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.