top of page

Multiethnic Churches





Many pastors believe the answer is “yes.” In 2021, 88 percent of respondents to a Lifeway survey agreed that “every church should strive to achieve racial diversity.” Yet 76 percent of those same respondents said their church consisted primarily of one racial or ethnic group. 


The gap suggests that many Christians have come to view the multiethnic church as an ideal to be pursued in every context. While this vision can be beautiful, it does not always emerge naturally—especially in areas where the surrounding population is not ethnically diverse, such as rural North Dakota. When diversity is treated as a universal benchmark, it can place unnecessary pressure on local church leaders and congregations alike.



Biblical Foundation: The Global Church is Already Multiethnic

Revelation 7:9-10 describes a gathering of believers from “every nation, tribe, and language” worshiping before the throne. The passage is often cited as proof that every local congregation should reflect this diversity. However, that conclusion overlooks the context of the passage.


Revelation 7 describes the universal church worshiping together. It offers both a future vision and a present reality—one that has existed since the earliest days of the church. Jesus’s final command was to make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20), and from the day of Pentecost forward, Christianity spread across ethnic and linguistic lines. Acts 2 records “devout men from every nation under heaven” hearing the gospel in their own languages, and by the end of Acts, the message of Christ had reached North Africa, Asia, and Europe.


From a global and historical perspective, the church is already multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual. While some regions still lack access to Scripture in their own language, the gospel has gone out to the nations. Revelation 7 confirms that the Great Commission is not merely a future hope—it is an ongoing reality that will continue until Christ returns.


For this reason, making every local church multiethnic is not the biblical goal. A global multiethnic church already exists.



Acknowledging the History of Church Segregation in the U.S.

Recognizing the global unity of the church does not mean ignoring America’s painful history of racial segregation within local congregations. In many ways, the black church emerged in the late eighteenth century as a direct response to the sin of racism.


Historically, the black church has served as a stabilizing force within African American communities, supporting spiritual growth, fellowship, culture, professional development, and social activism. Although white and black churches remained largely separate for much of U.S. history, recent decades have seen increased racial and ethnic diversity, particularly within predominantly white evangelical congregations. We hope that pastors of historically black churches also embrace a vision for interethnic local churches.



Is Your Church Racist?

Current cultural narratives often assume that disparities are automatic evidence of systemic racism. Scripture calls for greater care and discernment. Disparities may have many causes, and careful investigation is required before drawing conclusions.


Assessing a church’s immediate context is a helpful starting point. Ask:

  • Does my church generally reflect the demographics of the surrounding community?


Gathering data on the population within a five-mile radius—including ethnic makeup, dominant languages, socioeconomic factors, and religious backgrounds—can provide clarity. If a church largely reflects its surrounding community, a lack of ethnic diversity does not necessarily indicate racism, even if the congregation is predominantly white. 


If the church does not reflect its community, leaders should begin asking thoughtful questions:

  • Is there a lack of hospitality toward visitors?

  • Have we clearly communicated our presence and mission to the community?

  • Are we indifferent toward reaching certain groups with the gospel?

  • Could the disconnect be the result of an unrecognized oversight rather than intentional exclusion?


While we do not support diversity hiring that prioritizes ethnicity over biblical qualifications, cultural familiarity can play a legitimate role in ministry effectiveness. In communities with specific linguistic or cultural needs—such as a growing Spanish-speaking population—it may be appropriate to seek leaders who are both theologically sound and culturally equipped to serve those communities well.



Multilingual and Multicultural Ministry

As Western societies become increasingly multiethnic, churches need to engage in multilingual and multicultural ministry. When a church’s surrounding community changes over time, leaders must think creatively about how to reach their neighbors with the gospel. A refusal to consider such adaptation may reflect a deeper spiritual problem.


Healthy churches disciple and equip future leaders. When culturally fluent leadership would strengthen gospel outreach, churches should intentionally train godly men with the necessary skills and understanding. This effort should always serve the mission of the church—not a desire to appear diverse.


Multiethnic and multicultural congregations often require members to set aside personal preferences, including music styles or preaching approaches. Too often, preserving comfort becomes more important than discipleship. Faithful leadership in multicultural settings seeks unity without abandoning biblical worship and teaching, ensuring that the whole congregation is served while Christ remains central.



Biblical Unity is the Goal

Scripture presents a church that is unmistakably multiethnic at the global level, united in Christ across nations, languages, and cultures. That reality does not require every local congregation to mirror that diversity artificially or on a preset timeline. Instead, faithfulness is measured by a church’s commitment to proclaim the gospel, disciple believers, and love its surrounding community without partiality or preference. 


As neighborhoods change, churches must be willing to adapt for the sake of effective gospel witness—but diversity itself is never the goal. Unity in Christ, grounded in biblical truth and expressed through genuine love for all people, is.



Dig Deeper on This Topic:
bottom of page