May 28, 2026

Dear Central Church,

I’ve heard the Church described as a “Fellowship of Differents,” which is a fitting description of our church. We are not all the same. More than thirty nations are represented within our congregation, creating a living mosaic of languages, foods, customs, stories, skin tones, and perspectives. Week after week, this “Fellowship of Differents” gathers to confess one Lord, share one baptism, and worship in one Spirit.

Some people imagine unity means becoming “color-blind” or culture-blind, as though the differences should somehow disappear. But have you ever seen a kaleidoscope in grayscale? Without color, its beauty is diminished. The kingdom of God is not a monochrome kingdom. The unity God desires for the Church is not achieved by erasing our distinctives, but by drawing them into harmony through the reconciling work of Christ.

This kind of unity cannot be manufactured by slogans, policies, or social pressure. The phrase “multicultural” often carries ideological baggage because our world frequently tries to achieve reconciliation through external means alone. But legislation cannot heal the human heart. Social engineering cannot create genuine love. Only the Holy Spirit can unite people deeply enough to call one another brothers and sisters across every dividing line.

That is the miracle of Pentecost. In Acts 2, the Spirit did not erase language or culture. Instead, people from many nations heard the wonders of God proclaimed in their own tongues. Diversity was not destroyed; it was gathered up into the worship of Jesus Christ. Pentecost reveals that the Church is not held together by ethnicity, politics, preference, or nationality. The Church is held together by the abiding presence of the Holy Spirit.

And this is not merely a temporary earthly experiment. It is a glimpse of eternity itself. John writes in Revelation 7:9

“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb...” (Revelation 7:9)

Heaven is not portrayed as the flattening of humanity into sameness. The nations are still recognizable. The languages remain, which means we’ll have eternity to learn them! The multitude does not lose its identity; rather, every redeemed people group finds its true identity before the throne of Jesus.

This Sunday, we have the opportunity to experience a foretaste of that future reality. As all three of our congregations gather together for Pentecost worship, we will proclaim with one voice: “Jesus is Lord!” I encourage you to come expecting the Spirit to move powerfully among us. Our combined service begins at 10:30am, and directed prayer in the sanctuary will begin at 10:15am. Like those gathered in the Upper Room, we want to cover this day in prayer and open ourselves fully to the work of the Holy Spirit.

May Central Church continue to be a witness that true unity is not found in sameness, but in surrender to Jesus Christ.

With Resurrection Hope,
Pastor Mark