The Post-Black and Post-White Church

A blueprint for missional, multi-ethnic Christian community Efrem Smith, an internationally recognized and innovative African-American leader, offers a workable plan for connecting theology, practical ministry models, and real stories of people in multi-ethnic Christian communities. Using the example of Jesus, Smith develops a theology of multi-ethnic and missional leadership. Embracing urban and ethnic subcultures such as hip-hop, this book provides a rich mix of multi-ethnic church development, reconciliation theology, missional church thinking, and Christian community. Provides a common-sense approach to creating a multi-ethnic Christian community Includes practical ministry models and real stories of people who are members of thriving multi-ethnic congregations Author is acclaimed African-American thought leader who planted and led a multi-ethnic churches of close to 1,000 and now leads a regional division of a denominational committed to ethnic, multi-ethnic, and missional churches This book is written for anyone wrestling with what it means to be a Christian in an increasingly multi-ethnic world polarized by class, politics, and race.

About the Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series vii Foreword by Curtiss Paul DeYoung ix Introduction: Enter the Sanctuary xiii 1 Reconciling, Multi-Ethnic, and Missional 1 2 Moving the Church Beyond Crisis, Captivity, and Comfort 15 3 Compassion, Mercy, and Justice 41 4 Race 65 5 The Gift of the Black Church 93 6 Creating a Post-White Church 117 7 Leadership 145 8 The Beloved Life and Leadership Project 161 9 Starting, Shifting, and Sustaining 185 Notes 201 About the Author 207 Index 209