Who is InterVarsity?
InterVarsity is an evangelical campus mission serving students and faculty on college and university campuses nationwide. Our vision is to see students and faculty transformed, campuses renewed and world changers developed.
InterVarsity is the ministry of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students in the United States.
InterVarsity has a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, an organization which measures organizations' financial and organizational health and grants organizations rankings from one to four stars.
Why Multiethnicity?
There is a long and a short answer to this question. If you would like the long answer, I encourage you to read InterVarsity's Commitment to Biblical Multiethnicity, check out the resources I list below this introduction, and/or get in touch with me so we can talk at greater length.
However, here's the short answer: In Revelations 7:9-11 we read about a great multitude where every tongue and tribe and nation join together to worship the LORD. In this vision, and in other Biblical treatments of ethnicity, individuals are affirmed in their culture and ethnicity, and despite there being no Jew or Gentile in the family of Christ (meaning we should unite as one and treat each other equally), our individual languages and cultures continue to be a part of what the LORD invites us to bring into his family. There's a beauty in different languages, cultures, dance and music styles, foods, conversational styles, and more all joining together in one family.
Race, culture, and ethnicity must be submitted to the LORD, just like every aspect of our lives. Divisive and un-Godly aspects of our cultures aren't acceptable just because they're culturally-based. However, there is much that is good that our culture and ethnicity contributes to us as people and to the greater body of Christ.
Furthermore, there are many significant considerations in today's society that are positively and negatively based on culture--and, more frequently, on race. To ignore these important aspects of the experience of all people is to unrealistically attempt to remove ourselves from the world around us. A thoughtful and Christ-like engagement with the world around us will include working through issues of racism and racialization that affect us all.
Finally, these things cannot be handled well if we hold to the postmodern value of "colorblindness" which is so prevalent among American Christians. If we aim to see everyone exactly the same, we're choosing to ignore that their experience may be different from ours. Instead, we should aim for equity: valuing that each person has a different experience from everyone else, and treating them accordingly, aiming to give each person what is best for them.
Once again, this is just the beginning of the story. Please get in touch with me if you'd like to talk about it more!
Here are a few resources for thinking about multiethnicity (I'm just getting this list and page started):
Books
- I've read and recommend:
- Being White
- Following Jesus Without Dishonoring Your Parents
- Why Are All of the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?
- Divided By Faith
- Recommended but I haven't read yet:
- Living in Color
- More Than Equals
- United By Faith
- Reconciliation Blues
- The Heart of Racial Justice
- Invitation to Lead
- More Than Serving Tea
- Being Latino in Christ
Groups/Web Sites
Speakers/Authors
- Brenda Salter McNeil
- Tony Campolo
- Michael Emerson
What is it that you do?
More details coming soon, but for now:
I'm the newly-appointed Communications Coordinator for the Multiethnic Ministries Department of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA. I'll be working with many facets of the ministry, but my current primary work is with the web site and conference of the 2012 Multiethnic Staff Conference.
How can I learn more?
Get in touch with me. I'd love to talk more or meet up and answer any questions you have!
How do I give?
You can visit my page on the InterVarsity donation site here. They'll take your information and you can give a one-time or recurring gift to support my work with InterVarsity.
Have any questions? Get in touch with me--I'd love to answer any questions you have.