I am slightly agitated by an “Atlanta” based church planting conference that claims to have “the most influential and prolific church leaders from across the country.” I say slightly agitated because we are so busy preparing for the Grand Opening of The Courageous Church in 13 days that I don’t quite have time to be very agitated. However, I figured that I wouldn’t even have time to be slightly agitated in a few weeks so I wanted to speak my peace on this issue now.
If you take a quick look at the church planting link above, you will notice what I think is something very peculiar – it looks like a gathering of a cool white male fraternity. Hear my heart, I’m not saying that those white dudes aren’t “prolific” or “influential” like the site claims – I know several of those guys and respect them a great deal. My beef is that this conference presents itself to be a national conference for all types of church planters, but that just rings hollow in my book. I know 100s of awesome church planters of every nationality and hue imaginable that are doing HUGE things all around the country (and the world).
A church planting conference that suggests it is for everybody should at least make a feeble attempt at diversity. Heck, even one or two non cool white dude speakers would be progress, but this conference is a big, fat 0 for 20.
I’ve raised this beef with other conferences before and got two responses that went something like this,
1. “Well Shaun. I really don’t know any Black or Latino or Asian or (fill in the blank) pastors and I really invited pastors that I know. Also, we don’t support women pastors so that is why we don’t have any female speakers.”
2. “Well Shaun. We only invited speakers that we thought would be a draw and we just don’t know any Black or Latino or Asian or (fill in the blank) pastors that would draw people. Also, we don’t support women pastors so that is why we don’t have any female speakers.”
I’m not even going to take the time to dissect how lazy and disrespectful those comments are. Remember, I’m only slightly agitated.
Would I learn something at this conference? Of course I would. You would too.
However, I won’t be going. I have certain standards for myself, for my family, and for the people I lead. This conference falls below that standard. Maybe next year?
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Dude! Love you. Love what you’re doing. Keep up with you. I DO think you were a little unfair on your comments about our conference. We at churchplanters.com love everyone, not just white males. All church planting spouses come FREE to our conference, regardless of gender. Probably 20% of our conference will be multi-ethnic, and we don’t think of people as white, black, whatever, brown, or whatever. We just invite different influential leaders each year to our conference. This year, they happen to all be white. Next year we already have plans for a couple of my African American brothers who will be speaking. Just not this year. It just turned out that way. Don’t judge us by the color of our skin! Show me some love!If you’re interested, I’d even love to comp you and you team FREE tickets so you can check it out first hand. We’d love to invest into your church in that way! Drop me an email and we’ll even do coffee…
Shaun, I feel you bro! I grew up and still am growing amidst racial diversity. One thing I have noticed is that in Church World, diversity is a very real, very serious issue. It seems as though if you don’t look a certain way or preach a certain way, you are not widely accepted. Christianity has such a mainstream bug stuck up its behind and is so clouted by the celebrity of the Andy Stanleys and Perry Nobles that we don’t even see Jesus. My heart goes out to you & my prayer is that Courageous Church sets a standard for diversity in Atlanta!
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/episodes/by-topic/african-american/december-19-2008-interracial-churches/1734/
Hey Shawn,
Thank you so much for your very kind and generous response. We aren’t judging you or your great conference by color. We are making a very real observation.
I actually attended the conference last year and learned a lot. I am sure that everyone that attends this year will learn a ton too. I actually love the speaker lineup you have and could tell that thought went in to forming it.
We also know that you charge way less than other conferences and are generous to spouses. Shawn – we know that you are a good guy, that Mountain Lake is a good church, and that you all do awesome work. I will make these thoughts known publicly.
I just want you to know that outsiders that see the speaker lineup feel that the lack of ethnic diversity in a national conference like this is problematic. Your kind comment to me revealed what I think the problem is – diversity does not happen on accident Shawn. Particularly in settings that are not naturally diverse, we have to actually decide we want it and work toward it.
I accept that you do not think of speakers in terms of black, brown, white, etc., but we must understand that diversity brings about a greater perspective.
Finally, you don’t need a Black man to speak about inner city ministry or hip hop, you can have a Black man, or a Latino man, or an Asian man speak about the same core topics that you have any random White guy speak on – vision, finance, marriage, portable solutions, etc.
Thanks for your time man.
-Shaun
maybe God has but the ball in your court to start something Shawn.
That is a lot to do but you have the spur udner your saddle, the actions in on your blog and your have the people’s ear.
pray about it. see what God says.
I appreciate you for bringing this topic to light. As an African American woman, I often feel “lost in the shuffle” when it comes to conferences I’d love to go to or send my husband to. Too often I feel that minorities are not represented well unless the activity is put on by a predominantly black denomination or group. I’d love to learn from many people, but race is still a huge factor in ministry.
At the line of diversity & segregation and your effort to blend the two, use wisdom so to not ruining your ability to be successful there. Boycotting, accusing, assuming, etc. does not promote change. Find your way in, then change IT from the inside out, otherwise you become a critic like everyone else. I love the vision, just dont become what you hate. The best way I can describe this point is you would never yell a drunk who doesnt know the freeing, life giving Jesus Christ as Savior, you would love him to salvation Lord Willing and allow God plus your influence to work on his alcoholism. If your gonna change culture…. You gotta reach culture. Those men are mighty weapons like you, you could learn alot from them too. Stop yelling about the culture, Change the culture.
I’m mmmmmmmaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaddddddddddddd late to the party here and I’m not trying to stir up old discussions BUT its here so here I am. LOL! Anywho, I had a similar discussion on my blog about 6 months ago and WOW – similar response.
I lead at a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic church in Newport, RI of all places and I feel your sentiment to the fullest. But as I see what some of these people are doing with there conferences, churches, etc, I’m reminded of a conversation I had with my father-in-law. We were talking about people who want to build multi-cultural ministries and they were frustrated by the lack of minority representation at their churches. He asked someone, “how many black friends do you have?” Response was mumbled for a while before they said “a few.” He then started asking them “What is their wife’s name? Where do they live? How old are their children? What’s their favorite meal?” The answers got even more mumbled. Then he said, you don’t have black people (or any other minority) in your life, so how do you expect to reach them?”
Now, this doesn’t mean that these men and women were racist. It just means that they don’t actively seek relationships with people too different from themselves, so how do they expect to reach people different from themselves?
I could go on for days but this is your blog, not mine. You’ve got a fan in New England homie. You’re going to keep it going if I say so or not, but I’ll say it anyway – keep going bro.
Shaun,
I just read this, and as a {white} youth pastor at a 99.9% black church – these sorts of things bother me as well. My pastor and I talk often about how un-diverse the church. As you look at simple things such as book covers, stock pictures, etc – why is it usually only brady bunch looking kids that make the cover? (I work with MANY white churches, and their REAL students don't even look that "brady bunch." )
It bothers me. I fight for diversity. God is ALLLLLL about diversity – and so am I! How many people in America do you think have an idea of Heaven that involves everyone speaking English, singing Christ Tomlin songs, and using MacBook pros?
Father, forgive us….
The average church planter in the world is an 18 year old Chinese woman.
Pretty cool to checkout the lineup and not only see diversity and women leaders strongly represented this year, but you're speaking as well. :) That a boy.
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