Separate but Equal: A case for cultural segregation in the church

The myth that individual local churches need to be a place of cultural diversity is only made possible by eliminating cultural differences instead of celebrating them.

I believe this myth is the single driving factor that keeps so many strong Christian young people fighting it out in their churches only to discover they've lost twice. You lose the first time when you try to change someone's cultural (it's impossible to make a modern person post-modern for example) and a second time because you lost the people in your own culture (no one is reaching them).

I grew up in a community with an enormous number of Korean immigrants. They had some of the most vibrant churches in our city. No one suggested they give all of that up to join our English speaking churches. We supported what they were doing.

If 3000 Portuguese suddenly moved into your town and you wanted to reach them wouldn't you need to learn the language, the culture and plant a church to reach their culture.

Then why in heaven's name do we tell young people who are post-modern culturally that they need to grow up and attend and build modern churches? When they dutifully say yes the biggest loser are the post-modern non-Christians who never get to experience a church designed for their culture. So the Gospel is never preached to them in a way that they can hear it...as good news.

If you find that you have a significant difference than your church culturally and there are a lot of lost people in your area within your culture then you need to plant or support a church plant that is designed to reach your culture. Stop with the grin and bear it approach to being a cultural misfit in a modern church. You will only stifle your own discipleship and seal the fate of non-Christians who share your cultural values.

P.S. I’m not talking about racial segregation. There are many Asian, African-Americans and White people in our country who share the same culture. It has nothing to do with your color but has everything to do with your culture.