Building a Strong Congregation: Meetings and Resources at D.I.C.A. Malta Diversity, in this context is “the state of having people who are different races or who have different cultures in a group or organization” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). Many gathering in churches worship are largely or remain primarily homogeneous. Recently, there have been movement toward embracing and enacting diversity within denominations and churches. Globalization and urbanization are playing a huge role in resuscitating the importance of diversity and racial reconciliation among evangelicals. And, I think for the sake of the gospel and the mission of God, this is a great thing. Now, one of my favourite passages in the Bible about this topic is found in Rev. 7.9 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands”. Our Church DICA Malta is a church that is very diverse, we have Maltese, Asians, Africans, Middle East and Hispanic. Our Church is a so diverse that we have about 15 different nationalities worshiping on a regular basis, we have counted to 21 nationalities at some point during our worship service on Sunday. My aim is to ensure when you come to our Church, you can look up to the platform and see yourself represented. I am particularly excited about this because it constantly reminds me of how in ‘heaven’, people from different nations, languages, tribes, colours, races, and social differences are going to be worshiping our God together under one Name, the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. This also reminds me that our identity in Christ is the number one goal rather than our culture, background or colours, geography or whatever. Overcomers’ Chapel is about people and about connection and interacting and value people from different background. In our Church by God’s grace, I see different people relating to one another not looking at our differences but the commonalities we shared together. Not allowing the stereotype or society issues of the day dictate how we connect with or to one another. Despite our differences and background, I see people that accept one another instead of trying to change the other person. Studying the Bible over the years, I have come to understand that when the children of Israel left Egypt, all of them are not just biologically connected but they are people from different races ‘foreigners’ in that group that Moses delivered from Egypt, they were more related through theocracy more than biology. So, in that context, their devotion is what makes them a family and not their nationality or country or colours or languages but because theologically, they have made the God of Israel their God.
So, if you look back to the beginning, you will found out that God is not about one group of people or one race or colour, God is about redeeming all human that have gone astray back to Himself through the sacrifice of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When people come to our church, we want them to see one family and not many families, we want people to make friends with family members and honour/respect their different culture. We see this in the lives of our children in School, they meet someone, and they are sincerely curious about what matters to them. So as believers, this is how we must relate to one another and especially people from different culture, and once we relate, then we look for commonality. Another thing I encourage at Overcomers’ Chapel is to look out for people who don’t look like you, I don’t like when people from the same place sit together and congregate together but reach out to people who don’t look like you and not wait for them to come to you. We also, encourage people not to refer or relate to people from other background with their nationality or colours but because they have a ‘great smile’ or dance good but just relating to people as people.
Some of the things that causes division in the Church, are fear, different definitions of right and wrong, communication differences about other peoples, holding on to our ‘culture’ etc. the problem is people feel when they are unconsciously approach with any of these things, and that create a barrier and now, they are not comfortable to be around you. As one body of Christ, we just need to relate to one another as humans. Yes, we can ask or genuinely trying to find out more about other people’s culture and hopefully build on a common ground and learn from one another. For example, I come from an African background, and I have seen that Asian like African’s have serious respect for their elders, respect for authority, they think ‘us’ and not ‘me’ in a way that Europeans don’t. so, in a multicultural environment, this is for me one of the ways we learn from one another. We must do away with our pride, spiritual and emotional immaturity, be flexible with one another, respecting each other’s culture and see each other as brothers and sister in love.
In one of my workers/minister’s forums in the future, I am looking at sharing or having them understand the time-honoured “DISC Profile System” which I went through myself and has helped me to better understand people and their differences. The four basic personalities or communication profiles are Dominant, Influence, Steady, and Conscientious. When people discover and discuss their personality styles, healthy communication may result. More importantly, biblical fellowship among people is the best way for people to understand one another and grow together (Acts 2.46).