Thursday, July 18, 2013

A Different Kind of Diversity

As our regular readers know, my wife and I recently moved to Connecticut after 19 years in Vermont. We are settling in to our new church planting ministry. We are meeting new people and learning how similar and how different Connecticut is from Vermont. Connecticut is similar to Vermont in its adherence to postmodern culture. Parts of Connecticut, especially the Litchfield area, are amazingly similar in geography to Vermont.

Connecticut is different from Vermont in its level of diversity. The diversity in Connecticut is just incredible. When we think of diversity, we normally think in terms of race. Connecticut definitely has a lot of racial diversity. At any given time we are in stores, restaurants and churches with a wide variety of races. We think that is cool.

But what really stands out to us is the economic diversity. Connecticut has some incredibly rich people and some incredibly poor people, and everything in between. Surprisingly, race has less to with where a family is on that scale than one might think. The economic contrast is ever present as we drive around the greater Hartford area ministering to others. This is a different kind of diversity than what we normally think of, but diversity just the same.

We are convinced that God wants all the people who live in our area to have a chance to clearly hear and understand the Gospel. Regardless of their race, or their economic situation, each of them deserves a chance to hear the Gospel. Join us in praying for God to show us ways to share His love with all of those around us.

1 comment:

  1. After living in West Hartford area for some time, I agree. The greater diversity found there is not race, but economics. Wealthy white teenagers have far more in common with wealthy black teenagers than they do with poor white teenagers.

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