Moving from a Majority Anglo to a Multiracial Congregation: A Case Study of Halls Ferry Christian Church Florissant, Missouri

2007·0.55 MB·English

by  DAVID G. HOKE

MOVING FROM A MAJORITY ANGLO TO A MULTIRACIAL CONGREGATION:
A CASE STUDY OF HALLS FERRY CHRISTIAN CHURCH FLORISSANT,
MISSOURI
A THESIS-PROJECT
SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF
GORDON-CONWELL THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY
BY
DAVID G. HOKE
MAY 2007
Copyright © 2007 By David G. Hoke
All rights reserved
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…
- Revelation 7:9
CONTENTS
LIST OF TABLES.........................................................................................................viii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS...........................................................................................ix
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS................................................................................................x
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................................xii
PART 1: CLARIFICATION
Chapter
1. INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................1
Viewing Ministry Through Stained Glass Windows................................1
The Purpose of this Thesis-Project...........................................................2
The Research Questions............................................................................3
The Methodology......................................................................................5
The Assumptions.......................................................................................5
Parameters of the Project..........................................................................8
Definition of Terms...................................................................................8
2. THE SETTING AND CHALLENGES: ANALYZING HALLS FERRY
CHRISTIAN CHURCH WITH A VIEW TOWARD MULTIRACIAL
DEVELOPMENT..........................................................................................14

A Brief History of Ethnic Relationships in St. Louis.............................14
Roots in the American Restoration Movement.......................................18
The Context of Halls Ferry Christian Church.........................................25

PART 2: CONCEPTUALIZATION
3. LITERATURE REVIEW: ANALYZING HOW PRECEDENT
LITERATURE INFORMS THE ISSUE OF MULTIRACIAL
CONGREGATIONAL LIFE.........................................................................30
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The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning
Organization................................................................................30

Exegeting the City: Urban Systems and Systems Thinking...................43
People, Plans, and Policies: Essays on Poverty, Racism, and
Other National Urban Problems.................................................44

Seek the Peace of the City: Reflections on Urban Ministry...................48
City of God, City of Satan: A Biblical Theology of the
Urban Church.............................................................................52
To Live in Peace: Biblical Faith and the Changing Inner City..............55
Biblical Ethics and Social Change..........................................................57
A Heart for the City: Effective Ministries to the Urban
Community................................................................................59
4. THEOLOGICAL FRAMEWORK: TOWARD AN INCARNATIONAL
THEOLOGY OF RECONCILIATION AND MULTIRACIAL
CONGREGATIONAL LIFE.........................................................................62

Introduction to Incarnational Theology.................................................62
A Paradigm for Wholistic Incarnational Ministry..................................64
Toward a Systematic Theology of Reconciliation..................................66
Developing the Mind of Christ in a Multicultural Society.....................81
God’s Hands are in the Mud...................................................................83
5. PROJECT DESIGN: RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS USED TO GAIN AN
UNDERSTANDING OF PERCEIVED HELPS AND HINDRANCES TO
MULTIRACIAL CONGREGATIONAL LIFE.............................................86
Section 1 – Systemic Thinking’s Relationship to the Proposed Ministry
Actions – Using the Hexagon Technique.............................86

Section 2 – Analysis of the System.......................................................108

Section 3 – Foundations for Developing a Multiracial Congregation..112

Section 4 – Reflections on the use of the Hexagon Technique.............125
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PART 3: CONFRONTATION
6. OUTCOMES: HOW SYSTEMIC UNDERSTANDING INFORMS
DECIDING NEXT STEPS, PEDAGOGY, AND FURTHER STUDY
PERTINENT TO MULTIRACIAL CONGREGATIONAL LIFE.............129

Implications of Systemic Understanding to Deciding Next Steps........129
Implications of Systemic Understanding to Pedagogy.........................136
Implications of Systemic Understanding to Further Study...................140
7. PROJECT SUMMARY: KEY CONCEPTS..............................................143
Key Concepts from the Analysis of Halls Ferry Christian Church with
a View Toward Interracial Development..............................................144

Key Concepts from the Analysis of Precedent Literature Informing
the Issue of Interracial Congregational Life..........................................145

Key Concepts in Incarnational Theology that Relate to Reconciliation and
Multiracial Congregational Life............................................................145

Key Concepts Learned from the use of Hexagonning to Gain an
Understanding of Perceived Helps and Hindrances to the Development of
a Multiracial Congregation...................................................................146

Key Concepts for Laying the Foundation for the Development of a
Multiracial Congregation......................................................................148

Conclusion.............................................................................................151

Appendix
A. ALIENS AND THE PROVISION OF GOD.............................................153
B. MINISTRY TEAM LEADER: JOB DESCRIPTION..............................155
C. MINISTRY TEAM OF INCLUSION: JOB DESCRIPTION..................157
D. BREAKING BREAD................................................................................158

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E. THE 60-MINUTE PRAYER WATCH CLUB ENROLLMENT
CARD AND PRAYER CLUB REPORT CARD........................................160
F. BACK TO THE BASICS............................................................................161
BIBLIOGRAPHY.........................................................................................................166
VITA.............................................................................................................................181

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TABLES

Table Page
1. ATTENDANCE, MAJORITY ETHNICITY, AND PERCENTAGE OF OTHER
ETHNICITIES – CHURCHES IN FLORISSANT, MISSOURI.............................26

2. HEXAGON RESPONSES GROUP 1 – Junior and Senior High Youth – Halls Ferry
Christian Church.......................................................................................................91

3. HEXAGON RESPONSES GROUP 2 – Ferguson Christian Church.......................92

4. HEXAGON RESPONSES GROUP 3 – Friendly Missionary Baptist Church........93

5. HEXAGON RESPONSES GROUP 4 – Filipino Network Members......................94

6. HEXAGON RESPONSES – Large Group Event.....................................................95

7. CLUSTERING THE REINFORCING RESPONSES..............................................97

8. CLUSTERING THE BALANCING RESPONSES...............................................101

viii
ILLUSTRATIONS

Figure Page
1. INITIAL REINFORCING CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAM......................................100
2. INITIAL BALANCING CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAM..........................................103
3. COMPLEX CAUSAL LOOP DIAGRAM..............................................................104
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The formation of this Thesis-Project began many years ago during my
undergraduate study at St. Louis Christian College. My wife, Gayanne, and I attended
the North American Christian Convention in St. Louis. We were shocked to see that the
thousands of worshippers in the convention center were all Anglo (except International
visitors). We committed together to do whatever we could to bring color into the
Restoration Movement. I am eternally grateful to her for partnering with me in the
ministry of racial reconciliation, and for being my best friend in this life.
Ten years later in January 1989, we received a phone call from my wife’s
physician inquiring as to our interest in adopting a baby boy. We enthusiastically said,
“Yes!” As we held him in our arms for the first time, we knew his name would be Caleb,
one who would defeat giants in the land, by the power of the Lord. Caleb is biracial, and
we believe came as a prophetic symbol of the ministry to which God was calling us. The
vision that God put on our hearts was to grow a church in which people of multiple races
could worship together in joyful unity. I dedicate this Thesis-Project to my son, Caleb,
who has shaped my heart, mind, and ministry.
I offer my sincerest thanks to Halls Ferry Christian Church for their consistent
support in the completion of this Thesis-Project, as well as the Doctor of Ministry
program. Without their graciousness in allowing me to study in Boston, and generous
financial help, these goals could not have been accomplished. As well, my parents –
Gene and Pat – for making sure all needs were taken care of, and for instilling in me the
passion for learning.
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