When pastors and missionaries are working through their credentialing processes for licensure and ordination they are asked many required questions. Several of these questions address important issues that impact our current situations in ministry.  Theological issues surrounding racism, cultural distinctions, and critical nature of reaching people of diverse ethnic backgrounds is not currently addressed at all. 
Will you join me in asking the EFCA districts and national office to create and use specific questions for these Credentialing Councils  engaging theological reflection on ethnic distinctions, racial constructs, and practices surrounding multicultural ministry for Pastors and Missionaries?

BACKGROUND:

After the theology conference in 2018 it seems important for the EFCA movement to consider what tangible things we can and should do to make progress in seeing our churches better reflect the gospel mandate in the area of ethnic and cultural diversity.  One small, but important step forward would be to require questions to be asked during the licensure process for EFCA pastors and missionaries that theologically engage them directly with the implications of the 8th Statement in our statement of faith as it applies to their ministry context.  If the districts are going to be strongly encouraged to include additional questions on this topic, they will need to hear from pastors and churches that it is important to us. Therefore, in February of 2018, I crafted a draft resolution for the signature of pastors and church leaders. Now, in June of 2019, I only believe more strongly that this is an important, even if small step. 

RESOLUTION CONCERNING STATEMENT 8 OF THE EFCA STATEMENT OF FAITH AND CREDENTIALING COUNCILS:

1. Whereas the Evangelical Free Church of America Theology Conference focused on justice and reconciliation issues in 2018 and clearly expounded the need for church leaders to clearly understand the central role of reconciliation in the gospel’s immediate implication for believers, specifically the uniting of people across culture and status boundaries in the body of Christ.
2. Whereas the Gospel according to Luke records Jesus’ first message delivered in his home Nazareth which focused on God‘s grace reaching across cultural and ethnic boundaries (Luke 4:14-30).
3. Whereas John’s Gospel begins by declaring that Jesus made the world, brings light into the world, and takes the sin of the world, and includes Jesus’ prayer that believers have unity and love that reflects the unity and love found in the Trinity which followers of Christ are brought into. (John 1 & 17)
4. Whereas Matthew’s gospel lists Jesus’ genealogy explicitly showing the cross cultural and diverse ethnic ancestry of Jesus and closes with Jesus’ great commission to making disciples of all nations. (Matthew 1 & 28)
5. Where as it seems clear the apostles saw that the good news about Jesus and the kingdom of heaven necessarily includes the reconciliation of peoples of all tribes and nations to each other as they are reconciled to God. (Col 3:7-14, Gal 3:26-29, Eph 2:11-22, 1 Peter 2:10, Rev 5:9-10) 
6. Whereas the Evangelical movement in the United States has been overly concerned with personal justification at the expense of corporate reconciliation.
7. Whereas the Evangelical Free Church of America has largely neglected its responsibility to engage, evangelize, disciple, involve, promote in ministry, and empower in leadership those beyond its own cultural heritage, specifically those considered not “white”.

We, undersigned pastors in Evangelical Free Churches from across America, believe that our credentialing process requires specific questions about the reconciliation of all people groups as an important part of the gospel of Jesus Christ and critical to our role in leading individual churches within the body of Christ in faithful obedience to his gospel.

Therefore, we propose the following questions, or questions more clearly articulated, be added to the list of questions asked of all those pastors and missionaries seeking licensure for ministry.

• How do you understand the gospel’s impact on social relationships beyond one’s own culture and what implications does that have for the ministry of your church? 
• Is the homogeneous unit principle congruent with Biblical church ministry? Why or why not?
  • How do you address tensions among those who only want to minister to those who are “like them”?
• How do you proactively model reconciliation in your church / ministry?