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March 2004
Multicultural Ministry: Finding Your Church's Unique Rhythm
is the latest book by Dr. David Anderson, published by
Zondervan.
Davis College, formerly Practical Bible College, is
highlighted in Chapter Two in a section on churches and
parachurch organizations that are "practicing the dance of
multicultural ministry".
The excerpt below is taken from pages 34 and 35:
"A school in Binghamton, New York, Davis College, formerly
Practical Bible College,, has gotten off the wall and onto
the dance floor of multicultural ministry. The school is led
by Dr. George Miller, for whom the issue of race
reconciliation became personal a few years ago.
Miller recalls in his book, Hope Grows in Winter (Kregel,
2000), receiving heartbreaking news that his
fifteen-year-old daughter was pregnant. I'm sure you can
imagine how challenging this was to a godly father who also
was a Christian leader in his community. Not only was Miller
going to be a grandparent to his child's child, but his
Caucasian family had to be prepared for something more. The
father of the child was black.
The birth of grandson Keenan triggered in Miller a
realization that his previous "neutral" stand on matters of
race weren't acceptable to God. Miller explained to me that
he had been neither active in nor resistant toward
reconciliation initiatives, just neutral, which he now saw
was like being lukewarm in God's sight. Jesus says he would
spew lukewarm believers out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16).
Once the issues of race became personal, George threw
himself into multicultural relationships and interests that
have enabled his mind and heart to grow-- and the college
along with him. Davis College, formerly Practical Bible
College, is intentionally becoming more multicultural. As a
result of the efforts of the administration, the minority
enrollment has increased from 5 percent to 11 percent in the
last two years. The staff has become diversified, and the
BridgeLeader Network team of consultants has done workshops,
seminars, and adjunct teaching at the school on
multicultural effectiveness. Miller, as president, teaches a
course on race, which speaks volumes about his commitment to
reconciliation. Davis College, formerly Practical Bible
College, is on the dance floor of multicultural ministry."
Related links:
Bridgeway Community Church,
and the
BridgeLeader Network.
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