Operations 102Class 12

Guest Lecturer

Jeremy Hoff is the Administrative Pastor of Shepherd of the Hills Church in Los Angeles, California. Jeremy has served at Shepherd Church for nearly fifteen years, beginning in the Information Systems and now within Administration. Jeremy loves to organize ministry, enhance outreach, and improve communication. A bit of a world traveler, Jeremy's information technology skills have taken him overseas to serve others in the name of Christ: Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Kenya, Germany, Mozambique, and others.

After attending Shepherd for three years, Abe Anaya and his wife Desiree became involved with a life group in 2003. A year later the couple led their own group and through the years Abe continued to heavily serve at Shepherd. Then in 2008, Abe was invited to join the pastoral staff in the Life Groups Ministry focusing on the encounter experience for men. But the first ministry in his life is to his wife and three children.

Dale is a graduate of Xavier University and certified by  The Association of Finance and Insurance Professionals. He's also a member of The American Society for Training and Development and the world famous Magic Castle in Hollywood, California.  Dale Penn has been an elder at Shepherd Church for more than a decade.

Class 12, Celebrating Diversity in the City of Angels

Los Angeles has 10.1 million people and is one of the most diverse cities in the nation. 48% are Hispanic, 29% Anglo, 10% African-American, 11% Asian and 2% “other.” Shepherd Church has grown into a multi-ethnic community of over 10,000 in membership. This innovative church not only attracts various ethnic groups, but has planted a self- sustaining church in the Hispanic community. This class will explore how Shepherd Church connects people who have various cultural preferences, styles and desires. Their lessons may help your church become a place of multi-cultural connection.

Biblically Speaking …

Genesis 1:26-27 “26 Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals,[a] and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” 27 So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” (emphasis by Jeremy)

Biblically Speaking …

Mark 12:30-31 “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[g] There is no commandment greater than these.”

Galatians 3:23 “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Revelation 7:9 “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

About Shepherd Church

Sr. Pastor, Dudley Rutherford, 26+ years

Preaches consistently about diversity in the church

NACC – North American Christian Convention

Dream of Destiny

About Shepherd Church

~16 (Landlocked) Acres in Porter Ranch Location in Woodland Hills, ~8 miles away Location in West Los Angeles, near the VA Hospital Location in Agua Dulce, near Vasquez Rocks Shepherd has been called “the most racially diverse

church in Los Angeles” by the city’s mayor. At least 80 native languages other than English (All walks of life … nationalities … ethnicities …

economic statuses … worldviews)

About Shepherd Church

Picture above is our groundbreaking ceremony, January 2015 Shepherd has been called “the most racially diverse church in

Los Angeles” by the city’s mayor.

Diversity

We must face the sad fact that at 11 o'clock on Sunday morning, when we stand to sing … we stand in the most segregated hour in America.

Martin Luther King Jr.

Fostering Diversity

Hire people of different ethnic and cultural heritage … In general and on the Pastoral team;

Present diversity on the platform; Elders Interns

More info at http://dreamofdestiny.com

Dream of Destiny

Dream of Destiny is an initiative that encourages Pastors, Bible College Presidents, and Ministry leaders to be intentional about fostering more diversity in their leadership, staff, and constituents.

The primary goal of the Gospel is to reconnect ALL people to through Christ to God. As Christ’s “body” we are commissioned to reach all people groups, not just those who look like us or come from the same socio-economic background. This mandate requires that we be very intentional about connecting and developing authentic relationships with people who are culturally and ethnically different from ourselves.

Dream of Destiny is committed to helping leaders accomplish this goal with and through their ministries.

Dudley Rutherford

… I started a ministry in 2007 called Dream of Destiny. The name was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech he delivered in 1963 at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. Referring to the white brothers and sisters who had joined the freedom demonstration, he said,

“…for many of our white brothers and sisters, as evidenced by their presence here today, have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny. And they have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.”

Dr. King’s words still ring true today. In order to foster racial diversity within churches across the United States and the world, we cannot walk alone. Hand in hand, we must construct positive bridges in relationships and communities. We must mentor and disciple young people of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds as preachers and leaders in the Christian Church, Churches of Christ, and Bible Colleges. We must take steps to diversify our platforms, staff, and elder boards.

I know this is possible! As the senior pastor of one of the more racially diverse congregations in America, Shepherd Church in Los Angeles, I’ve seen firsthand how Christian churches and colleges can reflect the colorful landscape of believers around the world.

Stories & Anecdotes

Reading

Church Diversity: Sunday The Most Segregated Day of the Week by Scott Williams

Reading

My Friend, The Enemy by William Pannell

Reading

Building a Healthy Multi-Ethnic Church by Mark DeYmaz

Reading

Divided by Faith: Evangelical Religion and the Problem of Race in America by Michael Emerson

Q & A

Summary Thoughtsby Dr. Nathan Baxter

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