6. Demographic Sources
 U.S.Census  Chamber of Commerce
statistics
 School
 Magazine Marketing
Boards/Districts and Research
 Public Utilities Departments
 University sociology  Secular Media
departments  Internet – Accessing
libraries, universities,
 Lending Institutions etc. for databases
 Marketing reports  Ethnic Associations and
 Newspapers media

7. Look at Demographics for
 Current population  Traffic patterns
by ethnicity  Housing patterns
 Population growth  Immigration patterns
projections  Internal migration
 Sociocultural patterns
composition and  Community profile/
location of needs assessment
sociocultural groups

8. Focus Your Demographic Study
 Age distribution  Education
 Language, usage and  Employment
proficiencies  Income
 Birth rates  Urban/rural
 Country of birth realities
 Concentration in tracts  Religious heritage
 Socioeconomic levels  Family size
and distribution

9. The Cultures of Ethnic America
 Recognize the uniqueness of each
– Approach without judgment, appreciating the
uniqueness of the whole
 Study the culture for core values and
behaviors
– Group or individual oriented (China – US)
– Public or private oriented (Italy – Japan)
 Accuracy of cultural understanding is crucial
to effective evangelism

10. Missiological Issues in Reaching
Ethnic America
 Homogeneous unit principle
– Tension: appreciate uniqueness, but want to retain
the freedom to move beyond their culture
 Multiculturalism
– NA culture is a blend of many cultures which retain
some of their distinctives
 Indigenous issue – leadership from the group
 Contextualization – permission giving by
outside agent is key
 Sponsorship/partnership – several factors to
consider

11. Signs of Multiculturalism
 Leadership reflecting several ethnicities
 Worship/Preaching/Music that blends several
cultural elements into a varied but seamless
whole
 Leadership style and governance that reflects
and accommodates several cultural
understandings
 Primarily implemented at a denominational
level

12. Keys to Effective Ethnic Planting
 Avoid paternalism, rather partnership
 Address cultural differences between planter and
mentor
 Obtain facilities based on fit and location, not solely
on convenience and economics
 Financing a plant require dealing with the tension
between full funding and total self-support
 Communications become problematic when crossing
cultural boundaries
 Form/style issues are exacerbated by different
cultural understandings

13. Strategies for Ethnic Ministries
 Follow a formal planting guideline –
carry out the project with as much
excellence as if it were a same-culture
plant
 Address the special issues that come
up in a cross-cultural plant

14. Issues in Cross-cultural Planting
 Avoiding extended dependence on the
sponsoring church
 Developing indigenous leaders from the new
church
 Encouraging connectedness with the
denomination and the particular network of
churches addressing that ethnic group
 Developing stewardship for the world
community, and especially of that ethnicity