Future.

For myself, a man who is inter-racially married to a Taiwanese American woman and who has siblings, in-laws and cousins who are, Phillipina, Mexican-American, Euro-American, African-American, and bi-racial mixes of all of these, this picture of President Obama and his Chinese-American niece,  affirms both the validity and beauty of my family.

Are We There Yet?

Urban Faith recently published my article on Christianity Today International’s newest short-term missions curriculum, Round Trip.

Excerpt

Round Trip includes the typical information that likely can be found in a variety of training manuals for short-term mission candidates. But unlike many of those programs, this documentary and handbook bring an intimate, real-life narrative to the exciting but often uncomfortable experience of traveling to another country to share the gospel. [read more]

Interview with Soong-Chan Rah

I wanted to pass this article. It is an interview with Northpark University professor Soong-Chan Rah about diversity in the church and his new book The Next Evangelicalism.  Several of the questions of from me and the others come from Ed Gilbreath and some others at UrbanFaith.com. Here are some of the questions asked.

Practically speaking, do you think the strong tone and language of your book will change the mind of someone who isn’t already passionate about diversity in the church?

You seem to suggest a connection between the Korean/Korean American church and the African American church. Where does this come from, and why do you establish such a connection?

How do ethnic minorities begin a conversation amongst themselves about reaching out to other racial and ethnic groups?

You offer a blistering critique of the emerging church movement, suggesting that it is overhyped and lacks diversity. Is diversity possible in the “emerging” or “emergent” churches”? It seems as if Christians involved in that movement are extremely cultural bound, even more so than “mainstream” evangelical Christianity?

It seems that often the conversation is how white churches can become more diverse, which can come off as an expression of white dominance or perpetuate the phenomenon of “white guilt” as a motivator. Would you suggest that some white and minority churches serving in the same neighborhood merge rather than having white churches glibly trying to be diverse?

Dyson and Obama

Michael Eric Dyson comments on the Obama Presidency

Is Dyson on point here?

Is is way off?

What points does he have?

What do we glean from this commentary?

Thoughts?

Should we expect something more/different of Obama?

Multiracial people become fastest growing US group

WASHINGTON (AP) — Multiracial Americans have become the fastest growing demographic group. The latest census estimates show the number of multiracial people rose 3.4 percent last year to about 5.2 million. They now make up 5 percent of the minority population — with millions more believed to be uncounted. Demographers say the public profile of golfer Tiger Woods and President Barack Obama, a self-described “mutt,” is having an impact on those who might self-identify as multiracial. California, Texas, New York and Florida had the most multiracial people, due partly to higher populations of second- and later-generation immigrants who “marry out.” Measured by percentages, Hawaii ranked first with nearly 1 in 5 residents who were multiracial.