Church Diversity

I've had the opportunity to spend time with Scott Williams this weekend. He is an author and a leader who consults with churches all over the world. He is a big advocate for diversity within the church, and his visit to North Way is timely considering that we have been really leaning into becoming a more diverse community over the past couple of years. As Williams points out in his book, Church Diversity, Sunday morning tends to be the most segregated time of the week for most Americans because churches are often divided along racial lines. Only 7% of American churches are considered to be racially diverse, as evidenced by at least 20% of a congregation being represented by a minority group. Many churches, however, are really starting to wake up to the reality that we need to engage people across racial, cultural, and socioeconomic boundaries in order to remain relevant. That is our goal at North Way East End. We seek to align our hearts with God in terms of bringing the transformational gospel message to all people in our diverse part of the city of Pittsburgh. We have intentionally established leadership teams and worship styles to engage the diverse groups of people in the urban neighborhoods in and around East Liberty. Our church is definitely still a work in progress, but we are making great strides. The vision of a diverse church is becoming a reality thanks to our following the lead of the Holy Spirit. I am excited to see what God is going to do across all North Way campuses as we continue to reach out to the many different kinds of people in Pittsburgh.