Skip to main content

Ethnic Partnership Playbook

TABLE OF
CONTENTS

Introduction.

After this I looked
EVERY nation, tribe,
people, and language

After this I looked, and there was a vast multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language, which no one could number, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes with palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: Salvation belongs to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!

– Revelation 7:9-10 (CSB)

It might seem strange to start from the end. But this is God’s vision that he gave to John of Patmos. This will come true for all believers. We will be a part of this uncountable multitude standing with people from “every nation, tribe, people, and language.” In the preceding verse 4, John hears the 144,000 sealed, but this was a symbol, an expectation. When he “saw” the reality was so much greater than he could ever imagine. So, how does this vision come to be? How does this eternal reality work out on earth before it is in heaven?

He saw heaven opened and an object that resembled a large sheet coming down, being lowered by its four corners to the earth. 12 In it were all the four-footed animals and reptiles of the earth, and the birds of the sky. 13 A voice said to him, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” “No, Lord!” Peter said. “For I have never eaten anything impure and ritually unclean.” Again, a second time, the voice said to him, “What God has made clean, do not call impure.”

– Acts 10: 11-15 (CSB)

In this familiar story, Peter sees a vision three times of the blanket of unclean animals. On the surface, this is about repealing Jewish food purity laws. However, in the context of Cornellius’s vision preceding and Peter and Cornelius’s first meeting just after this story, the story is about further understanding that the gospel message is not just for the Jews but for all nations.

Then he went to Tarsus to search for Saul, and when he found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. In those days some prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. … Each of the disciples, according to his ability, determined to send relief to the brothers and sisters who lived in Judea. They did this, sending it to the elders by means of Barnabas and Saul.

– Acts 11:25-30 (CSB)

In the book of Acts, Luke recounts a story of the early gospel advance from beyond the mother church in Jerusalem to Antioch to just up the coast of the Mediterranean. The Church at Antioch’s formation was caused by the persecution of the followers of Christ in and around Jerusalem and the scattering of believers there. This brief account gives insight into the mutually beneficial partnership of two early churches. The mother church in Jerusalem needed financial and tangible support during a time of famine. The church at Antioch greatly benefited from having teachers and prophets from Jerusalem with the likes of Saul and Barnabas.

The church at Jerusalem was most probably composed of ethnic Jews, while the church at Antioch was the opposite with more Greeks than Jews. We know this because of Paul’s opposition to Peter over favoritism and theology surrounding circumcision. (Galatians 2) As the Gospel advanced from Jerusalem to Antioch and from a majority Jewish sect to a majority Gentile faith, the believers were forced to change. They adapted the language of the good news to fit new languages and new cultures. If the eternal reality is that one day believers from “every nation, tribe, people and language” will be gathered around the throne. If we know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is for all nations, or we would not be reading this in our own country and in English. Then how do we get to true Gospel partners like those found between Jerusalem and Antioch?

Brett Boesch

Nashville Baptist Association

Research & Rationale.

The Church in the U.S. can grow again if it embraces the global and multiethnic character of Christianity. By 2050 nearly one in five Americans will be foreign-born, and these immigrants will likely come from the more religious parts of the world. Immigrants bring their faith with them. Christianity in East Asia grew from 1.2 percent of the population in 1970 to 10.5 percent of the population in 2020. In turn, Chinese and Korean immigrant communities have started as many as hundreds of churches in New York alone since the late 1970s. Protestantism in Latin America has also grown explosively, particularly through the Pentecostal and evangelical denominations, and these Christians are coming to the U.S. The combination of secular Americans having fewer children and the increasing immigration of religious people leads some observers to argue that secularization is likely to stall in America by 2050.

– Tim Keller

– Baptist Research

The states highlighted in orange represent non-hispanic whites are less than 50% of the population

Majority-Minority

https://www.brookings.edu/articles/the-us-will-become-minority-white-in-2045-census-projects/

Healthy Church.

12 CHARACTERISTICS OF
A HEALTHY CHURCH

1. Evangelism: A healthy church is actively engaged in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with others. It seeks to invite people to a life-transforming relationship with God through evangelistic efforts and outreach programs. (Luke 24:45-48, Mark 16:15)

2. Discipleship: A healthy church is committed to helping believers grow in their faith. It provides opportunities for spiritual growth, biblical teaching, and practical application of God’s Word through small groups, Sunday school classes, and other discipleship programs. (Matthew 28:16-20, John 13:34, Phil 2:3)

3. Membership: A healthy church is a community of believers who are connected to one another. Members are committed to the church’s mission and actively participate in its life and ministries. This includes attending worship services, serving in various capacities, and supporting the church financially. Each member is both called and equipped to serve the
others with a diverse array of gifts and abilities coming
together to form a cooperative whole. (1 Cor. 12, Rom. 12:3-8)

4. Leadership: A healthy church is led by godly leaders who shepherd the flock, equip the saints, and model Christ-like behavior. No church can experience health without the leadership of the pastors that Paul described in passages like 1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1. These leaders are committed to the spiritual health and growth of the church and are gifted in teaching, preaching, and administration. (Eph. 4:11-12, Luke
22:25-27)

5. Teaching and Preaching: A healthy church values sound biblical teaching. As Paul questioned in “How can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?” It provides opportunities for members to learn from the Bible and apply it to their lives. The preaching and teaching ministry is clear, relevant, and challenging, and it is delivered with passion and conviction. (Rom 10:14–15)

6. Ordinances: A healthy church observes the two ordinances instituted by Christ: baptism and the Lord’s Supper. These practices are central to the Christian faith and are celebrated regularly. They are opportunities for believers to publicly declare their faith and to remember the sacrifice of Christ. There is freedom of expression if they are practiced in accordance with Scripture and within the context of biblical worship. (Mat. 3:16-17, Rom. 6:4)

7. Worship: A healthy church gathers to worship God through singing, prayer, and the proclamation of His Word. Worship is a joyful expression of our love for God and a time to encounter His presence. It is a time to set aside our earthly concerns and focus on
the eternal. (1 Cor. 11, 1 Cor. 14)

8. Prayer: A healthy church is a praying church. Members regularly come together to pray for one another, the church, and the world. Prayer is a vital part of the church’s life and ministry. It is through
prayer that we connect with God and seek His guidance and direction. (Acts 2:42)

9. Brotherly Love: A healthy church exemplifies Christ’s command to love the Lord with all its heart, soul, and mind and love its neighbor as itself. (Matt 22: 37-39) Love is the greatest of the virtues and without love, there is no church (1 Cor. 13, Rev. 2:1-5)

10. Accountability and Discipline: A healthy church practices biblical discipline, lovingly confronting sin and restoring those who have fallen. This is done in a spirit of love and grace, with the goal of helping others to grow in their faith and to live a life that honors
God. (Matt. 18:15-20)

11. Giving: A healthy church is generous. Members willingly give of their time, talents, and resources to support the work of the church. Generosity is a hallmark of a healthy church, and it is an expression
of our love for God and others. (1 Cor. 16:1-4)

12. Mission: A healthy church is mission-minded. It seeks to reach out to the lost and make disciples of all nations. The church is actively involved in local and global missions, sharing the Gospel with others and demonstrating God’s love through acts of service. A
healthy church, by its very definition, will create other healthy churches. (Mat. 28:19-20, Acts 1:8)

This list is adapted and simplified for translation purposes from the International Mission Board’s 12 Characteristics of a healthy church. The only major modification that I offer is the removal of “Fellowship” and adding “Brotherly Love.” This list does not attempt to be exhaustive only an agreeable starting place for two churches entering into partnerships. https://www.imb.org/2016/08/31/2016083112-characteristics-healthy-church/

Case Studies.

Read stories from ethnic churches in the Nashville Baptist Association.

FBC Madison: A Multicultural Mission and Urban Renewal

Under the leadership of Pastor Sergio, Madison First Baptist Church (FBC) has embraced a vibrant multicultural approach. Recognizing the growing div…
Read more

Nashville Chinese Baptist Church: Teach, Preach, and Send

Nashville Chinese Baptist Church is one of the city’s oldest regional ethnic churches. Pastor Joshua Zhang has served the church since his calling i…
Read more

Swahili Baptist Church at Woodmont: A Christian Cultural Haven

In early 2011, a group of refugee families from East Africa visited Woodmont Baptist Church on a Sunday morning. Members of Woodmont, in turn, visit…
Read more

LaVergne Community Church: A Testament to Unity and Growth

First Baptist Church LaVergne, a once-thriving congregation, faced significant challenges following the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial difficulties an…
Read more

Unity Baptist Church: A Story of Growth and Community

The story of Unity Baptist Church begins with its mother congregation, Korean Unity Baptist Church of Nashville. This congregation was formed when t…
Read more

Next Steps.

FRAMEWORK
FOR ETHNIC CHURCH
PARTNERSHIPs

As part of our commitment to advance the kingdom of Christ, we have developed a strategic framework to facilitate partnerships between ethnic congregations and primarily English speaking Southern Baptist churches. These partnerships aim to be mutually enriching, enabling churches to grow in faith, cultural understanding, and mission effectiveness. The strategy unfolds across four levels, progressing from basic collaboration to full missional engagement. The four levels outlined below should not be seen as strict tiers, but rather fluid guidelines with certain aspects free to be implemented at various levels.

Level 1: Host

Objective: Establish a foundational relationship by providing resources to ethnic congregations.

• The primary focus is on renting or gifting space to ethnic congregations, ensuring they have a physical location for worship and ministry activities.
• This stage requires minimal relational investment but provides an essential first step in meeting the immediate needs of ethnic congregations.
• The majority of ethnic churches and traditional Southern Baptist churches have this sort of arrangement.
• It is superficially beneficial to the ethnic churches that now have space to worship but it fails in terms of true partnership and integration.

Level 2: Share

Objective: Build a collaborative relationship through shared resources and occasional fellowship.
Key activities include:

• Resource Sharing: Utilize shared spaces, vehicles (e.g., vans), and facilities for ministry purposes.
• Pulpit Exchange: Encourage pastors from both congregations to preach in each other’s services, fostering a spirit of mutual learning and respect.
• Cultural Exchange: Host ethnic music nights and joint worship services to celebrate diverse cultural expressions of faith.
• Fellowship Opportunities: Develop relationships through regular joint meals and community-building events.
• This level emphasizes developing mutual respect and understanding between congregations.

Level 3: Full Partner

Objective: Deepen the partnership through shared ministry efforts and integrated staff roles.
Key initiatives include:

• Unified Operations: Operate as two congregations with one staff, demonstrating an intentional commitment to collaboration.
• Language Support: Provide English teachers for children and youth in the ethnic congregation, empowering them with language skills for greater community engagement.
• Evangelistic Engagement: Conduct Two-by-Two visitation efforts, pairing members from both congregations to evangelize and serve the local community together.
• This level reflects an active and reciprocal partnership with shared leadership and ministry efforts.

Level 4: Missional

Objective: Partner fully in mission work, both locally and globally, demonstrating the unity and shared purpose of the body of Christ.
Key goals include:

• Staff Integration: Include ethnic pastors on the traditional church staff as evangelists, bringing their unique cultural insights to reach diverse communities.
• Church Planting: Collaboratively engage in ethnic church planting within the Nashville area, expanding the Kingdom by meeting the needs of unreached or underserved groups.
• Global Mission Efforts: Organize joint mission trips to ethnic members’ home countries, engaging in cross-cultural ministry that strengthens global outreach and solidarity.
• This level represents the highest degree of partnership, with both congregations fully integrated in purpose, mission, and leadership.

This framework offers a pathway for ethnic churches and partnering Southern Baptist congregations to move from basic logistical support to profound missional engagement. Each level builds upon the previous, encouraging deeper relationships, shared ministry, and a joint commitment to the Great Commission. By pursuing these partnerships, we embody the gospel’s power to unite people from every tribe, tongue, and nation under the lordship of Christ.

Action Plan.

Action Plan for Ethnic
Church Partnering

LES DOBBINS

  • First Steps
    1. Commitment as a Partnering Churches: Official action from the two churches to commit to the process of church partnering.
    2. Prayer Strategy Implemented: Establish a robust prayer strategy to address spiritual warfare, acknowledging the unique challenges of cross-cultural partnerships.
  • Early Focus
    1. Church Leadership Team Trained and Deployed: Form a leadership team beyond just a point person, ensuring broad capacity for the partnership effort
    2. Ministry Focus Group and Place Identified: Identify the ethnic focus group and location; develop a household profile and understand the worldview of the partnering community.
  • Mid-Term Planning
    1. Strategy Developed by Leadership Team:
      Develop foundational strategic components, including vision, core values, and a mission statement for the partnership.
    2. Team Enlisted and Equipped: Decide the structure of the partnering team (volunteer or staff) and prepare them with necessary documents and training.
    3. Resources Secured: Identify and secure resources for teaching, ministry, worship, evangelism, equipment, and finances needed to facilitate the partnership.
    4. Supporting Churches Enlisted: Involve additional churches to share resources and strengthen the collaborative effort.
  • Ongoing Execution
    1. Coordination Strategy Implemented:
      Ensure open and timely communication about plans, activities, and needs between all parties involved in the partnership.
    2. Planting Strategy Implemented: Transition implementation responsibilities to the partnering teams, with the leadership team serving as a liaison. 
    3. Strategy Evaluated and Adjusted: Regularly review and refine the strategy to adapt to challenges and opportunities for greater impact.
adapted from Dobbins, Les, “Sponsoring Ethnic Church Plants by Providing a Healthy Partnering Relationship,” North American Mission Board