From my perspective, all of this is grounded in our biblical understanding and being able to recognize God’s design for the church, for the people of God, to have a sense of the fact that it includes every tribe, every tongue, every nation, Gentiles, and Jews. That means creating a specific space for whoever we consider to be that “other” and adopting a posture that is totally different in the process.

Related: What an Old Testament prophet teaches us about God’s vision for diversity and inclusion

This material was originally recorded as part of the Renovations Project. It has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

Defining multicultural and multiethnic in leadership development

It’s important to clarify what we mean by “multicultural” as multiculturalism is viewed from so many different perspectives. Multicultural can include men and women, race and ethnicity, multi-generational, multi-economic, or different cultures within cultures. Here, I am not trying to define multicultural from everyone’s point of view; rather, I am simply trying to situate it within leadership development.

Followed by that, there’s also the multiethnic piece, which falls under the umbrella of multiculturalism; it is one of the elements and one of the components of it. But multiethnicity asks, what is the ethnic background? What is that identity? What is the community that you are connected to? What are those traditions and those values? It is a recognition of those things, while multiculturalism gives the push to live into that, to identify that a bit more.

I think the terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinction between the two. And more than pressing into the distinction, I think it’s important to know that multiethnicity exists within itself, and that we can be a multiethnic community without really leaning into the cultural values and without really digging deep into those cultural beliefs and traditions that really distinguish one ethnicity from the other. We can be born into an ethnicity and not really be immersed in what it means and the identity of that ethnicity. And that’s not a negative thing, but just something to recognize.

And so, when I talk about a multicultural society, I include all those components. When we talk about multicultural individuals, then we think along the lines of myself: I’m Puerto Rican born in the United States. Or it’s Japanese Canadian—it is the mixture of different, not just one, but two or three and even four, and coming to this realization that there’s all these mixtures within us. My daughter is Puerto Rican and from a German background. If you keep tracing that, then you begin to see just the diversity within the diversity, and it is a form of being able to embrace that and call people to live into the fullness of that, which is also a part of the leadership development journey. 

Go beyond surface-level differences to increase understanding

I think part of what the leadership development journey does is invite you to go deeper, to not stay surface level. There’s something that’s called the cultural iceberg that allows us to be aware of what is visible—that we look different, that we may eat different kinds of foods, or that we engage in different kinds of celebrations. Those are surface levels that are important and such an opportunity to validate people. But that’s not where it ends.

We have to take the time to dig deeper into the cultural values, and what are those cultural implications on how I think and view things. And so, coming together as a multiethnic or as a multiracial community means that you’re saying you’re not going to stay on the top of the iceberg, but you’re going to go deeper and understand that there’s never a singular identity. 

And that’s true for all of us in one way or another—that we are going to have the courage to explore what different things mean for our community and to not only highlight those but really take advantage of the opportunity and make that a part of our belief system. Having a multiracial church leads us into a place of being able to identify with different peoples from different kinds of cultures, but it also means that we roll up our sleeves and we engage with those things that are important to specific communities—that we’re not silent, that we’re not avoiding, but that we create these safe, sacred, and brave spaces to engage in difficult conversations and conversations that lead us to a place of awareness that changes our attitudes and shifts our minds, so that then it changes our actions from what we do at the church to how we do it at the church and why we do it. 

Highlight differences and build collective knowledge

I am a huge advocate for leadership development programs for multiethnic leaders. I think they’re so necessary because what they do is take into consideration the fact that we are bringing together people from different spaces and different cultures. We are intentionally saying that we are going to find the beauty and highlight not only the commonalities, but the differences—those things that distinguish us that weren’t ever intended to separate us, but that provide an opportunity for us to become one, to be united.

Part of what’s important in creating a multiethnic church or community is ensuring that there are those spaces in the beginning for everyone to be able to share what is their identity, what is the place that they are coming from, what is it that they bring to the table, and even be able to share from the perspective of how things are done in their own locale or in the place that they are operating out of. When this happens, it contributes to a collective knowledge, and it allows us to be able to glean from each other, to hear from each other, and therefore, to begin to walk down those areas with a greater level of assurance and with confidence of the kind of work that we are supposed to be doing.

Grow intercultural competency in everyone

I often talk about this from the perspective of being a leader who is not afraid to live into the fullness of who they are—walking to a place where you don’t have to walk on eggshells or walking into a space where you’re not afraid to move the furniture, or walking into a space where you don’t have to wear the hat of a person of color for everyone else (especially if you’re in a space for someone on behalf of a group of people, and you’re the only person of color). Knowing how to navigate those things is important for us, but it doesn’t mean that just because I’m a person of color, I’ve got this. On the contrary, I need to be engaged with other people who have gone down that pathway, who understand how to navigate white spaces, understand how to be able to be and bring the fullness of who they are in spaces where they may not be accepted, to understand how to navigate totally different cultures. I mean, I’m Puerto Rican, but Puerto Rican is not Dominican, and it’s not Mexican, and so how do I navigate that Mexican space in a way where we can actually accomplish some amazing work together, not just for the kingdom of God, but for the growth of the community and the binding that needs to take place in the process of it?

Related: Words of encouragement for pastors of color

I believe everybody should be growing in their own intercultural competencies. For me, intercultural competency comes from the place of knowing who I am, my own identity, my own cultural values, how I view my own ethnicity, my own people, and being so comfortable in my skin that I can walk with my head up high, representing who I am, why I was created for the purpose I was created, and knowing that I was created this way on purpose. But intercultural also means that I can engage with people from different cultural backgrounds—that I know how to navigate those conversations, how to interact, and I know what’s appropriate and what’s not. I think there’s a call for us to be able to step into that, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that that call automatically gifts us with the skills to be able to do it. 

Leadership development for multiethnic leaders creates those safe spaces to have those kinds of conversations, where we learn how to engage with each other and also with a majority culture. 

Tips for welcoming multiethnic leadership

Put in the work to retain the leader and create belonging

One of the important steps to creating a multiethnic community is diversifying, but it’s where we have the tendency to just hire a person of color to come and occupy the space. That’s honorable and something that I definitely applaud as it is a step forward, but that is not the solution, not the end. It’s only the beginning; it’s actually a tiptoeing into beginning to engage with people from different cultural backgrounds. One of the things that I share as a consultant is if you’re going to bring that person in, and it is a solo person, then do it honorably, not just make the honorable attempt to do this, but you have to do everything possible to retain that person. Often, a church or organization puts the emphasis on recruiting, on bringing people in. So, “Who can we woo into the space who will come and lead us in worship?” Or, “Who can serve in a pastoral role that is from a different cultural background?”

But the emphasis on recruiting doesn’t meet the needs of the person once they’re recruited. One of the greatest disappointments is to come to a space where you feel like they really wanted you, but they’re doing nothing to really care for you to keep you in this space. And so, when welcoming multiethnic leadership, you need to think about how you’re going to keep that person and how you’re going to continue to consider the values of this person and not overlook their sacrifices. You need to recognize their culture, identity, and upbringing, then protect that and create a space for that multiethnic leader to live into. Make sure that person has a voice and is acknowledged and has space at the table—that they belong.

If we’re not willing to put in the extra work to create space for that belonging and preserve relationships and culture, we don’t have the right to be recruiting people who come from different cultural backgrounds. 

Create plans for leadership development and congregational vision

When welcoming a multiethnic leader, I recommend creating a leadership development plan that allows the church or community to create a pathway for that person to be able to accomplish whatever God is calling them to do. Ask: what is God calling this person to do, and how do we fan those flames? And be very intentional to deliver a message that you have invited this leader, not because they have a particular gift or asset, but because you’re trying to be the church of God—trying to reflect the kingdom of God and trying to move forward.

As part of that plan, also identify the direction you are going in. This is the start, but what is your plan for six months, two years, three years, and so on? That is important for both the incoming leader and the church to see how the plan connects to who we’re supposed to be as a church. I hear a lot of churches say, “Well, we’re reflecting our immediate community because our immediate community is not diverse, it’s monocultural.” But this is not about the immediate community. (If you are in a community that has changed, please reflect that community!) But you don’t get a pass if your community is still the same color of the church, of the people attending the church. That’s an excuse. And this is about us being faithful to the gospel and being faithful to what the Church looks like. This is being faithful to what God has called us to be as a church. 

And so, you don’t wait for the people of color to move into the neighborhood. You do this because it’s part of our Christian belief, it is part of what is grounded in who we are as a congregation, and so we should be preaching from our pulpits and we should be singing in different languages. We should be delivering a message that is inclusive of people, not because of the neighborhood, but because it’s simply part of what we’ve been commissioned to do and what God has entrusted to us. 

Leverage (and develop) the leadership of the laity 

I do believe that this whole aspect of us growing in our intercultural competence belongs to all of us, regardless of our cultural backgrounds. It is important for us to be able to equip every single person in the church to gain ownership, to want to own this work of creating a beloved community, of creating a community where everybody belongs. And so, laity play an important role in this because they are the people who are sitting in the pews next to the people who are coming into the congregation. They are the ones who are either extending the hand of fellowship or they are the ones who are unsure of how they interact with people who may be different than what they are. And so, these are learned skills and these are opportunities that we have to grow.

Intercultural competency in the corporate world is number three in terms of skills that big major companies look for. Why? Because we live in that kind of world. If it’s that important for the rest of the world, how could it not be important to us as a church? We own this. This is part of God’s nature—this creativity and this diversity is part of who God is. And so, then this becomes important for laity to know how to live that out, and this becomes important for laity to be able to engage others. I think there’s a huge workforce behind laity; there’s a huge opportunity because a laity is laity in the church, but they’re also serving in other spaces, be it in their immediate neighborhoods or in their own work setting. And so, part of equipping within church is not just for the benefit of laity working within the church; it’s for the benefit of laity working and being the church outside of the four walls of the church. 

And so, it does us real good to emphasize how we give laity the kind of leadership development skills that will allow them to grow in their leadership capacity and to grow in ways that they are able to welcome others to the church. I’m huge on this sense of belonging because the truth is we all want to belong. I think belonging “belongs” to laity. Laity are the people who create the space that is belonging, who deliver this message of “you belong here.” And while the pastor may say one thing from the pulpit and the people on the platform may deliver very particular messages, it’s the laity—the church body, that majority group—who really delivers the message of what the church culture is. The laity lives out what the church really believes and practices.

Related: Use every member to grow a healthy church

Embrace a diverse reality and ask hard questions

In terms of leadership in the United States and ecclesial leadership in particular, there is great opportunity to grow in multiethnic leadership and to build diverse teams. The times have changed, we have changed, and our communities do not look the same. There is great diversity within the United States, and that is not anything that we have real control over. We can make all kinds of decisions to try and have some influence upon the numbers, but the population is what the population is. I think that’s an opportunity to ask, “God, what do we do with this? What do you intend by this? What does this mean for us as a church?”

The statistics in the U.S. show the majority culture being in decline and the diverse cultures growing in terms of population. That’s an opportunity to ask, “How do we inhabit this world together?” And it’s easy to focus on preserving what is already existing or keeping the status quo or the way things have always been. I understand that because change is hard. It’s never been an easy thing; even good change still means change, and it still requires some adjustments. But we have a call and we have a mandate, and we are the ones who have to lead the way on how we engage and interact and how we respond. If there is something greater behind all of this, I’m not interested in missing out. If God is choosing to allow such a diverse make-up, it is the reality, and it is important for us to be able to embrace that reality and be responsive to it.

Related: Why church leaders need to lead from imagination, not memory

And so, the bigger question that we have to address is this: how can we begin to see each other in such a way where nobody has to stay out of the circle, and they can come just as they are, and we can still engage in the kind of opportunities and in the kind of blessings that will allow us to reflect who God is—God’s nature and God’s love towards us?

Live into cross-cultural opportunities as a family

If we don’t begin to see them, then the opportunities for multiethnic church will not exist. Even as the population becomes more diverse, the diversification of our churches is not happening yet; we’re still just as segregated. Yes, there has been a birth of more multiethnic churches but the majority of our churches still continue to be segregated. And even the majority of multiethnic churches today are led by white male pastors. And so, there has to be a change in that as well, or at least we have to ask ourselves the question, is there not space for any other multiethnic leader? And if not, then why? We have to just consider these questions because this is not necessarily a right or wrong leadership model. Praise be to God that some white male pastors are leading and paving the way! But we have to ask: How do we begin to establish multiethnic churches that are led by multiethnic leaders? And if we can’t, then why? How do we begin to get to the root of these things?

I happen to be married to a wonderful minister of God who is white. He’s a white leader. And this is part of our reality, too, as far more of our friends are biracial couples—couples who are coming together from different cultural backgrounds. I think marriage has been one of the primary things that has led us into having those kinds of conversations, and that should be happening at a broader level. I’m a better person because I married him, he’s a better person because I married him, and we believe our child is a better person because she gets the opportunity to think in a way that other people who may be monocultural have to work at gaining those skills. But she lives into culture, one where I’m constantly speaking in Spanish and one where I’m speaking in English. She can handle intercultural complexities in a different way. This is not a negative; it is a plus.

If we can acquire that kind of skill, have those cross-cultural communication dialogues, and know how to interact like that, everybody wins. And so, I want to invite you into a space where you think about inviting different people from different cultural backgrounds to the table. Make a team of people that surround you that really reflects multiethnic diversity. And not only invite them to be a part of the conversation, but create the spaces and the designs, even customized, that will allow them to flourish as leaders so that they bring the knowledge that they can to the table, and it becomes collective knowledge. Think about it, not as a top-down model of leadership, but as a shared leadership, a distributed leadership where there’s this sense that there’s value in the different perspectives, and that they won’t be dismissed. On the contrary, if something sounds unique or something sounds totally different than anything that has ever been done before, create such a culture that those things become the norm, that out of the box thinking will be part of the norm, but also that the cultural dynamics and the experiences have space to be brought forward. 

In that kind of culture and space, everybody wins. Everybody has the opportunity to grow and to expand. We need models that are community-based, that are embedded within communities—models that are fully missional, where the church is still a gathering place, where the church is still a place of discipleship and of growth, but strategically, with the intention of being sent out into the community and occupying very tangible and visible spaces within the community. We need models, and we need teams of people who know that they have something to contribute.

I believe the family framework works well for a church. Yes, there’s dysfunction in some families and there are difficulties in some families, and some families may not be this perfect unit as we see them, but they’re still a part of a greater family. There is still a model of family that has been projected upon us, that is not defined by societal means or the way that we perceive the family unit, but is designed by what we read in Scripture, and we need to recapture that again. We need to gain a hold of that. We need to have each other’s back, and we need to be able to be the hands and feet of Christ to other people. And so, I think these missional models need to include a whole sense that it’s not just about us, or it’s not just about how big we grow, but it’s about the other us. It’s about the greater body, those who may profess to have a relationship with Christ and those who may profess to not be in relationship with Christ. It is about the people and how we empower and how we live with people who may be different from us. That includes a leadership pipeline that is like an irrigation system that allows for different entry points, and something that is not static, but is alive, and that really is able to zero in on the better and the good and the benefit of all people.