Mark DeYmaz's Blog, page 5

Global Faith Forum: An Essential Conversation

 

Check out the Global Faith Forum November 11-13, 2010.  It's not too late to register!

Recently I was asked to comment on whether or not the American Church is prepared to reach the global village. My response? "We're not yet able, nor even willing, to reach diverse people living right here at home across the street!" It's sad, but true.

Consider just a few of the facts:

92.5% of churches in the United States are racially segregated; i.e., 80% or more of individual membership in these churches represents a single (homogenous) people group;1


Churches in the United States are ten times more segregated than the neighborhoods in which they are located and twenty times more segregated than the public schools in their neighborhood, as well;2


Between 1990 and 2007, church attendance in the United States increased by 446,540 people though the population in general increased by 56,819,471.3

Can you say, correlation?

Surely it breaks the heart of God that so many churches are segregated along ethnic and economic lines and that little has changed in the more than one hundred years since it was first observed that eleven o'clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour of the week. Christ-followers, particularly, should take note: for an increasingly diverse and cynical society will no longer find credible the message of God's love for all people when it's proclaimed from segregated pulpits and pews.

More than this, the segregation of the local church unintentionally perpetuates systemic racism in society according to the research of sociologists Michael Emerson and Christian Smith and painfully revealed in their groundbreaking book, Divided by Faith (Oxford University Press, 2001).

Why? Because, ultimately, racism is a spiritual problem. As such, it is best dealt with not by educators or legislators but by spiritual leaders serving in houses of faith through which diverse men and women can learn to walk, work and worship God together as one. Indeed, we can educate and legislate our way beyond the past; and well we should. But in the end, unless individual hearts are reconciled to an eternal God who loves all men and women equally, who considers them His own, there will be no authentic motivation to love those who are different than us; consequently, there will be no peace on earth or goodwill toward men.

That's why I am so excited to join the conversation this week at the Global Faith Forum in Dallas, Texas. Hosted by Pastor Bob Roberts Jr., and the people of NorthWood Church, this unique gathering has been designed to build bridges of understanding and respect among spiritual leaders from a variety of faith traditions. Through the conference, then, we who are best positioned to impact the hearts of men and women will be better equipped to shape attitudes, stereotypes and behaviors adversely affecting the global village today … and, hopefully, inspire others to follow in our steps to promote a path peace, beyond the differences, within their own spheres of influence.

I hope to see you there! 

__________________________

1From the research of sociologists Michael O. Emerson and Christian Smith originally published in the groundbreaking book, Divided By Faith: Oxford University Press, 2001.

2Ibid., the same study having been updated in 2007

3Dave T. Olson: The American Church Research Project, 2010

The Old K-Mart: How Do You Know?

After nearly nine official years as a church, we (at Mosaic) have embarked on a journey to raise a minimum of $1,000,000 in cash and/or three-year pledges by the end of December 2010 in order to purchase a permanent home in Little Rock's University Distirct: the old K-Mart on the corner of University and Asher/Colonel Glenn Rd. Amazingly, we will purchase the 100,000 sq. ft. facility that sits on 10-acres of paved lot for only $1.7 million in cash - that's $17 a sq. ft not including the land!

Recently, I was asked, "How has God clearly revealed that this is His will for our church?

Well, I've actually written about this before. Here's the story ...

Not long after
Linda had rekindled my faith with her words, I learned that a
100,000-square-foot facility just a few blocks east of us had been sold.
Situated on a 10-acre piece of property, the building rests on one of the
busiest corners in the state of Arkansas. More important, it's located directly
across the street from UALR and is in the heart of the University District, the
most diverse area of the city. In addition, it borders an area with the highest
instance of violent crime in Little Rock and, according to the 2000 census,
21.5% of people living in the area live at or below the poverty line. In other
words, it is right where we want to be!

So when I
received a call alerting me to its sale, I was sick! For more than a year, two
men had tried to acquire this property, in part, to provide long-term space for
the church. Unfortunately, they had not been successful, and this facility
(which once housed a Kmart) was sold to a local businessman, the owner of Office
Furniture Supply (OFS), Inc.

With
discouragement swirling within me, I called Linda to share the news. And when I
did, she said, "This doesn't make sense! You know that for more than three
years I've told you, every time I drive by that building I see the fl ags of
Mosaic flying over it. I just know God's going to give it to us, Mark; I'm sure
of it! The story's already been written and God has the perfect place for us.
It's already done! We just need to pray right now that he'll show us where it
is and soon, whether that's the old Kmart building or somewhere else." So
together, we then prayed and concluded our call. Linda had encouraged me, but
still I was concerned.

Next I called
Harry. After I had filled him in, he told me that he had once purchased a house
on a desirable piece of property just outside Moscow, Idaho. On the very day
that he did, however, another man approached him wanting to buy it. The man
made an offer, and Harry accepted it - flipping the home he had just purchased
for a profit. "Perhaps," Harry said, "the new owner of the facility would do the
same for us."

"Say no more," I
said, and springing into action, I quickly placed a call—cold turkey—to OFS,
Inc. Fortunately, the owner, Mike Montgomery was in, and I introduced myself
over the phone. Indeed, he had secured the property and was in the process of
closing the deal.

Trying not to
sound desperate, I nevertheless found myself saying, "What if we were to give
you $500,000 more than you are paying for the property? Would you be willing to
sell?"

By that time, we
had talked for about ten minutes, and Mike suggested we continue our discussion
in person. Filled with optimism, I rushed over to see him. And within ten
minutes of my arrival, Mike made it clear: "Someday, Mark, your church is going
to own this property. And I can assure you, it has nothing to do with money!"

"You see," Mike
said, "eleven years ago, I was a homeless drunk sleeping behind 'your'
Wal-Mart. I was eating food out of the dumpster at McDonald's, and my only light
came from the candles I would occasionally purchase for $1 right here in the
Kmart. One day, though, someone came by and left a tract—I don't even know who
it was—but after reading it, I began attending Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)
meetings.

In time, I
sobered up and soon gave my life to Jesus Christ. And for four years now, I
have watched your church grow and minister to 'my people' here in the
community. It would thrill me, Mark, to see Mosaic permanently located here!"

Quite frankly, I
was blown away! As we talked, tears began to flow from his eyes and mine.
Somehow we both sensed that this was a holy moment, a divine appointment in
which we had been led together into take intentional
steps the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. And in
that moment, Mike became our "Esther," a man positioned for such a time as
this.

When I returned
to the church, I again called Linda to share with her all that had happened in
a very brief time, and we began to cry tears of joy. She told me that after we
had talked earlier, she had spent more time in prayer and had been led in God's
word to 2 Chronicles 7, where Solomon, together with the people of Israel,
dedicate the Temple. Reading from the passage, she shared the very words that
our hearts were bursting to express: "When all the people of Israel saw the fi
re coming down, and the glorious presence of the Lord filling the temple, they
fell down on the ground and worshipped and praised the Lord, saying, ' He is so
good! The faithful love of the Lord endures forever!'" (2 Chronicles 7:3).

With these words,
Israel had finally received and dedicated the Temple and we now realized that
Mosaic, too, would one day receive and dedicate a building of its own in which
to worship God—the old Kmart, after all! It was a fitting end to the roller
coaster of emotions we had ridden that day, April 20, 2006.

To make a long
story short, we then had Mike and his wife, Monica, together with their
children, come and share his testimony at Mosaic on November 19, 2006. And a
few weeks later, he was back again, this time to sign a contract with us in
front of the body. At that time, we agreed to buy the property within the next
three years for $2,000,000—only $20 a square foot—for which we will receive the
10-acre site, the 100,000-square-foot facility, and 500 parking spaces to call
our own. What a thrill it was to give him the $100,000 we had saved as a down
payment! But wait, there's more.

The following
week, we received another anonymous check in the mail—you guessed it, in the
amount of $100,000—as well as a $250,000 matching gift pledge. Amazingly, the
phone call informing me of these gifts came one year to the day that we had
dismissed our Sunday service early to conduct a prayer walk on the old Kmart
grounds. And as part of the contract, Mike agreed to deduct $300,000 off the
purchase price at the time of closing. Therefore, we will need a total of only
$1,700,000 to make the purchase; as I write, we are nearly half-way there! God
is, indeed, answering our prayers, not only for a facility but also for the
miraculous provision of it so that, in the end, we will all be able to say, Not
by might, not by power, but by the Spirit it has been done.

Admittedly,
throughout more than twenty years of full-time ministry, I have not often viewed
praying or waiting as intentional steps. Of course, I know I am "supposed" to
pray, but I struggle with a temperament compelled to action. Through my
experience at Mosaic, however, I am learning to embrace the tension and more
fully abandon myself to this principle: 
Sometimes intentionally, I must wait upon the Lord. To wait patiently on
God to reveal his will, his way, and his time runs contrary to my very
personality and to all that the world says will lead me to success. But in and
through this ministry, and more so than in any other place I have been, I have
seen God work in ways that cannot be otherwise attributed to the ingenuity of
man. At such times, I feel his power and his pleasure. At such times, I know
that God is really the One building a healthy multi-ethnic church!

Adapted from the book, Building a Healthy Multi-ethnic Church by Mark DeYmaz (Jossey-Bass/Leadership Network, 2007)

What We Really Need ...

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Recently Tom Steers, founder and co-director of Asian American
Ministries for The Navigators, wrote a guest opinion column which was published online (only) by Christianity Today (July 7, 2010). The
column is entitled, Needed: More Monocultural Ministires.

In
the opinion piece ("not necessarily representing the opinion of the
publication," as CT makes clear in the footer), Steers argues that a multicultural society demands more
monocultural ministries. In so doing, however, he does not...

Part One of My Interview w/ Out of Ur

My friend and fellow multi-ethnic church pioneer, David Swanson, recently interviewed me for Out of Ur, the online blog published by Leadership Journal. The interview focused specifically on my recently released book, Ethnic Blends: Mixing Diversity Into Your Local Church that addresses some of the unique challenges faced by multi-ethnic churches and their leaders. 

I have reproduced the interview here for your convenience and with appreciation and credit to David Swanson.

In the book you...

Favorable Reviews

Check out the latest reviews of my newest book, Ethnic Blends: Mixing Diversity Into Your Local Church, co-authored with my long-term colleague, Dr. Harry Li. We also appreciate the review of Dr. Warren Bird posted recently on Leadership Network's Website and Book Blog.

In addition, Zondervan is looking for a total of 20 reviewers to post up at Amazon on behalf of the book. Currently 8 reviews exist; so 12 more are needed. Won't you be one of them?

Simply click here to review the book...

Idea Camp Explores the Multi-ethnic Church

Ideacamp Session at Exponential 2010 with Efrem Smith, Janet McMahon and Mark DeYmaz from The Idea Camp on Vimeo.

Here at Exponential (by Mike Clowers)

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland," Isaiah 43:18-19.

When I stop to think that 60% of the population of America will not participate in the current forms of church in America, I'm glad God is doing a new thing among those He's called to start and plant new churches!  

Here at the Exponential conference, you sense it everywhere and it is such...

I'm Lovin' It! (by guest Irina Smith)

I've spent the last almost 24 hours with such a great variety of people, traveling across several states, through many different neighborhoods and communities. Just between three vehicles, we have Caucasians, African Americans, Hispanics, an Asian, a Russian and a blind guy! Only Mosaic Church could represent such diversity, even in small numbers. 

The hours on the vans have been spent talking, sleeping, laughing, sharing testimonies and snacks, even a worship session in three different...

Live from Orlando!

Good morning everyone, and a special welcome to members of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas who are stopping by for live blog reports all this week from our team of 30 or so folks here in Orlando attending the Exponential Conference. The fact is, we are not here simply as attendees but also as worship leaders who have been asked to provide worship for the approximately 3,500 or so people expected at this year's conference! It's a huge honor, and we are excited to bring a diverse pallet...

The "M" Word(s) ...

Before you read the following article ... and in honor of Exponential next week, tickets to the Multi-ethnic Church Conference can be purchased by April 30 for the amazingly low price of only $89! Register here and use the special code EXPO10 to save $50 over regular ticket pricing today! 

Want to attend both the Multi-ethnic Chruch Conference and the National Outreach Convention? Register here and use the special code EXPO20 to save even more! 

Now, the "M" Word(s) article ...

Mega...