By Estefania Sanchez
As we begin to dive in and explore the topic of our big research project, a few questions pop into my head. What is diversity? Why is it important? And most importantly, how is it directly impacting our church?
What is diversity? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word diversity means “the condition of having or being composed of differing elements: VARIETY”
A couple of years ago, I was given the opportunity to participate in a mission trip that took place in Chiang Mai, Thailand. I will admit, at first I was very nervous. I was scared that I wouldn’t be able to communicate with the villagers and locals around me because we spoke two different languages.
Yes, we had translators, but there is something about two groups of people from two different cultures interacting that almost seems like a form of art– a miracle more precisely. I quickly learned that diversity is something that can be found either on the other side of the world or even right next door to you. To be diverse means to bring something to the table of ideas that nobody else has to offer, and combining those ideas with the ideas of others to form a stronger community.
Why is diversity important? Well, to simply put it, without diversity, our world would be pretty dull. Diversity allows us to discover things about ourselves and others that we may never have been able to see. It is a concept that allows us to explore the cultures, lives, and ideas of other people so that we can be more informed as to how we are different from those around us and the impact those differences make. Diversity helps us see the world around us in full color, and it allows us to understand different views and perspectives those around us may have.
How does diversity directly impact our church? In today’s church, we see a rainbow of cultures that gather in one congregation for the same cause; to worship and praise. Seeing that it is not uncommon to have people of many cultural backgrounds meet in one place with the same goal, one must question, ‘”Is it diverse in numbers or is it diverse in cultural participation?”
Yes, diversity is the key to unlocking the background of people’s cultural habits and beliefs, but is it always accepted in the church?
This is a question that is in the process of being answered; and with this project, I hope to have an update soon.