Staffers Describe Cultural Diversity Journey

Loving others different from us takes a teachable spirit,” newly elected vice president of Wesley Seminary at IWU, Dr. Wayne K. Schmidt, told The Wesleyan Church’s General Board and their spouses during a November 17 dinner at the world headquarters. During his presentation, “Moving Your Church to Multi-Ethnic Inclusiveness,” Dr. Schmidt encouraged the denomination to continue to become more diverse in its General Church, district and local church ministries. “We have the history, theology, and opportunity.”

Joining him was his successor as senior pastor of the Kentwood, Michigan, church of nearly 3,000, Rev. Kyle Ray. A graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary and former engineer, Ray is the first African-American to serve the denomination as senior pastor of one of its largest congregations. Pastor Ray told of his own journey—visiting Kentwood following job relocation, joining the congregation, being mentored by Pastor Schmidt, working in lay ministry, answering God’s call to pastoral ministry, and then being invited to join the staff following his seminary training. He echoed the sentiments of Schmidt’s heart—“We intend to be intentional”—explaining that the church will continue to focus on multi-cultural ministries.

Kentwood’s Connections Community Pastor Kathy Resler-Chambliss asked General Board members to identify their “CQ” or cultural intelligence. She described multi-ethnic inclusiveness as “reaching across the chasm of cultural differences in ways that are loving and respectful.” Speaker and seminar leader as well as pastor, Rev. Resler-Chambliss led the board through a self-assessment of cultural intelligence, saying that our destination for the journey should be “learning to effectively express love for people unlike us.”

Church planter Rev. Troy Evans told of his conversion experience, involvement in Kentwood’s outreach and his call to minister to the hip-hop culture. The Edge, a daughter church of Kentwood Community, which is pastored by Rev. Evans, is reaching people who are largely unreached by traditional church ministries. •