Ethnic Embrace USA - Launching A Diaspora Prayer Movement

Ethnic Embrace USA was recently launched at Denver 2012. Prayerfully, this initiative will serve a movement that helps to mobilize many for God’s mission for the nations, right here in our own nations but also globally. Diaspora mission, or mission to the scattered peoples, is becoming a “hot” topic today and some churches are starting to recognize the missional opportunity of the “strangers next door.” Indeed, a new movement is underway but unless a movement has a prayer base it won’t go very far or very fast. Dr. Ted Yamamori, former Lausanne Committee chair, once told me that “every movement is birthed in prayer and every movement is sustained in prayer.”

After all, it’s not really our ability, our genius or our strategies that reaches the nations. Mission is a work of God and we should realize that God will be faithful to complete his purpose of filling the earth with the knowledge of his glory in Christ. As it is God’s mission, we must seek him for how to live it out and what it means for us today. We start in prayer, not simply as a spiritual exercise asking God to bless our efforts, but rather so that we may follow his lead to bless the nations among us.  

The center piece of the launch is the “Ethnic Embrace USA – Blessing the Nations Among Us - 40 Days of Prayer” e-book, available for free download here. We encourage you to get a copy and freely share it with others. We are making this resource available with the hope it will spark a diaspora mission movement, as prayer must lead us to action.  Included in the e-book is simple 5 step process to missional engagement. But this is just the initial phase of the Ethnic Embrace USA initiative. While it is important that we know and reach the Unreached People Groups the Lord is bringing us, what is at the heart of this movement is love lived out for the “foreigner” among us as a Biblical imperative. That is why we must pray. 

We also need to realize that the diaspora peoples are not coming here with a target on their heads for our evangelistic efforts, especially since many of them bring a vibrant relationship with Christ with them.  Perhaps 3 of 4 out of 42 plus million New Americans are already Christian. Many Christian diaspora are fleeing persecution and hardship in their homelands. We must welcome them, care for them, and learn from them. For those who come without knowledge of Christ it is important we recognize what God is doing in bringing them here for his reasons.  

People are coming from over 360 Unreached Peoples Groups from around the world. What if, as Paul asked, God is doing this “to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—even us, whom he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?” (Romans 9:23-24). How then should we respond? In love and in a way that reveals Christ. But how is the Church really doing on that count? Do we welcome the foreigner, the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Sikh or other background non-believer? Or do they feel put off by the push back to often coming from those who say they are Christians? 

For the sake of Christ’s love and mission we need to change our national dialogue among many Christians and that is one of the reason we started Ethnic Embrace USA as a partnership between the Mission America Coalition and the Ethnic America Network. The Apostle Paul when he understood not only the redemptive plan of God but God’s uniting plan for the “nations” was able to say, “Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all” (Colossians 3:11). That is one of the underlying beliefs that motivates Ethnic Embrace USA and must shape our cross-cultural engagement.

The mission and purpose of this initiative is captured by the two words – Ethnic Embrace. The definition of these two words follows: 

Ethnic - Of or relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with a common national or cultural tradition. (For more on the ethnic click here).

The mission of Ethnic Embrace USA is focused toward those who belong to the “subgroups” who are relatively new (1^st 1.5 and 2^nd generation) to the USA – Christian and non-Christians alike.  These are the diaspora peoples of today. Why are these cultural subgroups important for our consideration? One reason often overlooked is our mandate to serve as “Welcomers” to the foreigners in our midst (Exodus 22:21; 23:9, Lev. 19-33-34). God cares about the “foreigner,” the scattered people, diasporas, whether Christian or non-Christian, and so must we. Another important consideration is the bridge they represent to the rest of the world, to their homeland, to places where the Light of Christ has not yet shined. So we pray for open doors both here and via the global networks the diaspora represent through their common national and cultural traditions. (There are exciting stories of how this is already working.)  

Embrace -  An act of accepting or supporting something willingly or enthusiastically.  

The purpose of Ethnic Embrace USA is to create awareness about and mobilize prayer for the diaspora peoples the LORD is bringing us so that we can enthusiastically reach out to them in God's love. If they are Christian, we willingly and enthusiastically support and accept them into our communities, fellowships and homes. God’s mission flows with and beyond these peoples so our unity and partnership is vital. If they are non-Christian we enthusiastically reach out to them and welcome them in Christ love so we can eventually share Jesus with them. But that must be done in culturally appropriate ways. We must pray that they come to know the salvation available only in Christ.

You will find that the Ethnic Embrace USA-Blessing the Nations Among Us speaks and offers prayer points for Christian and non-Christian diaspora alike. Together these two words – Ethnic Embrace – combine to form what can be defined as diaspora mission.  In a sentence, diaspora mission is the willingly and enthusiastic support of God’s mission to, with and through our nation's new cultural “subgroups” as together we seek to serve, honor and love God as one human family. Diaspora mission must motivate us together, as every nation and tribe and tongue, to become one in Christ for the glory of God among the nations. 

Diaspora mission will be expressed in many different modalities, but the underlying motivation is not simply the fulfillment of our missional mandate, although that is our vital task. Rather, our impetus should be a vision for Revelation 7:9 and consummation of all of human history, as one united human family, a reversal of the curse of Babel and fulfillment of the Day of Pentecost. Those involved in diaspora missions should see the fulfillment of John 17:20-23 and Jesus prayer for all to be one as our missional impulse and that does require much prayer and repentance. 

To help move in that direction, the Ethnic Embrace USA 40 Day Prayer Guide introduces 40 of the largest diaspora people groups along with 40 Scripture references, and 40 corresponding thoughts that tell the story of God’s mission to the nations. When we understand God’s story and his heart for the nations we embrace our mission with gladness. May Ethnic Embrace USA ignite a movement toward loving the ethnic peoples among us - in his love, by his grace and for his glory! 

Will you join us? Please look for weekly blog posts, more on the development of Ethnic Embrace USA in the coming weeks and please share this initiative with others.

               

Why "Ethnic" in Ethnic Embrace USA?

It seems so many words are emotionally charged today. We don't want to use certain words because they are not "politically correct" or considered offensive and some certainly are based on their historical implications. Rightly some words are to be avoided. We are called to be people of grace who seek to cause no offense but if we preclude the use of some words, without consideration of their actual meaning, we might soon find we have little to say to one another. And avoiding some words because some take offense doesn't serve the best interests of the needed dialog.

At Denver 2012, I was privy to a couple of conversations that have me thinking. The issues of racism in the Church were raised by some predominate African-American leaders at the City Impact Roundtable on Monday. Yesterday, racism was again being discussed but this time by some White-Americans who see things from a different perspective. These are real issues that still need much prayer and thoughtful response but I will leave that for another blog post.

Yesterday in the last Affinity Group meeting of the Naitonal Leadership Consultation, actually a convergence of five affinity groups to discuss Diaspora Mission together, issues with the word "ethnic" were raised that took me somewhat by surprise. I have to wonder if this negative response, both from younger generation leaders, is well thought out, rooted in emotion or I'm just missing something in my own thinking. Perhaps I am missing something but the word "ethnic" does have a definition I think is important to embrace. Research turns up the fact that in the UK the word "ethnic" is avoided like the plague, but should that be our response too? Certainly it is not our intention to cause offense, especially given our partnership with the Ethnic American Network. Just the opposite is true, in fact, as we seek to elevate the conservation, raise awareness and mobilize a response to what God is so clearly doing in our day.

When you look around God's creation it becomes glaringly obvious that God loves diversity, so much so that he filled the universe with it. God also loves unity, existing in unity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - and desires His people to do likewise. In fact, Jesus prays for it (see John 17:20-23). Our example of the fullest expression of life is found in the diversity of the Godhead as we live in the unity tbat the Apostle Paul calls us to seek together (Ephesians 4:3). Obvously, our Creator desired the diversity of 'mankind' but he gives us the task of working toward unity together (Ephesians 4:12-14). That is, I believe, job one and all else flows from there (see again John 17:23). I don't know that we'll ever do it perfectly but we must do it better to experience God's best blessings (Psalm 133).

Therefore, we need to not only respect our ethnic diversity but embrace it fully in all that God has placed in each people group of his world. Only then can we move toward unity. What a word like "ethnic" must say to us is that God created us differently, in his love for diversity, which is good according to his will. There are, of course, things that must be redeemed in every ethnic people group, including our own - whatever that may be - and cultural practices that do not glorify God. But the place to begin the Ethnic Embrace USA journey is founded in the uniqueness with which we are created as we seek the Lord together.

As an adjective, "ethnic" is defined this way: "of or relating to a population subgroup (within a larger or dominant national or cultural group) with common national or cultural distinctives." Clearly, given this plain definition there are many ethnic peoples who call the U.S. home. We have many "population subgroups" who self-define based on "common national or cultural distinctives" and we must embrace these God ordaind glorious differences. At the same time, we also now share together a common national and more importantly our global human bond. Beyond that even, we who follow Christ share in the most important bond as "Christ is all, and is in all." (Colossians 3:11). That doesn't mean we look past our anthropoligical, ethnological and sociological differences. Rather, we embrace them fully in, through and for Christ and his glory. Doing so will serve well to answer Jesus own prayer. So is there any reason this word "ethnic" should be charged emotionally or avoided?

One argument put forward in opposition to the use of the word ethnic seems to be that we are all "ethnic." Upon examining the definition of the word ethnic can we really say this is true? Without argument we all have an "ethnic" heritage as we have all, with some caveat for "Native Americans," come here from somewhere else. My roots are primarily in Ireland and Poland but I am 3rd or 4th generation American and born into membership of the "dominate national or cultural group" called "Americans," for better or worse. My Irish or Polish cultural heritage is as far from me as say, Armnenian, Urdu or Wolof. My roots simply do not define who I am or influence how I think.The same is true for a majority of Americans, as the dominant culture, and will continue to be true as generations of today's immagrants merge into and shape the future of who we are as a people together.

There are clearly however people who belong to "subgroups" who have come here and naturally brought there cultural distinctives as 1st or 1.5 generation new Americans. They number today at least 42 million and 2 million more come each year. Their thinking naturally remains shaped by their heritage and some practices little changed in their new homeland. Their worldview is rooted in the places they have migrated from. They often form a sub-communtiy within the context of the broader community, sometimes remaining isolated enclaves with the "melting pot" of American cultural.

How are we to talk about these people if not to appropriately consider them Ethnic Americans? The definition fits. When we do talk about them, so as to embrace them with the love of God and his purposes, we must honor who God made them to be. We must also recognize, as Christ followers, that many have come here with little or no knowledge of the majortiy religious culture they have entered. They are far from Christ. Further, they choose to maintain and even grow in religous influence, not recognizing their need for Christ. They clearly fit the definition of "ethnic" peoples or perhaps, in missiological terms, ethnolinguistic peoples.

Ethnic Embrace USA isn't about making ethnic peoples "targets" of evangelistic outreach. Yes, we must reach our new Ethnic Americans, all Americans and the whole world, with the Good News of Jesus Christ - that is our mandate (Matthew 24:14). In fact, the growing ethnic diversity in the U.S.A should serve to raise our awareness about our "nations" mandate, bringing God's glorious diversity closer to home and making our "commission" to "go into all the world" a local reality, even a wake up call to God's heart for the "nations" or "panta ta ethne." We are called to love, bless and serve our ethnic neighbors, which Biblical and post-Biblical history demonstrates the people of God do not do well. We need to understand God's heart for the foreigner in our midst and what better place to begin than to pray for them. Through "Ethnic Embrace USA - Blessing the Nations Among Us" these are some of the ideas that are introduced to the reader. (Download your free ebook today).

Prayerfully, as we embrace our ethnic diversity and the oneness we all share in Christ, we can move beyond taking offense at words like "ethnic." All "nations" are level at the foot of the cross! At the same time we, the predominanty white American Christian population, need to embrace the fact that many of the ethnic peoples God has brought to our shores are Christians with a vibrant church and spiritual life we must learn from. We must also recognize the sins of our own past so that we don't repeat them. Will you please pray that Ethnic Embrace USA will serve, in some small way, to bring us all together under our one banner - Jesus Christ.

What are you thoughts? What am I missing? Feel free to share your thoughts below.

Mobilizing Love at Denver 2012

"And the greastest of these is love..."

Yesterday at Denver 2012, MAC promoted another new initiative called LOVE2020. A new website is being released in November that we were able to get a sneak peek of. It was designed by a young "social media strategist" and will take MAC into the 21st Century in a cutting edge way. The essence of Love 2020 is a biblical call to the Church to lead with love. Isn't it sad that we need to be reminded to put love first? But the fact is that we need to be and often.

Ethnic Embrace USA, which fits under the umbrella of LOVE2020, is in all respects a call to Biblical love. The fact is that we won't embrace the diaspora peoples of our nation the way we should without first loving them as we are commanded. We won't even reach out to the nations among us without putting love first, at least not in the manner we called to. And, we can't be an effective witness of God's love for all peoples without demonstrating his love.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who does training and outreach to Muslims in the DFW area. My friend, Renod, told me that most Muslim here come to faith in Christ not because the person who shared Jesus with them came with an apologetics approach of good arguments to defeat Islam. Bashing another another persons faithm even if based on truth, doesn't demonstrate love? They may be wrong in what they believe but telling them so is no way to win friends and influence people. What works to lead Muslims to faith in Christ, and for that matter anyone else, is a demonstration of God's love.

What I find most tragic is the unloving response of too many Christians to "others" who are coming here. The Lord calls us to love the "alien" over and over again in his Word. Ethnic Embrace USA develops this idea and as we embrace God's mission to the nations we must also embrace the strangers next door. The place to begin to move Ethnic Embrace USA forward now that it's off the launching platform is on the basis of love. Paul reminds us that we only make an annoying noise if we don't put love first. And, we can't think just reaching out to the diaspora peoples is sufficient for Paul also reminds us that "If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." (1 Cor 13:3).

The embracing of the nations will flow naturally as we come to understand the diaspora peoples and love them as the Lord does. Let's together mobilize a movement of love as we bless the nations among us. Love is the more excellent way. Let us embrace it fully.

Launching at Denver 2012

Yesterday, I had the privilege of introducing Ethnic Embrace USA to a group of "CityReachers" at the National City Impact Roundtable. Leaders from more than 50 cities from around the USA were in attendance, as a pre-meeting to Denver 2012 Leadership Consultation - the annual Mission America Coalition national convention that brings together denomination and ministry leaders who serve the Body of Christ across our great nation. The Mission America Coalition is the U.S. expression of the Lausanne Movement that was started by Billy Graham in 1974 that seeks to live out and complete the mission Jesus gave us to in reaching the nations with his Good News.

There isn't anything new about reaching the nations among us.Yesterday, I heard some wonderful stories of effective frontline ministry to the nations in our midst. One ministry here in Denver is working with Southeast Asian and African refugees with a unique model. Since many refugees come from agrarian societies, this ministry is helping these people find donated small plots of land for growing vegetables. A few local churches are donating the land for this use, turning lawns that serve little purpose or little used church playgrounds into an effective bridge to build meaningful relationships. But many more are needed and there are many cities with refugees.

One of the resources presented here was developed around the Jesus film. The Jesus Film has been one of, if not, the most effective tool for reaching the unreached globally. Christ for All Peoples is being effective in getting the Jesus Film out to international here in our cities. The power of the Jesus Film is that it speaks in the heart language of the person, having been translated into more than 1100 languages. Over 4 million Jesus Films have been distributed already, in the past few years, and many Muslims, Buddhsts and Hindus have come to Christ. But that is simpy scratching the surface of the more than 32 million diaspora peoples from Unreached places of our world, and the 2 million more that come here annually with little or no knowledge of Jesus.

These are only two of the exciting ministries presented here yesterday in what was a powerful day. The question I asked when I presented Ethnic Embrace USA was this - Do we understand our missional reality today? Of course, I was preaching to the chior because these Cityreaching servants do get it. They understand the times and know what to do. But how many don"t get it yet? Ethnic Embrace USA seeks to move many more people into that such meaningful engaging of the nations in our cities and communities. Starting with 40 days of Prayer for the diasporas we can together mobilize a movement for embracing the nations among us.

Will you help us do so? The Ethnic Embrace USA ebook is free to share widely. Let's mobilize!

How I became a Diaspora Champion

It wasn't that long ago, if you mentioned the word "diaspora" I would have looked at you puzzled. At most, I might have made a connection with the Jewish Diaspora,  And even with my knowledge of the involuntary and voluntary coming and going of people we teach in Perspectives, the idea of God having people on the move was rooted in a historical perspective, which is where we teach about it in Lesson 6 - "The History of the World Christian Movement." It is easy to see, in retrospect, how God moved over the centuries to accomplish his purposes by scattering people about. But my awareness of what the Lord was doing today began changing about a year and a half ago, as the Lord started getting my attention of what he was doing in our day.`

The word "diaspora" really only began to gain wide attention following the 3rd Lausanne Congress, held in Capetown,  in October of 2010. I take some solace in the fact that I wasn't alone in my ignorance. There were, of course, some who understood but not many. In fact, it wasn't that long ago that Dr. Ralph Winter said, "Diaspora missiology may well be the most important and undigested reality in mission thinking today." The "undigested" nature of what Dr. Winters says may be the most important "mission thinking" we can do today is quickly changing.  In April of 2011, it began to change for me. We need to think well about "diaspora" because these scattered people are changing our world.

Recently, I was asked by Dr. Joy Tira, the Lausanne Movement Senior Associate for Diasporas, to share my story about how the Lord got my attention and how I became, what Dr. Tira calls, a "Diaspora champion." You can read that story below or by clicking here

Embracing our New Missional Reality

"I am convinced by God’s Word that every follower of Christ should have a passion for the “unreached and unengaged,” says David Platt. Our passion for the “unreached and unengaged” most be informed by two things. Firstly, God’s Word and an understanding of the Bible’s grand narrative. We develop that story through the 40 days of Scripture in our Ethnic Embrace USA FREE e-book. Secondly, on an understanding of the realities that are presently shaping our world with respect to who the “unreached and unengaged” are, where they are living and why they are moving.  Through the 40 people groups featured in Ethnic Embrace USA we explore answers to the who, where and why. But here are some of the current trends shaping mission and the reasons foe Ethnic Embrace USA.

Globalization, Urbanization and Migration is changing the world - as the world is a more connected place, cities are growing rapidly as more people than ever are on the move.

Migration is taking place in every nation of the world, with more than 214 million people on the move.

Certain regions have higher concentrations than others, with high levels of both emigration (from - scattering) and immigration (to – gathering).

The USA is the #1 destination of migrants from around the world, with over 42 million recent migrants now in USA, many from “unreached and unengaged” places of the world.

There are now 8 U.S. cities with a foreign born population of 1 million and many cities have growing diaspora (scattered) populations.

There may be as many as 360 “Unreached People Groups” in the U.S. representing a population of over 20 million here and millions in their homeland.

But as Dr. J.D. Payne says, “one of the greatest ironies in missions today is the fact that…for the most part, we are ignorant regarding the evangelical status of the peoples of the world living in our backyards.” The Evangelical status that we do have is based on the the global status of the people group. What we lack is the status of these UPGs in our cities and communities, although there is some public access information available for language at the community level. That is why we invite you to share with us the people groups you encounter as you embrace the diaspora peoples in your communities.