Leadership Summit 4b: Efrem Smith – Leading in New Cultural Realities

Senior Pastor of The Sanctuary Covenant Church, Efrem Smith serves close to 1,000 people with the vision to be an urban, multi-ethnic, relevant, holistic, and Christ-centered community. He is an internationally recognized leader, speaker, and consultant on diversity and multi-ethnic issues. Smith has held leadership positions in both church and parachurch organizations such as the Boys and Girls Club of America and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including The Hip Hop Church.

Notes from this session follow.

• We live in a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic world.  Are we going to shrink from it or lead in it?
• It’s not necessary to be an expert, but we must be willing to be led by God’s spirit.
• We need something bigger than earthly systems of democracy and capitalism.
• Must be a loving leader.  The love of God must come upon us and flow through us.
• When Jesus comes back it’s justice, but for how it’s just us.
• If you can’t love across race and class, you can’t lead in this culture.
• Must be an abiding leader – abide in God.
• Some of us don’t step out and lead in a multi-cultural world because we don’t feel qualified.  It’s not about being qualified.
• If the church really wanted to address where the pain is, we would plant as many multi-ethnic churches in the inner city as possible.
• We must be confessing leaders.  Take responsibility for our mistakes, be authentic about our flaws.
• Maybe the reason why we have racial, class storms is because the high pressure of what God wants us to do colides with the low pressure of what we’d rather do.
• In some cases there are good reasons for ethnic-specific churches.
• Some gatherings need to be organic (pot luck dinner) some have to be programatic (intentional, planned events to promote understanding).
• You’re more than a white guy or a black girl.  You’re a child of God.  A leader called to impact a multi-cultural world.