Applied Leadership Principles in Multiracial/Multiethnic Churches

We would all be a lot wiser, and a lot smarter if we had a looking glass to see what life holds in store every five to ten years. Upon reflection on our lives, we can discern the transformations, and in some instances, we may recognize the guiding influence of God’s providence. I’m often reminded of the words from the prophet Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). As I look back on my life, I see how the plan laid out for me was not according to my will or by my design. I was raised in an homogenous community, where 90 percent of households were led by single mothers. The projects were 100 percent black. In this context, I developed a unique perspective on family dynamics. My maternal lineage originates from Jasper, Texas, where my relatives resided during an era characterized by the pervasive presence of Jim Crow laws, Sundown laws, and the activities of the Ku Klux Klan. Raised in a racist community, my cousin wanted more for me. So, I was bused to the only magnet school in Baytown, Texas, for elementary students. The school bus picked up several white students; a Hispanic family, and a Vietnamese refugee (in the United States for a humanitarian reason) who had lost an arm in the Vietnam War. This was my first encounter with diverse ethnicities, which fostered a multiethnic perspective of the world. It was on this school bus that I learned to see and celebrate diversity.