United Ethnic Mission

By Debbie Schwartz
Asian American Ministries Co-Director and Member of the Ethnic Leadership Council

The face of America is changing and by 2050 the ethnic minority will become the majority. We believe the Lord longs to ignite a movement of the Gospel to every tribe, language, and people group in America. He will call out a new generation of ethnic laborers and leaders to live out the Navigator calling.

Unified in our call to Ethnic America and anticipating our rapidly changing demographic population, the Ethnic Leadership Council began in 2003 to seek together the counsel of the Lord. "Lord!" we asked, "How do we need to change our ethnic entities in light of our changing country? How do we influence intentional and culturally relevant ethnic ministry throughout the Navigator work?"

In 2004, the Lord gave us clear direction to focus on two major areas. First, streamline our ethnic entities into one united ethnic entity by consolidating national and administrative tasks thus creating greater freedom for each of our ethnic ministries to pursue ethnic specific ministries. Second, launch an ethnic affinity network with representatives from all of the areas in The Navigators to empower ethnic minority growth throughout the organization. By June of 2005, the members of the U.S. Navigators Restructuring Task Force accepted our proposal to join together all of the ethnic entities as one United Ethnic Mission and to launch a National Ethnic Network.

Currently the ELC is in a season of seeking the Lord to clarify details of our new United Ethnic Mission with our grassroots ethnic specific ministries continuing to be our greatest priority and the launching of the new National Ethnic Network, a partnership of the Missions and Ministries of The Navigators. We realized that this restructure greatly impacts our current leadership configuration. With the increased diversity in the new United Ethnic Mission and the new commitment to start the National Ethnic Network, we must look at creative ways to share the Mission leadership as a multiethnic and multigenerational leadership team.

The transition and change excites us as we look forward to becoming a multi-ethnic family and home for our staff, and becoming a United Ethnic Mission to the changing face of America. We recognize the work ahead of us and are completely dependent upon Him to continually lead and guide us forward.