Thread by @JemarTisby

While racial and ethnic diversity has become trendy among some in the U.S. Christian church, consider this finding by sociologist Michael Emerson:
70% of all multiracial churches in the U.S. are led by white pastors.

This statistic goes along with another of Emerson's findings:
In multiracial churches where white people are in the majority, the people of color conform more to white norms than the other way around. They have to adopt white ways of thinking and doing.

When it comes to racial diversity in many white evangelical circles the thinking is "they" (i.e. people of color) should come to "us" (white people). Seldom do many seriously entertain the option of going to church comprised of and led by people of color.

For the entire conversation between Michael Emerson and @davidswanson (with references to @Gods_Peace1, @TruthsTable, & @glennbracey2)
visit here: facebook.com/PastorDavidWSw…

Important addt’l data from Emerson, et al.
HT: @markdeymaz
“The research showed that [multiracial] head pastors are:

• Asian: 3% (1998) to 4% (2019)
• Hispanic: 3% (1998) to 7% (2019)
• Black: 4% (1998) to 18% (2019)
• White: 87% (1998) to 70% (2019), down from 74% (2012)”

“the percentage of Blacks attending multiracial churches significantly declined between 2012 and 2019.

• Asian: 6% (1998) to 8% (2019)
• White: 50% (1998) to 49% (2019)
• Hispanic: 16% (2006) to 17% (2019)
• Black: 16% (1998) to 27% (2012) to 21% (2019)”

“[Emerson] challenged the collective movement to ‘move from being toddlers to teenagers to adults” in the coming years, and to use its increasing demographic diversity to work for true justice, reconciliation and unity.’”
#multiethnic #church
outreachmagazine.com/features/multi…