Not true, Pastor Keller. Paul doesn't break up the church of Ephesians and say "too many Greeks!" No. Churches were naturally mono-cultural and mono-ethnic, not because of exclusion or racism, but due to natural national and geographic boundaries. There is no mandate to diversify each church body. Christ's mandate is to preach the gospel to all nations and accept all people. It's only your radical, post-segregation, racial quota fixation that is making this an issue. Once again, those in the "Gospel Coalition" begin passing manmade doctrines as Biblical.
He mentioned those natural national and geographic boundaries and says there is nothing wrong with that. It's just that a church shouldn't be mono-cultural *just to be* mono-cultural. Ultimatly the Church is one whole. All peoples and all cultures so in a way you are called to strive towards that. But of course it shouldn't be: oh we don't have enough diversity we need exactly ?% of every race and culture. But it should be: Striving towards being understandable, inviting and open towards as many different kinds of people as possible. This doesn't mean there shouldn't be churches that are aimed at a specific culture of course there should be because maybe a lot people only speak that one language. But like he said there is no good reason for basically being a "white people only" church if there are plenty of people who aren't white who speak the same language and live in the same town/city. Basically the point was interact with other Christians from other cultures who believe differently from you rather then trying to find a comfortable space where everyone believes the exact same things you do and agrees with you on everything. So it can still be church with only white people if there are no other people, but maybe there are people that are politically different or disagree with you on certain things about Christianity. So then there should be room for those people as well
Not true, Pastor Keller. Paul doesn't break up the church of Ephesians and say "too many Greeks!" No. Churches were naturally mono-cultural and mono-ethnic, not because of exclusion or racism, but due to natural national and geographic boundaries. There is no mandate to diversify each church body.
Christ's mandate is to preach the gospel to all nations and accept all people. It's only your radical, post-segregation, racial quota fixation that is making this an issue. Once again, those in the "Gospel Coalition" begin passing manmade doctrines as Biblical.
He mentioned those natural national and geographic boundaries and says there is nothing wrong with that.
It's just that a church shouldn't be mono-cultural *just to be* mono-cultural.
Ultimatly the Church is one whole.
All peoples and all cultures so in a way you are called to strive towards that.
But of course it shouldn't be: oh we don't have enough diversity we need exactly ?% of every race and culture.
But it should be: Striving towards being understandable, inviting and open towards as many different kinds of people as possible.
This doesn't mean there shouldn't be churches that are aimed at a specific culture of course there should be because maybe a lot people only speak that one language.
But like he said there is no good reason for basically being a "white people only" church if there are plenty of people who aren't white who speak the same language and live in the same town/city.
Basically the point was interact with other Christians from other cultures who believe differently from you rather then trying to find a comfortable space where everyone believes the exact same things you do and agrees with you on everything.
So it can still be church with only white people if there are no other people, but maybe there are people that are politically different or disagree with you on certain things about Christianity. So then there should be room for those people as well