This final post in the Cultural Crossroads series outlines three practical models of integration that many ethnic diaspora churches have implemented to reach their communities with the Gospel. While not exhaustive, these models represent the most common approaches observed in the ethnic churches studied, interviewed, and surveyed. It’s important to note that behind each model, there are months, if not years, of praying, planning, and strategizing. For many ethnic churches, integration is a major undertaking that often produces heated debates, divisions, and even church splits. However, those who faithfully go through this process often find at least one of the following models crucial in fulfilling their God-given vision.

Model #1: English Service

In the English Service model, an originally homogenous ethnic church introduces an additional service conducted in English. Churches that have successfully implemented this model ensure that the service is culturally contextualized, incorporating worship styles, musical expressions, and preaching methods that resonate with the local community. However, while embracing a new language and cultural context, these churches continue to leverage their unique cultural traits to provide a distinct liturgical experience. Among many strong examples of this model, three churches stand out.

Boston Chinese Evangelical Church (BCEC), founded in 1961 by Chinese immigrants of primarily Toi-San (Cantonese-speaking) background, serves as a prime example of an ethnic church that embraced the English service model. Located across two campuses in Boston’s Chinatown and Newton, Massachusetts, the church began English-language services in the early 1980s when growth and the shortage of interpreters made bilingual services unsustainable. Today, BCEC offers six worship services in Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, functioning as distinct congregations with dedicated pastoral staff while remaining unified under one leadership structure. Though rooted in its Chinese heritage, the addition of English-speaking services has enabled BCEC to minister across generations and cultural contexts, bridging gaps within immigrant families and providing spiritual community for both Chinese-speaking elders and younger, English-dominant members.

Bryte Church in West Sacramento, California, founded in 1928 by Russian immigrants, has grown into a congregation that now ministers in both Russian and English. For many decades services were held only in Russian, but in 2015 the church launched a dedicated English service after first experimenting with occasional English sermons during Russian services. This shift, prompted by missional conviction and the need to retain younger generations, now provides two Sunday services: Russian at 9:30am and English at 11:45am. While the transition faced challenges such as cultural barriers, generational tensions, and resistance from some members, the patient leadership and eventual hiring of a full-time English pastor helped establish a strong, growing congregation that continues to reach both its heritage community and new believers from the wider area.

First Bilingual Baptist Church in Pico Rivera, California, founded in 1964 by a primarily Hispanic community, illustrates how a congregation can embrace bilingual ministry to keep families united across generations. Under the leadership of Pastor Fermín Whittaker, sermons gradually shifted from Spanish-only to bilingual, eventually developing into two distinct services: Spanish at 9:00am and English at 10:30am, while maintaining monthly and quarterly bilingual gatherings for the Lord’s Supper and membership meetings. This structure has allowed the church to minister effectively in a bilingual community, ensuring that both Spanish and English speaking members remain engaged. Today, the church reflects its mission of making faithful disciples by serving a diverse membership that includes Hispanic, White, African American, and Asian believers, demonstrating how language can be both a bridge and a testimony to the gospel’s unifying power.

Model #2: Integrated Church

The Integrated Church model occurs when a homogenous ethnic church joins with a mainstream American church. The ethnic congregation typically holds a separate Sunday gathering but becomes part of the host church’s leadership, budget, bylaws, and structure. An example of this approach is Butler Church in Fresno, CA. Butler Church was established in 1957 by a Mennonite immigrant community. However, beginning in the 1990’s, other homogenous ethnic congregations began to integrate into the church. Initially formed as immigrant Bible study groups, these communities eventually grew into full Sunday services.

Currently, Butler Church holds four services every Sunday: two in English, one in Spanish (called Amor y Fe), and one in Lao serving a Southeast Asian community. Every eight weeks, the church hosts a combined service with all ethnic congregations worshiping together. Pastors and leaders from each ethnic congregation are represented on the church’s elder board and make decisions together as one church community.

Model #3: Sending Church

In the Sending Church model, an ethnic church may choose to remain homogenous, at least for the current season. However, its mission is to grow, train, and send out leaders to plant new churches that serve local communities in culturally contextualized ways. One example is Living Stream Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Originally a homogenous ethnic Slavic church, they eventually implemented the English Service model, and later embraced the Sending Church model as well.

In 2020, they commissioned pastor Boris Shulga to plant a new community church called Vision Church. In just a few years, it has grown to over 500 members and is actively serving its local community. This intentional strategy of training and sending out leaders reflects a missional mindset that prioritizes multiplication and outreach.

Anchor Community Church in Diamond Bar, California, offers another example of the “sent model,” where the entire English congregation of First Evangelical Church of Diamond Bar was commissioned in partnership with the mother church to plant an independent English-speaking congregation. Launched over seven years ago, the church began with about 30 college students and young adults and has since quadrupled in size, now including many young families. While fully independent and meeting in a nearby school, Anchor maintains a close partnership with the Chinese church by continuing to provide youth workers and welcoming graduates from the youth ministry into its fellowship. This collaborative model, rooted in the support of a visionary senior pastor, a culturally adept planter, and a strong core group, illustrates both the opportunities and tensions of sustaining cross-congregational ties while pursuing growth in a new context.

Conclusion

The three models of integration presented above, offer distinct ways ethnic churches navigate the complex cultural crossroads they face in America. While not exhaustive, these models represent common approaches identified through research and interviews for this project. Each model ultimately aims to fulfill the Missio Dei by making the gospel accessible to all people. As ethnic churches continue to leverage their strengths and innovate, these models can serve as vital tools for engaging the broader American culture while maintaining the richness of their cultural heritage.

Ethnic diaspora churches stand at a pivotal cultural crossroads, where challenges and opportunities intersect to shape their contribution to the American society, both now and in the future. While cultural, linguistic, and generational divides have created gaps that require bridging, these very challenges also hold transformative potential. The framework of Missio Dei invites ethnic churches to transcend cultural barriers and leverage their unique strengths in fulfilling the Great Commission. By embracing a missional mindset that prioritizes gospel unity over cultural preservation, ethnic churches can effectively bridge the gaps that threaten their future.

The journey of integration is not a one-size-fits-all process but a creative and often challenging undertaking requiring grace, wisdom, humility, and perseverance. Various models of integration have emerged as ethnic churches strive to engage their local communities while honoring the richness of their heritage. Ultimately, the vision of a diverse yet unified church as described in Revelation 7:9 must remain the goal for all, not just ethnic church communities, as we look towards the day when every nation, tribe, people, and language stands together before the throne of God. Ethnic churches have the potential to transform cultural crossroads into missional outposts, where faith, culture, and creativity converge to enrich the American mosaic with the gospel of Jesus Christ.