LEADING WITH DIVERSITY: GOALS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP IN A MULTICULTURAL CONGREGATION

As vital as pastoral leadership skill is to the spiritual growth of a multicultural church, likewise it becomes a problem when leaders are not efficient in demonstrating skills in moving the church forward. The situation of some pastors or church leaders in multicultural churches who exhibited inefficiency of leadership skills which adversely affected both the spiritual growth and relationship growth of their local churches poses a challenge to this paper. It is expected of leaders in a multicultural church to preach and teach true scripture without bias for the spiritual growth of the members and also maintain biblical discipline, which is a predominant way of improving leadership skills in a multicultural church. Every church leader is expected to see him or herself as a member of all cultural groups present in the church, being as well a predominant way of improving leadership skills in a multicultural church. Leaders should avoid ethnocentrism in decision making within the church as a means of improving leadership skills in a multicultural church. Leaders should learn other languages and use them while communicating with his/her congregation as a way of improving leadership skills in a multicultural church, focusing attention on preaching and teaching true scripture without bias for the spiritual growth of the members, and also maintain biblical discipline; seeing oneself as member of all cultural groups present in the church; and understanding and respecting core value of other cultures. To achieve a desired goal, a leader is obligated to set up these goals right; reduce conflict, recognition of others, respect for cultural differences, and healthy interaction between cultures.