Run NNCC

Exponential Conference is kicking off Wednesday morning hip-hop style. A group of rappers, pop-and-lock dancers and a DJ making a bunch of white people come out of their comfort zones a bit. =) I swear, why is the church planting community all caucasion? Looks like the worship is really setting up a discussion by the Reverend Run Ed Stetzer about being missional... to be continued...

Comments

[Ben Arment]

http://www.streetlifeonline.com/

[mike white]

Hey Ben... I figured it out. The reason I as an african american do not attend the conferences is because most of the information is not transferable to planting a church made up of a majority of african americans. I say this as an african american, who talks to you periodically. I'm not saying it is right just speaking the truth.

And then secondly, because we don't have cross-cultural relationships. How many african american blogs are on the link lists of the people you know? Add me when I finish my redesign!

Just my two cents.. someone in the trenches..

[Ben Arment]

thanks for the feedback Mike. That's really interesting to me... Are there any conferences you attend that you feel are beneficial to african american church planters?

Gotcha on the blog roll. My only criteria for listing the blogs I like is daily posting.

[David]

Another African-American blogger/minister here.
I try to post daily.
I hope to start attending conferences soon.

[mike white]

Honestly..... There is not a conference where perspectives from both the African American and Caucasian planting strategies, styles, and methods is shared.

From all of the conference invites I get, it is an irregular thing to see an African American presenter. And he/she is usually doing something other than talking about African American planting.

This isn't to make a huge deal out of the issue. It is what it is. You've been great sharing with me. I love you guys and think the world of what God is doing with you (Reston) and Perry (NewSpring)and Steven (Elevation) and Jay (Catalyst)...

Just one of those realities.

[Ben Arment]

Mike, maybe this is a void that you can help fill. I have two good african american friends who are tremendous church planters: http://www.mosaicland.blogspot.com and Jumaine Jones at http://jumainejones.wordpress.com/ I think guys like you could be leaders of a revolution in this community of church planters. I don't have any sway over these conferences, but would love to see more diversity represented on the stage and in the audience

[Jason Roberts]

Acts 29/Resurgence has made an effort at addressing this in the last year. I think there will be more of a cross-cultural/demographic emphasis in years to come.

[mike white]

Ben

As long as I can call on you and call you friend I'm on board.

[djchuang]

Well, don't just stop with the overwhelming "whiteness" of such conferences, and it's not only lacking African-Americans, it's also lacking Hispanics & Latinos - who are now the largest minority group in the USA, and also lacking Asian Americans, though clocking in 4% of the US population, this group has the fastest growth rate by percentage, and will double in about 20-25 years.

[Kevn Phillip]

I beleive that when we form these groups we start with what and who we're comfortable with. So whether the group is white, African-American, Latino, or Asian American, we start based on the community we're in.

What would be great is at the conception we begin to search out those that are different than us to plant a church, or start a network, etc.

[David]

I agree with Kevin.
It would be great to see the diversity of our world and our God played out in emerging networks in the body of Christ.