A Qualitative Approach to Ministries and Church Education in Multicultural/ethnic Churches in the U.S.:From “Melting Pot” to “Salad Bowl”

The purpose of this study is to help find effective ways of educating congregations in the emerging multicultural ambience of South Korea by studying healthy and functional multiethnic churches in the U.S., particularly, focusing on their church education and ministries through qualitative research methods. The participants of this study are selected from the leadership of three local churches in Massachusetts, U.S. and five of eight interviewees, in charge of multicultural churches, were selected for analysis based on how well they representedthe range of experiences across the sample. Through qualitative approaches, we have discovered five dimensions of the successful multi-ethnic church in the U.S.: 1) a welcoming atmosphere, 2) empathy, 3) cultural sensitivity, 4) a willingness to change old ways, and 5) program diversity. The churches showing these characteristics werenot only healthy and functional, but also experiencing growth. Additionally, we were able to come up with a structural concept based on the abovementioned five characteristics of the successful multi-ethnic church, as hospitality, humility, openness, flexibility, and diversity. These are qualities that appear to provide the multicultural/ethnic church a solid foundation for helping congregants to become mature in the faith.