Our modern English words ethnic and ethnicity come from the Greek word \u201cethnos\u201d which means people groups. When Jesus told His disciples to make disciples of \u201call the nations\u201d (Matthew 28:19), he wasn\u2019t referring to political or geographic nations. He was referring to all the world\u2019s peoples. It has never been easier to make disciples than it is today. In our neighbourhood and workplace, we are likely to have people representing a diversity of ethnicities from around the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ralph Moore (founder of Hope Chapels International) takes this idea a step further when he says, \u201dI am going to add the word affinity group as part of the ethnos<\/em>. Your affinity group could be the people who are the same race as you but your affinity group could be the parents of the children who are in the swim team that your children are in. Each small group that is part of your life is an ethnos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Even though most people I talk to believe that our world will go back to normal once everyone has been vaccinated for Covid-19, I believe we will go back to a new normal<\/strong> and at this stage that new normal is not clear. One thing is clear, a large number of Christian leaders believe the Church will look different into the future. There will be a greater emphasis on small ethnos groups that meet in a coffee shop or a park because they are low cost, low risk and can fly under the radar. <\/p>\n\n\n\n As with others, I believe we are looking at a future that is going to dictate some of this. But I don\u2019t believe we are being backed into it. I see it as an opportunity we should pursue because the major benefit of what Ralph Moore is suggesting is that we can reach into an affinity group (ethnos) we\u2019re not touching at all right now. And that\u2019s got to drive us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The aim of our blog articles is to continue the process of looking at the area of discipleship through the lens of the major contextual changes confronting us in the 21st<\/sup> century. If this spikes your interest, you can go to the above URL and register to receive regular blog notices via email (click on Blog Subscription).<\/p>\n\n\n\n You are receiving this email because you have purchased one of our books, attended one of our seminars or shown some other interest in the area of Discipleship.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Our modern English words ethnic and ethnicity come from the Greek word \u201cethnos\u201d which means people groups. When Jesus told His disciples to make disciples of \u201call the nations\u201d (Matthew 28:19), he wasn\u2019t referring to political or geographic nations. He was referring to all the world\u2019s peoples. It has never been easier to make disciples […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":723,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-719","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n