The Holy Bible closed its first Gospel with what is known as “The Great Commission.” Beginning at Matthew 28:18, this read: “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
‘Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ [2]
Practical, modern-day application of this commandment can be found in “church-planting” initiatives. The Southern Baptist Convention has made this as a priority, having noted that approximately “75 percent of North America’s 366 million people do not know Jesus, and entire communities exist that do not have a faithful, Gospel-preaching church …. [3-7]
Planting new, evangelistic churches provides the opportunity to impact neighborhoods for decades, and the strategy begins when churches plant churches. The North American Mission Board (NAMB) exists, in part, to help churches accomplish that mission through its church-planting arm, Send Network ….
Church planting in North America offers myriad opportunities for reaching the nations as people from all parts of the globe continue moving to the United States and Canada ….
Significantly, along with representatives from those nations have come some 350 different languages natively spoken in homes, including many in contributions southeast Michigan.
Once an “ethnic-linguistic” church is planted, then what?
NAMB has recognized that “pastors and church leaders who migrated to Michigan from global locations, in recent decades, can feel isolated and insignificant if ignored by other believers within our network,” Dr Tony L Lynn, church-planting lead for Michigan, explained to Saline Journal.
And from that came a gathering that Baptist State Convention of Michigan titled its “Multi-Lingual Conversation,” held last Saturday at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Belleville. It was developed “to support the language pastors and their churches as they face the challenge of creating churches with one generation that identifies with their origins while the newer generations, who were born and grew up in America, would identify themselves as North Americans,” he added. [8-11]
We want to encourage pastors and church leaders by letting them know we are here to help with resources and our lives.
The feet-on-the-ground triumvirate that made this event a reality reflected not just a diversity of language, but global origins and cultural perspectives on how needs might be identified and supported.
The NAMB ethnic-linguistic team was led Dr Ramon Osorio, a pastor from Honduras. He was joined by Dr Jeremy Sin, who began with a Calling in his native Hong Kong; and Dr Aslam Masih, who in addition to his home nation of Pakistan, has planted over one hundred churches among Asian Indian, Arab, Iranian, Bangladeshis, Burmese, Nepalis, Ethiopians, and Nigerians peoples.
“The need is obvious,” Dr Sin emphasized to Saline Journal.
Initial discussion of a formal program for Michigan began several months ago during a meeting in Atlanta. The impetus was “to discover and celebrate what God is doing among the ethnic churches,” then connect them “to encourage and equip one another for the kingdom.”
From there, particulars of “Michigan” church-plantings were discussed in order to come up with “the best approach” for this area.
The term “Multi-Lingual” readily provided opportunity for unpacking both the unique opportunities and challenges for ministering to these sorts of nascent congregations.
At the point of inception, such plants provide vital connection to others with a shared, honored heritage “from home,” here in “the new world” of America. Part-and-parcel are issues of back-up resources to be found if the senior pastor becomes ill — or might like time away for family or vacation. And then, as the church grows, how will the added obligations for hospital visits, weddings, and other ministries to be handled?
Later still, as the “newer generations” emerge, can — and should — the culture of the ethnic church change? If so, how? through services differentiated by language? introduction of “melting pot” traditions? [12-15]
Dr Osorio addressed this without hesitation. “Every church, regardless of its size, can be healthy and multiplying and thus impact the world with the gospel for the glory of God.
For this we need to work together. Pastors, please remember that NAMB wishes to walk together with you.”
Or, as translated into his own, personal “heart language,” the quote immediately above may be translated: “Toda iglesia, sin importar su tamaño, puede ser saludable y multiplicadora e impactar así el mundo con el evangelio para gloria de Dios. [16]
Para ello necesitamos trabajar juntos. Pastores, por favor recuerden que NAMB desea caminar junto con ustedes.
The next two installments of this coverage will be published on Saline Journal tomorrow (May 28), and on Sunday (May 29, 2022). [17]
References
- “The Great Commission – What is it?” (2022) Compelling Truth.
- Scripture excerpted from New American Standard Bible (NASB).
- Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) (home page).
- “North American Mission Board” (NAMB) Southern Baptist Convention.
- “SEND Network” NAMB.
- “About Three-in-Ten US Adults Are Now Religiously Unaffiliated” Gregory A Smith (December 14, 2021) Pew Research Center.
- “Southern Baptists to recognize Church Planting Emphasis Sunday March 27” Brandon Elrod (March 23, 2022) Baptist Press.
- Baptist State Convention of Michigan (home page).
- Bethlehem Baptist Church (home page).
- “Second-Generation Americans” (February 7, 2013) Pew Research Center.
- “Is an Immigrant Considered First or Second Generation?” Dan Moffett (February 16, 2021) ThoughtCo.
- “What history tells us about assimilation of immigrants” Ran Abramitzky (April 12, 2017) Institute for Economic Policy Research (SIEPR), Stanford University.
- “Tribalism Divides Us — Only Individualism Can Unite Us” Tom Bowden (August 20, 2018) An Rand Institute.
- “Do We Really Want Immigrants to Assimilate?” Peter Skerry (March 1, 2000) Brookings Institution.
- “Melting Pot or Salad Bowl?” (January 21, 2019) The Pennsylvania State University.
- “Baptist State Convention of Michigan hosted ethnic-linguistic event to support new church startups, Part 2: Testimonials” Dell Deaton (May 28, 2022) Saline Journal.
- “Baptist State Convention of Michigan hosted ethnic-linguistic event to support new church startups, Part 3: Work Sessions” Dell Deaton (May 29, 2022) Saline Journal.
