Diversity of Perspective
We have this saying in English: “I wish I could have been a fly on the wall when…” Now, I don’t think any of us has ever wanted to be a fly with those buzzy little wings, those huge eyes that capture 270 degrees of perspective, and those antennae moving each direction. But I think we’ve all wished we were present for certain stories, discussions, and interactions.
In the Broadway hit Hamilton, Aaron Burr sings an incredible song about longing: “The Room Where It Happens.” He is singing about being present when decisions are made, plans are put in place, and agendas are pursued. While his is a quest for power, this song can also remind us that others ought to be present as decisions are prayerfully made.
But do an exercise with me: the next time you enter into a church leadership meeting, take a glance around the room. Just take stock of the situation. Maybe snap a mental picture, a frame of reference. Then ask the following questions:
Who is present in the room? Who isn’t present?
What diversity is present in the room? Is there diversity in perspective, experience, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic level, age, and education?
What groups from your church aren’t represented where decisions are made?
And then ask yourself the following questions:
What might we be missing by not having those voices and perspectives around the table with us?
What might it be communicating – implicitly or explicitly – to those who aren’t invited?
I have been blessed to work with some incredible churches during my years in ministry. [1] Yet all of those elders on those various elderships had some things in common:
All of the elders were over 50 years of age.
All had advanced degrees compared to the rest of the congregation.
All were relatively wealthy.
All were male.
And in all cases except when I served in Argentina, they have all been white.
By contrast, many of those churches were quite diverse. Yet as one who was welcome in those spaces, it took me quite a while to realize who wasn’t there and what we were missing without their voices.
When we look at the early church, we see a variety of perspectives present. Women supported Jesus’s ministry, [2] and numerous women played roles in the early church – Phoebe, Priscilla, and Junia, to name a few. [3] Of the first deacons, Nicolas was a convert to Judaism. [4] And of the leaders in Antioch, at least one was Black, another from Africa, and one had grown up in extreme privilege. [5] There is greater diversity in leadership than many of us have realized!
We want our churches to reflect the diversity of God’s kingdom, where “there is no Jew nor Gentile, male nor female, slave nor free, for we are all one in Christ Jesus,” and where people “of every nation, tribe, people, and language” can worship God together. [6] Yet we will continue to fall short when our churches do not reflect this same diversity around the leadership table. In a recent interview, Dr. Erwin Gray stated:
The aspect of truly being multiethnic starts with who makes the decisions. … A lot of the megachurches in America are considered “multiethnic” because not one ethnic group makes up more than 80%. But the leadership of the church will be overwhelmingly white and then the issues of the other people are not communicated. [7]
A truly multiethnic, multigenerational, and multi-perspective church values, discusses, encourages, supports, and implements ideas and dreams that flow from all echelons of the congregation. This will help us continue to live into the radical vision of God’s kingdom.
What are some ways we can enhance diverse perspectives in our elder meetings, church leadership teams, or boardrooms?
Invite members of various ages, ethnic backgrounds, nationalities, etc., to participate in meetings so that we might hear their opinions, dreams, and prayers.
Encourage those on the ministry team to speak boldly when warranted. But this also requires us to create a safe and secure atmosphere where people can speak freely without fear of reprisal.
Identify and invest in new leaders within the congregation, those who can be encouraged and mentored to take on roles of greater spiritual leadership.
Pray for the continued diversity of the congregation’s leadership, then actively hire those who bring diverse perspectives onto the team.
These are just a few beginning steps to help increase diversity in the room. But with prayer, they might be the next steps needed to help create a diversity of perspective that enhances the mission of God and the purpose of the church.
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[1] For those of you reading, I am so thankful for the ways you have shaped me in my ministry!
[2] Luke 8:2-3.
[3] Rom. 16:1, 3, 7.
[4] Acts 6:5.
[5] Acts 13:2 – Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, respectively.
[6] Gal. 3:28 and Rev. 7:9.
[7] Episode 429 of the Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast.
