Ethnic specific churches historically have served as a place of cultural cultivation and identity affirmation. It is in the black church that I first learned God made me black on purpose and that I can be proud of how God made me. Who I am as a person was forged within the confines of an ethnic specific congregation

When the words came out of my mouth, I wished that I could bring them back. There I was sitting in the middle of a debate in my seminary class titled “Race and American Christianity” and I said it, “Any monoethnic church in a multiethnic neighborhood is sinful.” I had just recently come home from a conference on multiethnic ministry, and I was especially passionate at this point. My already strong feelings in support of multiethnic ministry had been intensified by a charismatic and bold keynote speaker.

In retrospect, I see that my words lacked compassion and skill. As soon as I said them, I could feel the reaction from two of my sisters in the class. Two young women, good friends of mine, ladies I look up to as big sisters in the faith, African-American sisters, immediately reacted with vehemence and zeal.

I could hear a sense of betrayal in their voices, as if I had just committed treason. How could I, a son of the traditional Black Church, make such a comment? What I remember the most is the emotion in their voices and the pain on their faces as they rebutted my statement as they rhetorically ripped me to shreds. In the heat of the argument, I refused to change my position.

As I drove home from class that day, I pondered my statement and the reaction that it evoked. Was I wrong? Was my statement unfair? Why were my two sisters so offended? I thought and prayed about this issue long after that conversation. While I have not wavered in my commitment to multiethnic ministry, I now honestly can affirm the importance of monoethnic minority fellowships, as well.

It is somewhat uncomfortable for me to challenge the clear call that has been made throughout this book for multiethnic fellowships. God’s Word gives this call to fellowship, worship and serve across cultures to everyone. However, considering the racial makeup of our country, its history of racism and its rich traditions of monoethnic minority ministry, I do believe there is still a place for these types of fellowships to continue.

We need monoethnic and multiethnic fellowships; these two types of situations can work in concert with one another. This is certainly the model of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship on many college campuses. InterVarsity is a campus ministry committed to multiethnic ministry but its leaders still cultivate ethnic specific fellowships—Black Campus Ministries, LaFe (Latino Fellowship) and Asian American Ministries. During my time at Amherst, I was a part of the Amherst Christian Fellowship, a large multiethnic Christian group, as well as a member of the Mrs. Hermenia T. Gardener Bi-Semester Christian Worship series, a committee committed to putting on an African-American-styled worship experience twice during each semester.
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