Hey TD!
Now that the new school year has begun, it’s a great time to think about our approach to the year ahead. Will you pretty much just keep plugging along as you did last year? Or is there a change in approach to life, to people, to church, to family, or to God that you’d like to see happen? If so, as I always say, success doesn’t happen by accident.
Or as Coach John Wooden used to say,
“If you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Coach John Wooden
One area of my life that God has been working on over the years, and one where He has made a big impression on me this summer is the valuing, appreciating, and delighting in the differences and uniqueness of all types of people from all types of backgrounds, seeing the value behind nearly all stories and all experiences. I have seen a fuller picture of God’s person and character in doing so, and have been pleasantly humbled in the process.
How is your perspective on those from other cultures and backgrounds? Are they “out there” in your eyes, or are they part of … you … and your family? Are they “out there” to be ministered to … or do we see them as one of us? Are we better staying within our own Chinese-American cloisters … or is our calling to not only mingle with, but do life with the brethren of all backgrounds?
The question has often been raised about whether our church is being biblical in being a Chinese church. It’s a legitimate question. Many from our church have not felt comfortable bringing non-Chinese friends to our church for obvious reasons. So how should we think about our church being mono-ethnic? Should changes be made? Or do are we doing fine the way we are, ministering to a specific demographic?
I found the above video from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary to be fair, biblical, and desirous of God’s heart. Watch it and let’s discuss this further amongst ourselves in the days to come. – Arthur
Total Devotion 