5 Reasons Bi-Cultural Church Leaders Don’t Get Hired
“Strength lies in differences, not in similarities. ”
Editor’s Note: This is Part 2 of a Series
Part 1: Why the American Church Needs Bi-Cultural Leaders
Part 2: 5 Reasons Bi-Cultural Church Leaders Don’t Get Hired
Imagine the Apostle Paul applying for a job at your church. No-brainer hire, right?
I’m not so sure he would be.
I can’t help but wonder if Paul, as a bi-cultural (BC) leader, would have a tougher time than we’d imagine.
Previously, I defined BC as those who have blended two or more cultures they take part in, in attitudes, behaviors, and values. I also defined “the American church” as churches that reside geographically in the United States placed in diverse local contexts.
With that context in mind, here are 5 reasons why I believe BC leaders struggle to get hired in the American church:
1. Resumes Don’t Always Translate Well
While titles like “English Ministry Pastor” or “Hispanic Congregation Pastor” evoke reverence from certain cultures, they can feel foreign and a bit clunky for someone who has no point of reference.
Put yourself in the shoes of a white majority congregation prayerfully trying to hire for gospel strategy. Imagine getting a resume from someone who has served at (made up names) 1st Chinese Church of Bay Area and Fellowship of Chinese Christians on Campus. The significance of these ministries get lost without contextual understanding.
What can also hurt BC leaders is the smaller size of the churches of their ministry contexts. As I’ve mused previously, church size is a big currency in the American church because it assumes certain skills. But because ethnic-based churches are not large, the reverse assumption is given.
2. Interview Formats Hurt Some Cultures
The typical interview format of one-on-ones and group conversations exist for a reason. You can get a sense of a person’s ability to articulate under pressure, exercise emotional/relational intelligence, and highlight the not-on-paper self. But this format doesn’t bode well for all cultures.
Korean Americans, for example, who come from a collectivistic society will defer in group conversations, not out of passivity but out of group well-being. Many Korean Americans will not put themselves and their thoughts out there, even if they have really good things to say for fear of the perception of arrogance and self-interest. We will also defer to those who are older.
So what can happen is the interviewer(s) sees the tip of the iceberg and conclude passivity and lack of confidence without seeing the talent and experience hidden underneath.
3. Limited Networking Is A Disadvantage
While I think networking is overrated (proving my own point), I understand why people love networking. It creates connections thereby enlarging one’s circle of influence.
And this is helpful because the more people you know, the more opportunities you could be referred for. And when you get referred for a role, you enter the interview process riding on the wings of the referent’s credibility.
But imagine a BC leader who has served in only ethnic-based churches applying for a multi-ethnic church. Who would be able to vouch for that leader? He or she would be walking into the interview as just another candidate (no matter how gifted he/she may be).
What can further exacerbate this dynamic is the lack of network opportunities in some BC contexts. In some BC contexts, networking isn’t even a real value.
4. It’s Not Gospel-Strategic
While diversity is a beautiful thing, it may not make sense for some churches (as least in the here-and-now).
Some churches, for example, are not situated in diverse contexts. So when a white majority church in a white majority context tries to hire a BC leader, it may send a strong message, but it may not necessarily be the best strategy.
Furthermore, other churches - such as Asian American churches - are grouped more sociologically than geographically. More than reaching its city, they’re reaching other Asian Americans who have heard about the church. Therefore, it wouldn’t be strategic for that church to hire a Hispanic pastor.
5. Some Churches Just Aren’t Ready Yet
Some churches (as one example) don’t know enough BC candidates due to a lack of connections and relational networking. So hiring an African American or Asian American pastor may feel like a really big deal, not because a church doesn’t want to, but because a church may not know enough good candidates (if any).
This is a fear of the unknown. And this is something familiar to both ethnic-based and multi-ethnic churches. This isn’t meant to excuse but explain. If we’re honest, I think we’ve all felt the feelings of discomfort in unfamiliar cultural contexts. It’s understandable.
Now could there be other reasons why a church isn’t ready? Yes, but that’s not for this post.
some Concluding Thoughts
1. If you’re a church in the process of hiring a BC leader, please consider cultural factors in how that process will go. It’s not fair to hire a BC leader to gain the benefits of their BC background, without even extending a posture of cultural humility in the interview process. Depending on your context, whether you’re looking to hire an African American, Latino, Asian American, or Anglo, be sure to loop someone in on the committee who can be a cultural voice and translator. Also, depending on the applicant’s cultural context, you may need to ask questions that draw out and invite the candidate to share their strengths and accomplishments.
Also, please don’t penalize applicants for coming from smaller church contexts. I would argue that leaders from smaller contexts have certain advantages - for example, you actually have to be more relationally savvy in smaller than larger contexts because you can’t hide.
2. If you’re a church in need of BC leaders but find yourself hesitant, please begin by prioritizing relationship-building over organizational goals. As you build relationships with other BC individuals, you will be in a much better posture when the hiring process begins. Relationship building always begins with disorientation, but that’s the first step to orienting ourselves with those who are unfamiliar. In this process, we will find more similarities than we had anticipated, and grow to drop our guards and help others drop theirs. Besides, you may make some BC friends along the way.
3. If you’re a BC leader, you may find yourself wondering why you’re the one who has to code switch, and why you can’t just “be yourself.” You need to know that you’re not selling out for code switching (even ethnic churches code switch within their own contexts!). Remember, it’s about the gospel. It’s about cherishing the gospel, growing in the gospel, and advancing the gospel. As a BC leader, you have the ability to become different things to different people at different times while being who you are (!). So when you step into the interview, don’t shrink back from leaning into a certain aspect of who you are. When you’re given an opportunity, you can gun for it and crush it by His power. This can be draining, but know that’s the invitation to rest in the One who incarnated himself and became lowly though He was mighty.
While I don’t know if Paul would be hired today, I’m thankful he passionately served the churches of his day. May many BC leaders serve the churches of our day whether we get hired or not.
