Fellowship celebrates ethnic, linguistic diversity
By John W. Kennedy
The Celebration of Ethnicity held Friday in
the convention center was filled with a
multitude of languages, brilliant colors
and a wide variety of expressions of worship.
The Assemblies of God on Friday provided an unprecedented high-profile forum for diversity at a biennial General Council, featuring various ethnic and foreign language leaders at a U.S. Missions Intercultural Ministries luncheon followed by a two-and-a-half-hour service at the Colorado Convention Center.
The afternoon activities provided a significant and joyous unification of culturally and linguistically distinct elements within the Fellowship that never had gathered in one spot before.
General Superintendent Thomas E. Trask said ethnic minorities bring a unique contribution to the Fellowship that will enable the Assemblies of God to reach the entire nation with the gospel.
“The ethnic diversity that exists within this church is a great blessing,” Trask said. “Each group brings a rich background of God’s blessing.”
The Fellowship realizes that as the country grows more ethnically diverse so must the church. And the changing demographics have provided the unparalleled opportunity to reach foreign nations – within the United States.
“God has called the Assemblies of God to be the welcome mat of America,” said event organizer, Scott Temple, U.S. Missions director of Intercultural Ministries. “All ethnicities have a seat at the table with Jesus.”
In the past dozen years in the Assemblies of God there has been a 91 percent increase in the number of black churches, 50 percent hike in Asian/Pacific islander congregations and 31 percent rise in Hispanic churches.
Those attending the Celebration of Ethnicity
witnessed a number of graceful expressions of
worship during the afternoon event.
At the luncheon, leaders of the ethnic and language groups spoke briefly about their movements: Filipino, Armando Monzon; Chinese, Stephen Lim; Romanian, Nicky Pop; African, Paul Adu-Antoh; Hmong, Jerchah Heurh; Native American, John Maracle; Deaf Culture, Emory Dively; Haitian, Jarman Esperance; Indonesian, Rudy Lolowang; Fijian, Matasi Waqavesi; Samoan, Siupapa Vaovasa; Tongan, Taniela Kaufusi; and Slavic, Alex Shevchenko.
“This is a glorious prelude to fulfilling the prayer for oneness as petitioned by Jesus in John 17,” said Black Fellowship leader Zollie Smith, who serves as an ethnic executive presbyter along with Nam Soo Kim and Jesse Miranda.
Miranda, who represents Hispanics, called the celebration of ethnicity historic and timely. He noted that one-third of the adherents in the Assemblies of God belong to an ethnic minority, with one in five overall being Latino.
After the luncheon at the Ethnicity Celebration, 30 Native Americans, as the first inhabitants of the country, welcomed the crowd. Then various nationalities paraded to the stage with flags representing their native lands.
What followed in an atmosphere of hospitality provided the audience with a taste of different cultures from around the world that ran the gamut in Christian worship. Participants found a safe place to sing in their native tongue, wear their national costumes and express themselves in customs that are unique to their culture.
“It’s God’s will for us to worship on earth as we will worship in heaven,” Temple said.
The different groups in the audience affirmed the performers with applause and shouts of approval, even though they usually didn’t understand the languages being sung.
A black choir sang a soulful number. A deaf woman presented a drama skit about Jesus’ crucifixion. Filipinos performed a worship dance while waving flags. A Slavic men’s trio sang in Russian. A Tongan and Fiji band swayed to a ukulele-led island beat. A colorfully dressed 55-member choir belted out “How Great Thou Art” in Samoan. Three Chinese girls waved banners in synchronized time. An Ethiopian girl banged on a large drum.
“This is the best picture of heaven I’ve seen since I’ve been in the Assemblies of God,” remarked Charles Hackett, retiring as executive director of U.S. Missions after more than 14 years.
Trask hugged and kissed the leaders. “I love these brethren,” the general superintendent said. “God has raised up these men to bring to the Assemblies of God a diversity that is long, long overdue.”
