Our communities consist of immigrants, refugees and people of numerous cultures and backgrounds. However, we still find ourselves living in a place much like Samaria — where people were looked at differently because of race or ethnicity. Unless we engage like Jesus did with all people of all backgrounds, we will likely miss what God is doing in our generation.
In Today’s Conversation podcast, NAE President Walter Kim talks with Alex Mandes, author of “Embracing the New Samaria,” about the importance of our multi-ethnic future.
Walter and Alex also discuss:
How our response to fear impacts the Church’s mission;
How migration patterns can be an evangelistic tool;
What leaders and churches can do to bridge cultural gaps; and
Where we can find encouragement in the hard work of racial justice and ethnic embrace.
Read a Portion of the Transcript
Walter: How does our ethnic identity relate to our identity in Christ?
Alex: I see ethnicity as a gift but not for me. In fact, my ethnicity and culture never trumps the will of God. There are parts of my culture that I have to reign in and say that’s not in the Scripture. But there are other parts of it that are actually a gift. You know, we sleep with diversity every night if you are married. As a counselor I’ve come to realize that God intentionally marries us to people that see things different from us. I think those of us who have learned how to live with that in a good way have learned that’s not a curse, that’s a blessing … .
I’m convinced that different ethnicities see different elements of God that we miss … . Diversity not only helps us see different facets of God, but they’re also the force multipliers in terms of compelling the gospel beyond ourselves… . Diversity helps us see things about God. It helps us see things about each other. So no wonder the diversity propelled the gospel through the book of Acts.
Share the Love
If you enjoyed the program, please rate it on iTunes and write a brief review. That will help get the word out and raise the visibility of the show.
Today’s Conversation is brought to you by Brotherhood Mutual.
Share
Alex Mandes serves as the executive director of the All People Ministry for the Evangelical Free Church of America, as well as the founder and president of Immigrant Hope. Before joining the EFCA leadership team, he served as a pastor for 17 years. He is on the boards of The Navigators, The Immigration Alliance, and the National Association of Evangelicals. Mandes’ latest book is “Embracing the New Samaria: Opening Our Eyes to Our Multiethnic Future.” He holds a D.Min. and a Master of Theology from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a master’s of science in social work from The University of Texas at Austin.
Walter Kim became the president of the National Association of Evangelicals in January 2020. He previously served as a pastor at Boston’s historic Park Street Church and at churches in Vancouver, Canada and Charlottesville, Virginia, as well as a campus chaplain at Yale University. He preaches, writes and engages in collaborative leadership to connect the Bible to the intellectual and cultural issues of the day. He regularly teaches in conferences and classrooms; addresses faith concerns with elected officials and public institutions; and provides theological and cultural commentary to leading news outlets. He serves on the boards of Christianity Today and World Relief and consults with a wide range of organizations. Kim received his Ph.D. from Harvard University in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, his M.Div. from Regent College in Vancouver, and his B.A. from Northwestern University.