It would be something very different – the best of both worlds. Pastor Kevin Turpin, a black pastor, and I, a white pastor, had finally decided—after much prayer and counsel—to start a new church together. It would be one that combined the best traditions of the white evangelical church with those of the historical black church. Our new church plant would not ask either group to unilaterally give up their rich traditions, but rather it would be a church that cherished the best of both worlds.

This “both/and” approach to ministry rather than an “either/or” one has had its challenges, but it has made our church a far more vibrant and relevant ministry.  We learned quickly that without intentionality and servant-leadership, our efforts would be in vain.  The idea that Sunday mornings are the most segregated hour of the week in America was just not acceptable.  And so intentional we were.  Every aspect of ministry was considered from both a Caucasian and African American perspective.

Even the coining of a new word -“trans-ethnic” – to describe our new church was intentional. It was created in order to convey a kingdom-centric rather than an ethno-centric perspective.  We could have chosen “multi-cultural” or “cross-cultural”, but both have some historical inferences we didn’t want. Trans-ethnicity, on the other hand, speaks of people coming together and not just cherishing ethnic and cultural differences, but recognizing that at the end of the day, biblical values must transcend all else.

I remember well our first Sunday when we featured our gospel choir accompanied by a Hammond organ.  Our white congregants didn’t know exactly what to do! Were they to stand and sing or sit and listen?  The African Americans too were a little unsure of things. How much freedom did they have to ‘go off script’?  Is it OK to ‘shout’? (By the way that is not lifting your voice but rather a Pentecostal spiritual dance). What about hats? This is why teaching is so important. I encourage everyone exhale and enjoy the variety.  I remind our church we must make distinctions between convictions and preferences.

Leading change in our church, I have found is most effective when using a little bit of humor to describe my own ignorance and fears. A congregational favorite is when I tell the story of the fear I had the first time I saw a painting of a black Jesus. Without thinking I put my children behind me to protect them. Pastor Kevin shares a funny story of being one of a handful of black ministers at several evangelical conferences and having his feet washed by well meaning white ministers as a symbol of repentance – three times in a row!

Now, what do I mean by “best of both worlds?” As an example, the white evangelical church has been a leader in advocating and supporting foreign missions, while the urban black church has a long history of focusing on local missions—caring for the needs of their neighbors. Both are equally important to a full-orbed outreach ministry and as such should both receive significant funding and priority.

One thing most folks will notice when they come into our weekend services is our eclectic approach to worship. We sing worship songs that come from contemporary Christian music, and we will sing gospel songs coming from the black church heritage. One is often led by a worship ensemble while the other often has a gospel choir. One claps on the beat, the other on the off-beat. In a typical service we enjoy both!

Our church is passionate about social justice and we strongly support the pro-life movement. These two biblical mandates have been historically championed to varying degrees depending on if you were in a black church or in a white church. We try not to politicize these issues, but believe both of them are vital kingdom concerns that are on the heart of God.

African American spirituality is often very passionate, communal and oral. While European spirituality is more often stoic, individualistic and didactic. One is caught and the other taught. One appeals to the heart first and then the mind, while the other more often does so in reverse. A trans-ethnic church will hear prayers that will soar to the rafters but also the mummer of quiet reflective ones. You will see handkerchiefs waving in support of something said and also hear reserved ‘amens’. Both are good and right.

I realize there is a risk of making generalizations about the connection of ethnicity and faith, but I think you get the idea. Whether it is music, prayer, preaching, dress or a general philosophy of ministry, different church backgrounds do things differently. Instead of saying there is only one “right” way to do something; we should seek the best of both worlds.

If you are a follower of Christ, believe in the Bible, and love God and your neighbor, then we have a lot of common ground. We should make it a priority to take the best of our unique church backgrounds and see them as gifts of God to be enjoyed and cherished by the whole body of Christ.