Preserving Unity and Celebrating Diversity
Pursuing Multiethnic Fellowship Through Multiple Chapters
By Greg Jao
This paper outlines core convictions driving our use of multiple chapters to reach different ethnic and affinity groups on a single campus in InterVarsity.
It provides the biblical basis for our convictions and serves as the foundation for our continuing commitment to affirm, to develop, and to broaden our work in this way. It is critical for us to articulate our beliefs so that we can understand our position and practices as we pursue our ministry together. Because of the practical implications of this issue, we cannot partner effectively in advancing witnessing communities on campus without broad- based understanding and consensus that our position is a biblically-supported position.
This paper first considers how the events of salvation history -- Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Consummation -- shape our understanding of culture and ethnicity. Then, this paper briefly reviews how the early Church shaped its ministry in light of cultural and ethnic issues. Both sections include the implications for our ministries which we derive from our observations.
