For more than one hundred years, eleven o'clock on Sunday morning has been called the most segregated hour in the land. Despite the integration of -public schools, the workplace, and neighborhoods, the local church -stubbornly clings to homogeneity. As America grows more and more diverse, the local church will be forced to adapt in order to remain relevant and effective. Good intentions, however, are not enough to inspire systemic change.

Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church explains why the growing -fascination with multi-ethnic churches must not be focused on racial reconciliation but on reconciling individuals to Jesus Christ and on reconciling local congregations of faith with the inclusive nature of the New Testament Church. Through personal stories and a thorough analysis of the biblical text, Mark DeYmaz, pastor of one of the most proven multi-ethnic churches in the country, provides the theological mandate for the multi-ethnic church and outlines seven core commitments required to bring it about. Writing from his comprehensive experience in planting, growing, and encouraging more -ethnically diverse communities of faith, he demonstrates why the most -effective way to advance the Gospel in the twenty-first century will be through strong and vital multi-ethnic churches.

Mark DeYmaz challenges pastors and lay people alike who believe that the kingdom of heaven is not segregated to create local churches on earth that will not be either. Through such efforts, the Gospel will be newly proclaimed in power and the church restored to a place of prominent influence in an increasingly multi-ethnic, multi-racial nation.

MARK DEYMAZ is pastor of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas, a multi-ethnic and economically diverse church where men and women from more than thirty nations currently worship God together as one. He is a cofounder of the Mosaix Global Network, an organization dedicated to enlisting and equipping leaders intent on the development of multi-ethnic churches throughout America and beyond. Formerly he served on Little Rock's Racial and Cultural Diversity Commision.

About Leadership Network xi

Foreword by George Yancey xiii

Preface by Mark L. Pryor xv

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction xix

Part One The Biblical Mandate

1. The Prayer of Christ 3

2. The Pattern at Antioch 13

3. The Pauline Mystery 27

Part Two The Seven Core Commitments of a Multi-Ethnic Church

4. Embrace Dependence 43

5. Take Intentional Steps 55

6. Empower Diverse Leadership 70

7. Develop Cross-Cultural Relationships 81

8. Pursue Cross-Cultural Competence 94

9. Promote a Spirit of Inclusion 108

10. Mobilize for Impact 119

Part Three On Planting, Revitalizing, and Transforming

11. For Those Planting a Multi-ethnic Church 135

12. For Those Revitalizing a Declining Church, by Rodney Woo 149

13. For Those Transforming a Homogeneous Church, by Kim Greenwood with John Jordan 164

Conclusion: All That We Should Be 183

Notes 185

About the Author 195

Index 197