A Membership Reflective of the Harvest Field’s Diversity

by Ron Hamilton, Conference Minister

It is a custom for the Conference Minister to join members of the Credentials Committee to personally welcome newly licensed ministers at our Annual Gathering. This happened as usual at our 2015 Annual Gathering in Rochester, New York. As I walked through the line of approved ministers and met Rev. Jorge Hrebien from Whittier, California, he leaned over to me and said, “I’m the only Spanish speaking pastor here today!” I acknowledged what he said, gave him a big hug, and told him I would share that fact with everyone in attendance.

Jorge serves as the Spanish-speaking pastor at the Plymouth Church in Whittier. The church recognized that two-thirds of the population of Whittier was Hispanic and determined to minister to this people group by offering a Spanish speaking service. This service happens at the same as the English service. The two groups join together on a regular basis with Pastor Dan Pryor translating Pastor Hrebien’s message and vice versa. God is using this effort to reach many people with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus and lives are being touched and transformed by this ministry.

This is a living example of our value of developing a “membership that is reflective of the harvest field’s diversity”. Our world is changing at a rapid pace and this change affects the communities in which we minister. The non-Hispanic, native-born white population will become less than 50% before 2040. Nearly every community in our nation is more ethnically diverse than it was in the previous generation.

Jesus said, “…Open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35) This teaching encourages us to reach the people around us with the good news of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Our ministry of Church Development trains and equips member churches to connect with their communities and reach people with the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ. Churches that take this seriously have experienced a significant change in their memberships and ministries. Our Conference has planted churches in urban areas and these new ministries have developed as multi-ethnic congregations that are effectively reaching their communities with the Gospel.

The membership of our Conference will change as we live in obedience to Jesus and reach the people around us.