On the Leech Lake reservation in the heart of one of it’s mixed communities there’s a church gathering that’s turning heads. Not because of how they worship, and not because of how many people attend, but because they look like the community that the church resides in – it’s mixed. Native and non-Native brothers and sisters in Christ stand together as a local assembly of the family of God. It’s a great light to the community.

Sadly, that’s not the way it is in many places in North America. In fact, Sunday morning has been called the most segregated hour in North America. Yes, there are legitimate reasons why a church may not be culturally diverse. It’s tough to be multicultural if there’s no other cultures present… like the Inuit in the Arctic or in an isolated community. Language barriers can also pose challenges. But now more than ever, people from different cultures, traditions, and nations are living in the same neighborhoods, speaking the same language, and shopping at the same stores. Yet, if they visit our church meeting on Sunday morning, some of us may be asking ourselves, “Why are you here?” We might be glad they’ve come to visit, but we hope they don’t stay. Why is that?

In our last Truth Quest we looked at racism, prejudice, and pride in the Church. Sadly, there are Christians who will not accept believers from other families, clans, tribes, or nations… even though they are brothers and sisters in Christ. These are real problems… but they’re not the only ones.

Contextualization can be a challenging issue, but one that can and should be worked through by qualified, local leadership (1 Timothy 3:1-7) who are Spirit led, committed to seeking God’s will through His Word.  The “Indigenous Church Principles” (also known as “The 3-Selfs”) have long been used as a model in missions for what a successful church should look like. But when misapplied, they’ve fostered division in the body of Christ. Maybe you’ve heard of them. Generally, they are: 1. Self-Governing: Church leadership is raised up from within the culture/community of local church. 2. Self-Supporting: The local church is responsible for meeting its own needs. 3. Self-Propagating: The local church is actively sharing the Gospel and making disciples.

By themselves these are healthy principles. The problem comes when we add the word, “Indigenous”. If by “Indigenous” we mean a specific ethnic group, these principles then form a framework for an exclusive church in a local setting – one that requires a person to be both Christian and the right culture in order to be fully accepted in the local church.  That’s a problem in a multicultural setting.  There’s no question that Christians from specific backgrounds are well-suited to reach out to there own people.  But when ethnicity is the determining factor of one’s acceptance and participation in the local church, we better be able to, with integrity, defend that from God’s Word.

It’s not surprising that the application of “Indigenous Church Principles” has created problems that are just as damaging as the ones they were meant to avoid. Mix in some ill feelings toward people who are different, and they can be used to justify and perpetuate segregation and discrimination in the local church… where we should be known for our love for one another. (John 13:35). Many today continue to promote the Indigenous church principles in multicultural settings.

Another closely-related misconception that feeds segregation on Sunday is the “This is our church” mentality. We have our ways, our culture, and we don’t want anyone to change them. Because of this, we can view outsiders as a threat rather than family. There’s a natural tendency to protect what we think is ours. But the truth is it’s God’s church… not ours (Acts 20:28; 1 Tim 3:15).  It’s only by His great mercy that we belong to His church. He’s the One who paid for it. It’s His. We have no authority to exclude others or minimize their belonging simply because their nation, color, or clan is different than ours. On the contrary, we have the privilege and responsibility to welcome everyone whom God welcomes.

So who does He welcome? He tells us in the Gospel of John, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. (John 1:12). Yes, there are legitimate reasons to be watchful.  But, God has that covered.  It’s His design that healthy Church leadership will shepherd the His flock through a commitment to His Word.

Does God desire segregation in the Church?  Not according to His Word.  Consider what He has to say:

John 10:14-16 I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

Ephesians 4:1-6 I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Galatians 3:26-28 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

1 Corinthians 1:9-10 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.

1 Peter 3:8-9 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

God’s Word is clear about our oneness in Christ and it’s practical expressions. This is highlighted further when we consider the testimony of the Early Church. At Antioch, where the believers were first called “Christians”, the church and it’s leadership were made up of a diverse group of people… reflecting the multicultural nature of the city (Acts 13). The letters to the churches in the New Testament (1 and 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Thessalonians) were written to assemblies of believers identified by their location, not by their ethnicity. Yet, there’s no question that these places were ethnically diverse.  Apparently it wasn’t an issue for these folks.  Their shared identity in Christ was greater than anything that could keep them apart. Certainly, there were challenges, but God’s remedy was never segregation… it was love. (1Th 4:9, Col 3:8-17)

Segregation has no place in God’s Church. He is no respecter of persons, and neither should we. By His grace, all who trust in Jesus are brought into His family. Our common purpose is to honor Him in obedience to His Word and share with those around us the Good News of Jesus Christ. Our local church gatherings should reflect these truths publicly. But first they must be embraced in our hearts.  Thankfully, like the believers in that Leech Lake community, there are others who are shining brighter together than they could apart.  When the world observes former enemies, different families – or people who are clearly different –  gathering in love and humility in the name of Christ, then they will see the witness Jesus spoke of in John 17:20-21: I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.

How can we miss such clear teaching from the Lord? Imagine the testimony God’s church would have if we truly demonstrated that we are one.  That’s what our Savior wants. What about you?

(Updated July 2025)

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.