Church Diversity: Sunday The Most Segregated Day of the Week [Paperback]

Scott Williams (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 5, 2011

Church Diversity is more than a book - it's a movement of God, pastors, ministry leaders, volunteers, congregants, and the community. It's about the Church changing its perspective to become part of a culture-changing and world-changing movement. A new and different future begins with the turning of these pages, taking this journey, and speaking the truth in this vital conversation:

How we can begin to implement change today
What key insights, strategies and practical tips can help
Who are the leading voices in diversity and what can they teach the Church

This resource is a tool to foster the tough conversations and encourage decision-making to change the face and heart of the Church. Church Diversity challenges us to move beyond "what is" to "what will be." It's seeking to truly honor God by developing a movement of people who are willing to do whatever it takes to have His will done on earth as it is in heaven. One person, one church, one community - this time, the change begins with you!

The time is NOW and YOU are the change!

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...there is no more important task than taking the Gospel to every member of our community regardless of the cultural differences that may exist....This is God's plan and God's desire." --Jonathan Falwell, Pastor, Thomas Road Baptist Church, Lynchburg, VA

"Whatever racial woes we face in America, they cannot be dealt with by politicians or Washington D.C., but rather by the local church....help our nation navigate through this critical and much needed conversation on race." --J.C. Watts, Jr., Former Member of Congress

About the Author

Scott Williams served on staff as a key leader and campus pastor for LifeChurch.tv, one of the largest and most innovative churches in America. He is an effective speaker, strategist, ministry consultant, entrepreneur and popular social media influencer for pastors and ministries around the globe. He is an avid blogger at BigIsTheNewSmall.com. Scott is married, a father of two, and lives in Oklahoma City, OK.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Leaf Publishing Group (April 5, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892217030
• ISBN-13: 978-0892217038
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Scott Williams served as a key leader and Campus Pastor for LifeChurch.tv. He is an internationally sought-after speaker, strategist, consultant and ideapreneur. He lives by the mantra "Everything Begins With An Idea." He's the author of Church Diversity and Go Big, in addition to being an avid blogger at BigIsTheNewSmall.com.

As the Chief Solutions Officer for the consulting company Nxt Level Solutions, Scott helps businesses, non-profits, churches and individuals move from where they are to where they aim to be. Nxt Level Solutions works with some of the largest churches, non-profits, and fortune 100 companies in the world.

Scott lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and two sons. He and his family are proud fans of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Church Diversity? April 19, 2011

By Dave

Format:Paperback

Forty-five years ago Dr. Martin Luther King Jr made this shocking statement:

We must face the sad fact that at 11 o'clock on Sunday morning, when we stand to sing...we stand in the most segregated hour in America.

In 2011 this is the state of things:

We live in a day and age where arguably the best rapper is white, the best golfer is black, the NBA center with the most potential was Asian, and the quarterback for America's team, the Dallas Cowboys, is Hispanic.

Has the Church just stood still? Are we really so far behind that the struggles for equality that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr went through 45 years ago mean very little? A new book by Scott Williams and published by New Leaf Publishing explores diversity in our lives and our Churches.

Even though the book isn't out until May I've had the privilege of reading through some of the chapters and I've come up with the following thoughts.

1. Scott touches on a subject that while is aimed at an American audience it applies here in the UK. Church Diversity is a huge issue and without realising it we often exclude people. If we do nothing more than include one more person as a result of reading this book we'll achieve something in the Kingdom.

2. It's biblically based. In Chapter 1 Scott looks at the early Church and how Jesus' disciples actively included a diverse range of people in what God wanted to do on the earth.

3. Scott's shares from his own journey which was split between "black" Baptist Churches and "white" Baptist Churches not to mention working for the American Prison service in rural Oklahoma. Both places where diversity could at times be scarce.

4. It's not a passive book.... Many books I've read recently are easy readers and although they are mentally and spiritually challenging at times they don't demand anything in return. Church Diversity differs from this mould not only does it feature bonus video via a special website but at the end of each chapter are challenges - two or more questions that directly demand a response.

5. The language isn't over complicated. Scott writes simply and effectively at all times. In chapter three while looking at when he was called to leadership he comes up with this staggering formula upon starting at LifeChurch.tv - "No diversity on the staff + no diversity on the platform = no diversity in the church" it's not rocket science but it's a principle will change attitudes.

6. He uses Oreo's as a metaphor for the Church! And that just deserves respect. But think about it for just a minute - it's absolutely correct. (For UK readers there are at least 53 varieties of Oreo - I did some research in to this before I wrote the post)

It's a great read and has the potential to change the thoughts of both those who currently hold leadership positions within the Church and those who have leadership callings over them as we strive to move forward and become both more diverse and more attractive to those who are un-churched. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just for pastors but for all leaders April 18, 2011

By Ehag

Format:Paperback

I got this book from a dear friend of mine. I wondered why they were giving me a book about church diversity because I am not in any type of pastoral role. After reading this book, I know it wasn't a coincidental. It was a God thing. I am currently in a leadership position of a non diverse corporate company. @scottwilliams brings up many points that are relevant to anyone's life not just the churchy leaders. I hope this book gives us all the courage to start having the types of conversations that are well overdue.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars At the heart of loving your brother... April 18, 2011

By ekreview

Format:Paperback

Scott's philosophy of embracing the difference in each of us and showcasing it to elicite acceptance in church is a breath of fresh air in the sometimes torpid middle-american church. Scott does a great job of pointing out the importance of adopting a global view of the body of Christ--one that doesn't involve race, age, or culture, but instead challenges us to look deeper. It's there that you truly start to understand Christ's commandment to love each other.

The book's answer to whether or not diversity is just about race may seem elementary to so many of us, but it is so important to note that a large majority of people believe diversity doesn't go much deeper than the color of your skin. What's so great about Scott's modern perspective on diversity is that once you think you have it all figured out, that you have your finger on the pulse of our ever-evolving society, there is always more to learn and more challenges to overcome in order to become the church Christ intended us to be.

At the heart of it, this book is an important reminder to not just be 'nice' to our brothers, but to love them in a way that flows from the way we love God. The book challenged me to take the blinders off and step out of my comfort zone. If I can't do that, then my love for Christ is only lip service.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Game Changing Book for the Church April 14, 2011

By JeremyC

Format:Paperback

Every once in a while, someone writes a book that is a "Game Changer" for the Church, a "95 thesis" kind of book if you will. I think "Church Diversity" is one of those books.

In the book, Scott not only addresses the issue facing the church, but challenges us to do something about it. Growing up in the Bible Belt, "segregation" in church is something I've always lived with. "Church Diversity" opened my eyes to the problem & challenged me to do something about it. Its one of those books that doesn't merely address another topic in Christianity, but sparks a change in the way we do church.

I'm definitely passing it along to my friends & would encourage you to do the same. It's time to wake up, address the problem, & take steps towards the Biblical community God wants us to have.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Church Diversity October 6, 2011

By Joe Donaldson

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I only know Scott Williams from a distance but due to the wonders of the internet I feel like I've known him for years. He has a great story - one that continues to be written. In Church Diversity Scott shares much of his story with his readers. Central to that story are the complexities of the lack of diversity in the vast number of American churches. It is a point that is worth making and worth fighting to change.

I serve on a denominational board (Converge Worldwide) where we have worked hard to address the lack of diversity among our ranks. The makeup of our current board may be its most diverse ever. But with only one notable exception all of our upper level leaders are white males. The same holds true for regional directors. I'm also on a sub-committee that is planning our next national event. We are deeply committed to highlighting the diversity that exists in our churches throughout the event. But while this will celebrate diversity on one level it will not directly increase the diversity in our member churches. That is where Church Diversity comes in - or could.

Scott Williams very intentionally and methodically pokes a stick in the eye of the church on this topic. And he doesn't just call out churches that are predominately white in their make-up. In chapter 3 Williams writes: "This is a wake-up call for the traditional ethnic churches, such as black, Indian, Asian, and Hispanic. The arguments that "we must remain separate because it's about the community" or "it's the only piece of culture that we have left" are not valid arguments. They are incongruent with who Jesus is and what the gospel is all about. Is your church preserving culture of some people or presenting the gospel to all people?..."

Later Williams asks why churches use the Great Commission to justify international missions but so often fail to pursue the Great Commission (especially the 'all nations' part) in their own churches. He refers to this as the Great Omission.

Throughout his book Williams quotes heavily from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and for good reason. Dr. King addressed the racial disparity in the church decades ago. And while we would like to believe that the ethnic diversity within our churches has changed dramatically over the past 60 years, Williams argues that it has not. To make his point he re-prints a letter written in 1954 by Dr. King and provides commentary along the way. It is a letter worth reading and re-reading.

One of the primary strengths of Williams' book are the challenges that he presents at the end of each chapter. They are a kind of gut-check for personal diversity that takes the information in each chapter and asks, "So what are you going to do about this?" Another strength are the video links with each chapter that would enable the book to be used for a group study.

This book is not going to be for everyone. There will be some who see diversity as a non-issue, or a cultural issue, or even as a liberal issue that doesn't apply to the church. There are those who may still cling to a "separate but equal" approach to church. "They have their church and we have our church. What's the problem?" To that comment I would have to reply that if that's your position then you are the problem. When it comes to diversity in the church we can do better. We must do better.

Second chair leaders can advance diversity within the church by advocating for and championing this cause with the rest of the staff and church. When you are looking for additional paid or volunteer staff be intentional about contacting people who are not members of the majority ethnic group in your church. Some key, high visibility positions like usher, greeter, or choir member are a good place to start. But your church leadership (pastors, staff, elders, deacons) should also reflect diversity. This may be harder to achieve but be persistent. Nominate those who will bring diversity to your leadership team. Make sure your website and publications include photos that reflect the diversity in your church - or the diversity that you want to see. Read more ›