A part time pastor speaks of his experience

Comment from JSJ: I may have made some mistakes in writing this, please forgive me if I have written anything that is insensitive.

What would you like to say to him, after hearing his experience, and seeing his map-making?

1. Difficulties of Cultural Diversity (from my perspective)

As someone who pastors a small neighbourhood fellowship after office hours, I feel keenly how our cultural mix tests both leaders and laity:

1. Language and Connection

   • Every Sunday I preach in Amharic, but a handful of Oromo‑ and Tigrinya‑speaking families struggle to follow. Translators aren’t always available, and I worry that some visitors (including internationals) feel marginalised.

   • During tea after the service, I see groups clustering by mother tongue; bridging these conversations requires intentional conversation starters and hospitality.

2. Worship Styles

   • I grew up singing traditional Amharic hymns, but younger members—exposed to American worship bands—push for drums, electric guitar and choruses in English. Finding a service format that honours both our heritage and our global connections is a weekly challenge.

   • Some older saints view expressive clapping or spontaneous prayers as “too informal”; yet when I stick solely to formal liturgy, my university‑aged friends say it feels cold.

3. Ethnic Sensitivities and Past Wounds

   • In staff meetings I sense unspoken tension between leaders from different tribes: gentle humour from one group can be misread as disrespect by another. We carry historic memories of regional conflicts, and unless addressed, they surface in subtle ways.

4. Integrating Expatriates

   • I’ve invited a Korean missionary and a Brazilian nurse to join our Bible study, but they often default to speaking among themselves in English. I’m learning how to rotate discussion leadership so locals and internationals alike practise both hospitality and humble listening.

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2. Opportunities to Celebrate Our Cultural Mosaic

Despite the hurdles, God has given us a vibrant tapestry of gifts:

1. Multilingual Worship Celebrations

   • Last month I organised a “Sunday of Nations” service: verses of our key worship choruses were sung in Amharic, Afaan Oromo, English and Portuguese. Seeing our congregation join hands across language lines reminded me of our true home.

2. Cultural Story‑Sharing Evenings

   • Once a quarter we gather after work for “Culture & Faith Nights.” An Ethiopian elder shared how he found Christ in a rural coffee ceremony; a Kenyan teacher testified through Swahili praise songs; a Thai nurse taught us a hymn in her mother tongue. These evenings build empathy and expand our vision.

3. Inter‑Generational Mentors

   • I pair new university graduates with seasoned saints: youth teach digital Bible‑study apps, while the seniors share how they weathered persecution in the 1980s. This mutual investment knits generations together and honours each other’s strengths.

4. Cross‑Cultural Service Projects

   • Together with expatriate friends I’ve led a clean‑water initiative in a neighbouring village. Working side by side dismantles stereotypes faster than any sermon can.

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3. Biblical Anchor Points

In my Bible studies and training sessions I return again and again to these scriptural truths:

1. Every Tribe, Tongue and Nation before the Throne

   • Revelation 7:9 paints our destiny: “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the Lamb.” This vision illuminates our gatherings today: each translated hymn or shared custom is a rehearsal for heaven’s choir.

2. One Body, Many Members

   • 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 describes the church as one body with many parts. I remind our small‑group leaders that if our “left foot” (one cultural group) refuses to honour the “right hand” (another), the body cripples its witness. Mutual respect and celebration are non‑negotiable.

3. Mutual Submission Out of Reverence for Christ

   • Ephesians 5:21 calls us to “submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” For me, submitting looks like occasionally choosing an Oromo song when I’d rather sing Amharic, or pausing to translate a point into English before moving on.

4. God’s Sovereign Plan to Gather All Peoples

   • Genesis 12:3 and Matthew 28:19–20 frame our mission: blessing the nations and making disciples of all peoples. When I lead Bible study, I keep asking, “How would our Angolan sister or our Indian brother hear this truth?” This question reshapes illustrations, applications and even meeting times.

Comment from JSJ: What did you make of his understanding of the Bible?

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4. Practical Next Steps in My Leadership Journey

As I juggle my day job and my calling, here are practices I’m forging in my local fellowship:

1. Rotate Service Planning Teams
   – Ensuring representation from Amhara, Oromo, Tigray, expatriates and youth on our weekly rota helps services reflect our full diversity.

2. Develop a Simple Translation Roster
   – I’m recruiting bilingual volunteers who can offer whispered summaries for non‑Amharic speakers during sermons—and producing one‑page summaries of key points in English.

3. Host Quarterly “Vision Evenings”
   – Teaching on Revelation 7:9 and other unity texts, I invite every cultural group to bring a symbol (a song, a costume, a story) that captures their part in God’s story.

4. Encourage Cross‑Cultural Prayer Pairs
   – Each week I pair two people from different backgrounds to pray together by phone or in person, fostering friendships and spiritual accountability.

Conclusion
Navigating our kaleidoscope of cultures is demanding—especially when I’ve spent eight hours at the bank and still need to prepare for Sunday. Yet each challenge is an opportunity to mirror the vastness of God’s eternal worship. By embracing multilingual praise, celebrating unique customs, and rooting every initiative in the vision of Revelation’s heavenly assembly, our small fellowship becomes a living anticipation of the day when every tribe, tongue and nation bows together before the Lamb.

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