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Mark Lau Branson, Ed.D.
Mark is the Homer L. Goddard Associate Professor of the Ministry of the Laity at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, where he teaches courses in congregational leadership and community engagement.
Juan F. Martínez, Ph.D.
Juan is Associate Dean in charge of the Center for the Study of Hispanic Church and Community and Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies and Pastoral Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California.
Local neighborhood
Haah Video: Diversity in Context & Church
Pastor Kevin Haah states, “People are more multiethnic in friendships and the workplace than we think they are.” He specifically points to how we can learn from the multiethnic friendships on Skid Row. Homelessness, a narrative more pervasive than ethnic … Read the Post
Posted in: Introduction, Part I: Theology and Context, Part III: Leadership, Communication and Change, Videos
Tags: African American, Asian American, Church Story, Economic Diversity, Intercultural Leadership, Local neighborhood, Missional church, Multicultural churches, Practical theology, Relationships
Haah Video: Describing New City Church
This is the first video in a series from Pastor Kevin Haah from New City Church in Los Angeles. Pastor Haah and a core team were led by God to plant a church in the socially diverse context of downtown … Read the Post
Carson Video: Willing to Change – Passion & Patience
Pastor Elwood Carson portrays the complexities associated with becoming a multi-ethnic congregation. He talks about having to adapt his African American preaching style as Latino neighbors join the congregation. Also, the congregation embodies differences between people and their various stages … Read the Post
Fong Video: Latino Neighbor Becomes Key Staff Person
As the church became willing to engage with the neighborhood and crosscultural experiments, Fong explains that Steve, a Latino neighbor, visited and left then returned and left…. Today, Steve is a crucial part of the church and its mission. Fong … Read the Post
Carson Video: Friendships
Pastor Carson’s church is currently doing the work of building intercultural friendships, even with the challenges of a bi-lingual context. To do this, he stresses the importance of hospitality, time spent together, and the practice of sharing meals. → On … Read the Post
Carson Video: Prophecies, the Economy, and from Commuter to Local
Pastor Carson’s story shows how transformation is not a straight line. Turbulent economic times forced many commuters at Carson’s congregation to stop coming to church in an effort to save money on gas. This difficult loss led the church to … Read the Post
Carson Video: Learning Spanish and Connecting with Neighbors
Pastor Elwood Carson, of New Life in Christ Church (Los Angeles), shares about how evolving neighborhood demographics prompted him to learn Spanish. Over time, as church members engaged their neighbors, a series of events and experiences led this predominantly African … Read the Post
Posted in: Part I: Theology and Context, Part II: Sociocultural Perspectives, Part III: Leadership, Communication and Change, Videos
Tags: African American, Church Story, Intercultural communication, Intercultural Leadership, Language, Latino/a, Leading Change, Local neighborhood, Missional church, Multiethnic Congregation
Doi Video: Location, Diversity, and Meals
Pastor Kevin Doi talks about Epic Church’s pilgrimage from being planted by a Japanese American church to recent years as they settled into a location in Fullerton, California and became engaged in the diversity of that context. This also raised … Read the Post
Buchanan Video: Friendships
Rev. Buchanan’s stories about cross-cultural friendships indicate how these change the imagination of a church. It is important to notice the human and holy factors that shape such relationships. → On p 63, Branson defines the work of “congregational formation … Read the Post
Buchanan Video: Music & Film as Indigenous
Churches in transition need to attend to their local neighborhoods. Rev. Buchanan describes the creation of diversity on boards and for worship leadership. This Los Angeles church was located in the midst of film and music industries, so members and … Read the Post