We live in a culturally diverse society. As the church continues to heed Christ's call to reflect the multiethnic character of his people, pastors and lay leaders need to gain skills and competencies to serve in multicultural contexts, both inside and beyond their congregations. With this book, Mark Lau Branson and Juan F. Martínez equip leaders to create environments that make God's reconciling initiatives apparent in church life and in missional engagement with their neighborhoods and cities.
Drawing on courses they've taught at Fuller Theological Seminary, Branson and Martínez take an interdisciplinary approach that integrates biblical and theological study with sociology, cultural anthropology, leadership studies, and communications. The result is a rich blend of astute analysis and guidance for the practical implementation of a deeper intercultural life for the church.
Case studies, Bible studies, and exercises for personal and group reflection address real-life challenges and opportunities that arise in multiethnic contexts. Churches, Cultures, and Leadership offers not a static model but a praxis of paying attention, study, and discernment that can lead to genuine reconciliation and shared life empowered by the gospel.
This new edition is updated throughout to address current trends and sources, particularly emphasizing the continuing power of racism and how churches should respond.
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List of Bible Studies
List of Personal Reflections / Group Exercises
List of Figures and Tables
Introduction: Who, What, Why?
Part I: Theology and Context
1. Practical Theology and Multicultural Initiatives
2. Missional Ecclesiology and Church Context
3. Sociocultural Structures, Ethnicity, and Churches
Part II: Sociocultural Perspectives
4. Worldviews, Reality, and Assumptions
5. Language, Gestures, and Power
6. Defining Social Relations
7. Self-Perception and Individuality
8. Perception and Thinking
Part III: Leadership, Communication, and Change
9. Intercultural Communication
10. Leading Change
11. Practices for the Calling
Appendix: Lectio Divina: Dwelling in the Word
General Index
Scripture Index
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Juan Francisco Martínez (Ph D, Fuller Theological Seminary) has served as vice president for diversity and international ministries, director of the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community, and professor of Hispanic studies and pastoral leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary. His recent books include The Story of Latino Protestants in the United States.