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Such is the philosophy of Matthew Smith, pastor of Miramar Evangelical Free Church. “We have one church in three languages,” Smith said. “Our mission is to reflect our multi-ethnic community in fulfillment of the verse in Revelation 7:9.” That verse tells of people from every nation, tribe, people and language worshiping before God’s throne.
Smith’s multi-language church includes an English-language congregation, made up primarily of people from the English-speaking Caribbean, a Spanish-language group and Haitian Creoles.
The multiple language challenge is typical throughout south Florida, but some pastors project from demographic trends that in the next decade churches throughout the country may face similar situations. Already, states such as North Carolina and Georgia are experiencing influxes of Spanish-speaking residents, and churches are seeking ways to respond. These pastors believe that the practice of simply renting space to congregations of different languages without attempting cross-cultural contact is a thing of the past.
On Palm Sunday, however, the groups united for worship in all three languages. The pastors preached 10-minute sermons in their own language. Smith said that to respect the cultural identity of each group, the pastors developed their sermons individually instead of merely translating each other’s. Churchgoers sang common hymns together, each person singing the same melody but in their own language.
Considering three language groups part of one church is intentional, Smith said. “Before I came here, the church made a firm commitment to that concept. That’s what brought me here,” he said. The unity of the three congregations is helped by their common denominational background. All belong to the Evangelical Free Church, not several congregations from different theological and ecclesiastical perspectives under a common roof.
Smith denies suggestions that his church’s unusual arrangement is anything more than an old English-speaking, Anglo congregation sponsoring new church plants in other languages. The English church reflects more of the Caribbean culture than the congregation’s historic “stoic Anglo service with an organ and a piano,” Smith said. Instead, the Sunday morning English service uses drums, guitars and percussion and carries a Caribbean sound and ambience.
To demonstrate the church’s intentionality at becoming multicultural, Smith pointed to the governing board comprised of members of all three language groups. “We work by symbiosis, trying to achieve a cohesive unity in government,” he said. “Governing this church is something like a luge. We are trying to keep the sled in the center of three courses.”
In nearby Davie, First Baptist Church of Davie-Cooper City is also moving to better integrate their English, Spanish and Creole congregations into a united group. As with the Miramar church, all are church ministries of the same denominational tradition—in this case, the Southern Baptist.
However, Jimmy Cox, First Baptist’s pastor, points out that in addition to the church-sponsored Spanish group, his congregation also rents space to a traditional Cuban Spanish-speaking church under his “watchcare.” The church-sponsored Spanish group is primarily non-Cuban, with members from countries such as Puerto Rico and Ecuador.
Cox foresees separate language services for some time, but he believes that as second-generation immigrants grow up, they will likely end up in the English service. “The children all go to the children’s service together,” he said.
Multi-ethnic churches often can combine ministries. All children’s and youth ministries are combined at Hollywood’s Sheridan Hills Baptist Church. Sheridan Hills provides services in Spanish, Portuguese, Creole and the Burmese language Zomi in addition to their English services.
Sometimes church events for the language groups create a veritable fruit-basket turnover. The congregation’s 8:15 a.m. Sunday service is translated into Spanish and the 10:45 service is translated into Portuguese. Baptisms are held during the 10:45 service. The Haitian congregation comes into the English service for the baptism and returns to their own service in Creole.
The challenges of a multi-ethnic church aren’t easy, but Smith cited the great commandment to love God and others as we love ourselves and the Great Commission as keys to his work.
“When Matthew 28:19 says to go and make disciples of all nations, the word used for nations means ethnicities,” Smith said. “I see my ministry as helping people develop a relationship with God through Jesus Christ so that they will love him with their heart and soul and mind and strength and to take that message to all ethnicities.”
Despite the difficulties of his ministry, Smith said, “I’m having the time of my life. I was built for this type of ministry, and I’m willing to give the next 20 years to this place.”
Cox believes that ethnically homogeneous churches in south Florida and across the country will become rare, “unless they are a mega church that draws people from across a wide geographical area, and thus can attract enough people of one group.” Cox rejects the idea of renting the church building to other ethnic congregations. “This facility belongs to God, not to us,” Cox said. The groups, however, do contribute to cover expenses.
Smith is even stronger in his criticism of rentals. “I’m opposed to warehousing churches,” he said. “That’s not in my heart. If we are willing to help you get established, we feel that you are equal to us.
We want to stay away from a paternalistic concept.” Smith said that the concept of 11 a.m. Sunday being the most segregated hour in the US has long haunted him. “I have dedicated the last 20 years of my life to creating a rainbow church,” he said.
Kenneth D. MacHarg Mis a missionary journalist for the Latin America Mission.