Judson Press book calls for ministry across boundaries of culture

VALLEY FORGE, PA (3/20/17)—Why are most churches still segregated by race and culture? Is it possible to build intercultural churches? What are the challenges, strategies and possibilities for ministry in an intercultural context? Editors Grace Ji-Sun Kim, M.Div., Ph.D., and Jann Aldredge-Clanton, M.Div., Ph.D., explore these questions and more in “Intercultural Ministry: Hope for a Changing World.”

“Intercultural Ministry” is a call to move toward the biblical ideal of intercultural church, bringing people of different cultures together to transform worship and open new opportunities in the life of the faith community—learning from one another, giving equal value and power to each culture, preserving cultural differences and celebrating the variety of cultural traditions. This collection of essays and reflections from ministry practitioners provides inspiration and practical ways to celebrate all people, created equally in the divine image of God.

“Creating and sustaining a ministry that embraces diversity within the leadership and the membership has been the great challenge of the church from its inception,” says Dr. Marvin A. McMickle, president and professor of Church Leadership at Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School. “This book is a much-needed guide on how to overcome those barriers.”

Says Al Tizon, executive minister of Serve Globally, Evangelical Covenant Church and author of “Missional Preaching”: “‘Intercultural Ministry’ challenges us to go deeper as it provides the theological and practical resources to move the church toward genuine interculturalism. It calls for openness on our part to the spirit’s work to change the heart and soul of the church, and not just its face.”

Mary E. Hunt, co-director of the Women’s Alliance for Theology, Ethics, and Ritual, expresses, “This is a compelling resource for forward-looking congregations and students of ministry.”

Kim is ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and associate professor of Theological Studies at Earlham School of Religion. She is author of 10 other books, including “Here I Am: Faith Stories of Korean American Clergywomen.” She blogs for Huffington Post, Sojourners and TIME.

Aldredge-Clanton is a feminist theologian, chaplain and teacher who leads workshops and conferences nationally and internationally. She serves as co-chair of Equity for Women in the Church Community and is co-founder and co-leader of New Wineskins Feminist Ritual Community. She is author of numerous other books.

To order Judson Press resources, visit www.judsonpress.com or call 800.458.3766.

Founded in 1824, Judson Press is a publishing ministry of American Baptist Home Mission Societies, American Baptist Churches USA. It is committed to producing Christ-centered leadership resources for the transformation of individuals, congregations, communities and cultures.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists in answering God’s call to promote Christian faith across the United States and Puerto Rico to cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and heal and transform communities, by developing aligned action networks and programs.

American Baptist Churches is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with more than 5,200 local congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.