Growing as a Multi-ethnic Team

Testimony of the Urbana 2000 worship team
by Achlai Ernest

Introduction

As I reflect on life with the Urbana 2000 Worship Team, the term multi-ethnicity inevitably comes to mind. So much occurred after January 15, 2000, when we sat as a team for the first time in Matt and Sundee's [Frazier - Urbana 2000 worship leaders] living room. We were introduced to the "approaching differences diagram" (a chart structured to help teams of people engaging in cultures different than one's own) - and what a good idea it was, for little did we know how much we would need its advice, again, and again and again. My desire is that all of you worship leaders who have a longing to develop a multi-ethnic worship team or be a part of one will gain some insight from these thoughts of mine.

My desire is not so much to make this a PC or academic paper with multiple definitions of controversial terms (i.e., ethnic, racial - these terms I will use rather loosely and interchangeably as to not get sidetracked from my purpose). Nor is it even a "how-to" concerning racial reconciliation on a worship team. Rather, I would like to share at this time how being on this team has influenced and shaped my thoughts where "multi-ethnic worship" is concerned.

What does it mean to be a multi-ethnic worship team?

Is a multi-ethnic worship team simply the representation of various racial or ethnic groups? It could refer to a team whose members come from various cultural, racial and ethnic heritages. In this stricter sense, the Urbana Worship Team certainly fits, for our team includes the following: Grace (Asian-American, Taiwanese-born,) Helyn (bi-racial of Hispanic & White American heritage, Venezuelan-born), Sundee (bi-racial of African-American & White American heritage, U.S.-born), Matt (White-American, U.S-born), Stefphan (Caribbean-Black heritage, Canadian-born), Scott (White-American, U.S.-born) and myself - Achlai (Haitian-Black heritage, Canadian-born)!

No one would argue that we represent a variety of backgrounds. And yet, throughout the months, again, and again, the questions were raised in my mind - what makes for multi-ethnic worship? How do we truly learn to reflect more of God's ultimate kingdom goal described in Rev.7: 9-17 without being tokens or merely trying to fill the racial/ethnic quotas? After all, just because we came from various backgrounds didn't mean that we as a team would know exactly how to represent each person's cultural ways of worshipping God.

Defining multi-ethnic worship

As a team we have studied and looked at the heavenly call of worship. Sundee especially has helped us in this area. Looking at Revelations 7:9-17 gives me a sense of what direction I'm headed in when I think of "multi-ethnic worship"…I personally define multi-ethnic worship as worship to God, who alone is worthy of worship, offered to Him by as many of the multiple people groups that He has made; and whose worship to Him reflects the ethnic/racial cultures that He has also created.

Of course, on this earth it is unlikely that any one worship team can ever reflect all of these nations of the world. Yet it is possible to mirror the hope and heart of God as His Spirit leads us when we are attempting to live out Rev.7: 9 in our worshipping communities.

Being the Black girl on the team

One thing I have learned in a hard kind of way, is that to genuinely be a multi-ethnic team requires that folks remain who they are. What I mean by this is that when people behave according to whatever dominant structure is in place, the team is not reflecting true multi-ethnicity. One thing I experienced during this year is the pressure of adhering to dominant culture in a worship team context, although initially, it was not verbalized. From the ways rehearsals were structured to our team prayer times, there was clearly a dominant influence on how our worship team operated.

When people behave according to whatever dominant structure is in place, the team is not reflecting true multi-ethnicity.

While it may have been easier to go along with the order of things, I was challenged to speak up about my own ideas of what I thought a multi-ethnic worship team might look like. It was hard. It was very hard … But all those conversations deepened us, as doors were opened for others on the team to share the different ways they were also affected by the pressures of dominant culture.

For all the worship leaders who may desire to see multi-ethnic worship teams develop, it is important to realize that there will be some cultural group (whether ethnic or otherwise) that will influence more significantly your worship team depending on multiple factors, such as location or the leadership. For example, in Montreal, a multi-ethnic worship team set in a mostly French-Canadian area led by French-Canadians will most likely reflect the Quebecois culture in its operations and decisions - even though there may be non-French folks on the worship team, and they sing songs in languages other than French. I've experienced in the past that the same is true if the team is set in a Haitian community headed by Haitian folks.

There is nothing inherently wrong with this in and of itself. However, if we say we are attempting to be a multi-ethnic worship team, then we need to be aware and act to ensure that everyone, especially those who are not of the dominant culture, are heard and represented.

For the person who feels different

While the unresolved cultural differences raised tensions and sometimes filled me with a sense of frustration and helplessness, I learned a lot through our times of conflict. The leadership, too, reinforced the following concepts for us as the team pressed on. I want to share two ideas for the minority on a worship team who especially feels the pressure of the dominant culture:

You too have something to bring to the table - not just your personality and character but also all of who you are reflecting your ethnic/racial/cultural heritage. There is a unique contribution that only you can make being the person that God made you to be, your ethnic/cultural background not being any less important in the equation than your personality or character.
You are not a mere "token." The difference between a token and a person who is bringing all of who they are culturally, is that the token helps the other people feel that they have arrived, whereas the latter is there to open doors for others who relate to you culturally. Even though you may feel stifled to be all of who you are, break through that, and change your mindframe of how you view yourself on your team. Recognize that it takes one of you to stand to help others start their walk across the bridge towards Rev.7:9.

If at instances you do experience tokenism (a very negative experience), be encouraged to share this with the people who are leading the team because if it's a true worship team desiring to reflect true multi-ethnicity, they will listen. (I will always remember how Matt emphasized that we were not merely chosen solely because of our racial/ethnic heritage … those early words would make a world of difference later when I would experience the strangeness of thinking of myself as a token.)

Let me share two examples of how I chose to be myself in spite of the pressure I felt to adhere and what the outcomes were.

The first example brings me back to one of our rehearsals in the middle of a sunny Wisconsin afternoon. As we sang and played this one Spirit-anointed song, I felt the urge to belt out an ad-lib in a way that is very true to my culture - and of course, I had not warned them but you know when you black - you just got to sing it when you feel it - just say "hummmmmmmmm." So I just decided to go on and sing that ad-lib. Well, one of my team-mates looked at me with a really strange look and later let me know I sounded kind of odd and kindly suggested that I opt out of singing that so loudly! Well, I wasn't too encouraged to do that again, and had not the leaders stepped in, probably would have retreated into myself …

Another time that I pressed through brought another kind of outcome. I had shared with Sundee the struggles of how our prayer meetings seemed to reflect 99% of the time one certain culture and rarely anything else. In response, I was encouraged to lead our team prayer meeting in a way reflecting my culture. I was filled with anxiety, wondering if any of my team members would flow with me as I led, but giving it over to God, I went on as He directed, being myself. It was awesome! It was a prayer time filled with the presence of God, as everyone was open to where God was leading us. The outcome was that we were brought closer together and rejoiced, as we understood God's message to keep on moving forward.

It's not guaranteed

I have learned that having a multi-ethnic team does not automatically guarantee an enlarged understanding of racial/cultural tensions and issues. In other words, the mere fact alone of having people come together of different ethnic/cultural heritages does not mean they will have grasped the concept of truly understanding one another in the various worship and musical styles that are offered. I believe that it is possible to have an all Black or all Korean, French or any other mono-cultural worship team who understands the essence of multi-ethnic worship much wider than a multi-ethnic team in the strict definition. For they may have the heart desire and ability to usher a multi-ethnic congregation into the presence of God. It takes commitment and hard work to go beyond the music and into the lives of one another. When this happens, is when the music truly comes alive. As well, this is when I really experience in my heart that we are genuinely a multi-ethnic worship team. After all, the team is made up of people - not just the music or songs we present on stage.

Growing in our understanding as a multi-ethnic ethnic worship team

Our team is able to worship God in various ways reflecting various cultures in spirit and in truth, because we care about each other. We realize the significant impact we have on one another as we respect and present our worship to God in ways that are culturally relevant for us. Secondly, we care for the people who we lead into the Throne Room and desire for them to be able to relate to God in ways that are culturally relevant for them.

We also want to broaden all of our horizons in worshiping God in new ways and languages in order to see the grandeur of God. For example, we sing a South African song, even though none of us are South Africans, and neither are most of the folks we have led in worship. Last of all, I believe that we as a team have grown in our understanding as a multi-ethnic worship team in that we better comprehend God's desire and heart for all of His people. For He is the One whose love derives honor and glory from nations, racial and ethnic cultural groups as they worship Him in the ways He has created them to be. For it is Him who has created all things and it is Him who has orchestrated our lives so that we might truly reflect multi-ethnic worship in Spirit and in truth.

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December 27-31, 2009