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Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church
The United States is currently undergoing the most rapid demographic shift in its history. By 2050, white Americans will no longer comprise a majority of the population. Instead, they'll be the largest minority group in a country made up entirely of minorities, followed by Hispanic Americans, African Americans, and Asian Americans. Past shifts in America's demographics always reshaped the county's religious landscape. This shift will be no different. Soong-Chan Rah's book is intended to equip evangelicals for ministry and outreach in our changing nation. Borrowing from the business concept of "cultural intelligence," he explores how God's people can become more multiculturally adept. From discussions about cultural and racial histories, to reviews of case-study churches and Christian groups that are succeeding in bridging ethnic divides, Rah provides a practical and hopeful guidebook for Christians wanting to minister more effectively in diverse settings.Without guilt trips or browbeating, the book will spur individuals, churches, and parachurch ministries toward more effectively bearing witness to the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Good News for people of every racial and cultural background. Its message is positive; its potential impact, transformative.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 24, 2010
57 people are currently reading
648 people want to read
About the author
Soong-Chan Rah
32 books91 followersSoong-Chan Rah (ThD, Duke Divinity School) is Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He is the author of Prophetic Lament, The Next Evangelicalism, and Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church, as well as coauthor of Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith and contributing author for Growing Healthy Asian American Churches.
In addition to serving as founding senior pastor of the multiethnic, urban ministry-focused Cambridge Community Fellowship Church (CCFC), Rah has been a part of four different church-planting efforts and served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Boston. He has been an active member of the Boston TenPoint Coalition (an urban ministry working with at-risk youth) and is a founding member of the Boston Fellowship of Asian-American Ministers. He serves on the boards of World Vision, Sojourners, the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and the Catalyst Leadership Center.
An experienced crosscultural preacher and conference speaker, Rah has addressed thousands around the country at gathering like the 2003 Urbana Student Missions Conference, 2006 Congress on Urban Ministry, 2007 Urban Youth Workers Institute Conference, 2008 CCDA National Conference, 2010 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS) National Preaching Conference, and the 2011 Disciples of Christ General Assembly. He and his wife, Sue, have two children and live in Chicago.
In addition to serving as founding senior pastor of the multiethnic, urban ministry-focused Cambridge Community Fellowship Church (CCFC), Rah has been a part of four different church-planting efforts and served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship in Boston. He has been an active member of the Boston TenPoint Coalition (an urban ministry working with at-risk youth) and is a founding member of the Boston Fellowship of Asian-American Ministers. He serves on the boards of World Vision, Sojourners, the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and the Catalyst Leadership Center.
An experienced crosscultural preacher and conference speaker, Rah has addressed thousands around the country at gathering like the 2003 Urbana Student Missions Conference, 2006 Congress on Urban Ministry, 2007 Urban Youth Workers Institute Conference, 2008 CCDA National Conference, 2010 Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (GCTS) National Preaching Conference, and the 2011 Disciples of Christ General Assembly. He and his wife, Sue, have two children and live in Chicago.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
October 9, 2020
During 2020 in the United States of America, we have seen our fair share of difficult, traumatic, and horrifying seasons. Between global pandemics, political fervor at a fever pitch and ready to explode, the saga of what is truth and what is fake, and natural disasters from tornadoes to hurricanes to wildfires, this has been quite the year. But it has also been an important year because this was the year that racism and cultural identity came to the forefront of public discussion after the tragic deaths of several African-Americans. This conversation was not able to be had in person due to social distancing and quarantines that have affected our country and disallowed people to have this important conversation in person rather than over social media, blogs, podcasts, and the news.
Soong-Chan Rah's Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church will not solve these issues. It will not be the sudden revelation that leads to widespread heart change across the United States. It really only scratches a tiny surface of space and allows readers to enter in to the discussion with a toe. But it is an important scratch, especially for those who are in ministry, and for those who are new to the culture conversation.
Let me begin by defining what I mean and what Rah means by culture. "Culture" is a buzz word in many evangelical circles that conjures up images of an oppressed church by a "wicked culture" that seeks to destroy the foundations of Christianity at every turn. While this may be the way some view culture, this is not what Rah is presenting. When he talks about Cultural Intelligence, he is talking more in terms of the ways that groups of people operate in their daily lives: from the types of food that a group may prefer, or music, or film, or ways of communicating. For example, some cultures communicate very directly, with facts and numbers, and seldom tell stories to illustrate an idea, while other cultures are the exact opposite, and will never tell you directly what they are thinking and love stories as way of communication.
Throughout the book, Rah talks about the vast lack of cross-cultural intelligence existing in the United States in particular. Most groups tend to stick together and rarely find ways to cross into each others' worlds. This is what the book is all about: answering the question of how we extend a hand to others within the body of Christ and respect their culture by seeking to understand, experience, and even embrace it. This is a difficult, difficult task, and Rah starts there by saying it will be hard. It will cause many to have uncomfortable feelings and emotions as they process their own culture, the history of the United States, and then find ways to bridge the gaps that need to be bridged.
Rah doesn't sit only in theory, as some books in this genre do. The last third of the book is dedicated to practical ways to seek to love one another through hospitality, the telling of stories, journeying together through difficult experiences, and looking at the ways our churches in particular operate and how they may or may not be welcoming to others.
For those who have read other books on the topic, this will not necessarily be new information. Much of the beginning two-thirds may seem repetitive against other works that have spent more time with the subject. However, the last third is particularly helpful, and relevant to the current social climate in the United States as a way forward to discussion, understanding, and bridging the gaps in culture between races.
Soong-Chan Rah's Many Colors: Cultural Intelligence for a Changing Church will not solve these issues. It will not be the sudden revelation that leads to widespread heart change across the United States. It really only scratches a tiny surface of space and allows readers to enter in to the discussion with a toe. But it is an important scratch, especially for those who are in ministry, and for those who are new to the culture conversation.
Let me begin by defining what I mean and what Rah means by culture. "Culture" is a buzz word in many evangelical circles that conjures up images of an oppressed church by a "wicked culture" that seeks to destroy the foundations of Christianity at every turn. While this may be the way some view culture, this is not what Rah is presenting. When he talks about Cultural Intelligence, he is talking more in terms of the ways that groups of people operate in their daily lives: from the types of food that a group may prefer, or music, or film, or ways of communicating. For example, some cultures communicate very directly, with facts and numbers, and seldom tell stories to illustrate an idea, while other cultures are the exact opposite, and will never tell you directly what they are thinking and love stories as way of communication.
Throughout the book, Rah talks about the vast lack of cross-cultural intelligence existing in the United States in particular. Most groups tend to stick together and rarely find ways to cross into each others' worlds. This is what the book is all about: answering the question of how we extend a hand to others within the body of Christ and respect their culture by seeking to understand, experience, and even embrace it. This is a difficult, difficult task, and Rah starts there by saying it will be hard. It will cause many to have uncomfortable feelings and emotions as they process their own culture, the history of the United States, and then find ways to bridge the gaps that need to be bridged.
Rah doesn't sit only in theory, as some books in this genre do. The last third of the book is dedicated to practical ways to seek to love one another through hospitality, the telling of stories, journeying together through difficult experiences, and looking at the ways our churches in particular operate and how they may or may not be welcoming to others.
For those who have read other books on the topic, this will not necessarily be new information. Much of the beginning two-thirds may seem repetitive against other works that have spent more time with the subject. However, the last third is particularly helpful, and relevant to the current social climate in the United States as a way forward to discussion, understanding, and bridging the gaps in culture between races.
April 18, 2022
This is excellent. It pains me that this was written in 2010 after what has happened since then, but it only makes the book more desperately needed. I hope and pray that the call for humility and surrender of power will be heeded by us white Christians and that the church will be known by its love.
June 15, 2021
I am declaring review bankruptcy. I am too far behind
I thought this was very helpful. I have ten pages of notes that I wrote up and discussed the book on a podcast which I will post here when it eventually airs. But forming it into a cogent review is more than I can do right now.
that being said, I think that while there is some anthropology and sociology at the beginning of the book that may be a bit offputting for some, give the book a couple of chapters and there is real practical value in it. I always appreciate Soong-Chan Rah's writing. He is wise and deeply Christian and loves the church enough to want it to do better. This is in the same vein as so many other of his books. Just read it.
I thought this was very helpful. I have ten pages of notes that I wrote up and discussed the book on a podcast which I will post here when it eventually airs. But forming it into a cogent review is more than I can do right now.
that being said, I think that while there is some anthropology and sociology at the beginning of the book that may be a bit offputting for some, give the book a couple of chapters and there is real practical value in it. I always appreciate Soong-Chan Rah's writing. He is wise and deeply Christian and loves the church enough to want it to do better. This is in the same vein as so many other of his books. Just read it.
January 31, 2021
Last quarter was great and affirming of things I can do. First three quarters were slow and felt less applicable to me as an individual.
December 13, 2018
A good book and a pretty easy read. In the modern evangelical church, we like to espouse openness to other races and ethnicities but when they move into the church, or we intentionally integrate, it takes a particular intelligence or intuition to move forward. Rah speaks from experience as he teaches on important foundational principles. Far from formulaic, this book is intentional and thorough in giving considerations for church leaders and goers. I recommend this book for church leaders, because getting this right strengthens our churches and magnifies our witness to the world around us.
June 5, 2011
When Soong-chan Rah portraits a negative story about a person, the person's ethnicity is mentioned, as if the person's ethnicity is the reason for the negative story. So, in a sense, this book has overtones of the very opposite of it's sub-title. It was pronounced enough that I almost quit reading.
One of the positive and insightful ideas presented is the notion of cultural differences in experiencing and appreciating hospitality.
One of the positive and insightful ideas presented is the notion of cultural differences in experiencing and appreciating hospitality.
September 26, 2018
Rah writes this book with two goals. First, Rah is aiming at helping individual Christians and churches become aware of how a majority culture can marginalize brothers and sisters from minority cultures and make unbelievers from minority cultures feel unwelcome. Second, he tries to help us think through how to guards against those effects, and encourage a multicultural community within a church.
Many of the observations are basic. This makes them clear, but also somewhat simplistic. He helpfully points out ways to grow in awareness in part 3. This section particularly underlines the importance of simply being willing to listen to the perspectives and experiences of others, rather than simply dismissing them since they don't match your experience. His discussion of power dynamics in different cultures in pt 2 was also very useful, simply in helping readers from more Western cultures see what is often at play in conversations and relationships. Also very helpful.
His view of culture seemed to emphasis the inherent goodness in any given culture, and neglect the inherent wickedness in any culture. He presents culture as a tool that is used to help interpret the world around us, but he seems to view it as a neutral tool. That is, any culture is as valid as another. This seems to overlook the way that different cultures can also endorse or minimize things that the bible would call sin. I recognize that most mono-cultural readers need to recognize the basic fact that doing things differently doesn't necessarily mean 'bad.' At the same time, I think we need to always clearly maintain that just because something is someone's cultural norm, that doesn't make it good or valid. A more nuanced and senisitive evaluation of culture would have strengthened the book.
That said, very helpful, particularly in the latter portions of the book.
Many of the observations are basic. This makes them clear, but also somewhat simplistic. He helpfully points out ways to grow in awareness in part 3. This section particularly underlines the importance of simply being willing to listen to the perspectives and experiences of others, rather than simply dismissing them since they don't match your experience. His discussion of power dynamics in different cultures in pt 2 was also very useful, simply in helping readers from more Western cultures see what is often at play in conversations and relationships. Also very helpful.
His view of culture seemed to emphasis the inherent goodness in any given culture, and neglect the inherent wickedness in any culture. He presents culture as a tool that is used to help interpret the world around us, but he seems to view it as a neutral tool. That is, any culture is as valid as another. This seems to overlook the way that different cultures can also endorse or minimize things that the bible would call sin. I recognize that most mono-cultural readers need to recognize the basic fact that doing things differently doesn't necessarily mean 'bad.' At the same time, I think we need to always clearly maintain that just because something is someone's cultural norm, that doesn't make it good or valid. A more nuanced and senisitive evaluation of culture would have strengthened the book.
That said, very helpful, particularly in the latter portions of the book.
December 1, 2017
Provides a biblically-grounded look at culture and racism, the need for and path toward cultural intelligence, and the church's role in shaping and changing culture. There's neither a watering down of issues nor a sensationalizing of them but rather a balanced examination of their implications for the hard work of the cultural change necessary for unity. Stories shared highlight the complexities of cultural and the need for intentional engagement to prevent misunderstanding. There are no silver bullets given here, just consistent (disciplined) application of basic blocking and tackling steps such as engaging in conversations with individuals from different cultures with a learning mindset. This is best summed up within this paragraph in the book - "Our tendency is to focus on what we can see, but cultural intelligence requires that we explore that which lies below. Cultural clashes do not happen on the external, conscious cultural level. We can easily change behaviors based on conscious values and beliefs in order to adapt and accommodate to the situation. We can even modify our acknowledged beliefs and values with some intellectual reasoning and reflection. Most cultural clashes happen on the internal conscious level -- on the instinctual level where the parties involved are not even conscious of why they feel and react the way they do. To be interculturally senstive, we need to examine the internal instinctual part of our own culture. "
May 9, 2017
A Must-Read for Church Leaders
If your church is in a multi-ethnic community or your church supports pastors and missionaries serving in other cultures this book is a must-read. Too many white Christian leaders are clueless. In fact some missionaries who have served many years overseas are culturally clueless too. In about 20 years or maybe less, white Christian churches will no longer be the dominant Christian culture in the USA. The author does a great job at describing the most important keys to developing cultural intelligence in churches, which unfortunately are way behind other segments of society.
If your church is in a multi-ethnic community or your church supports pastors and missionaries serving in other cultures this book is a must-read. Too many white Christian leaders are clueless. In fact some missionaries who have served many years overseas are culturally clueless too. In about 20 years or maybe less, white Christian churches will no longer be the dominant Christian culture in the USA. The author does a great job at describing the most important keys to developing cultural intelligence in churches, which unfortunately are way behind other segments of society.
April 7, 2018
Overall, was helpful to discuss with a group. We had some very good conversations, and brainstormed what this should compel us to do; How do we make those things happen; etc.
But was we neared the end, it seemed more and more that things weren’t being explained as well, and ideas seemed more disconnected.
Overall tone is more on te intellectual side - which, if it is geared towards ministry leaders, I can see that being helpful to get down to business, more quickly. I think it is a good, instructional book. Just didn’t capture my heart as much as I’d hoped going in - more on the brain side.
But was we neared the end, it seemed more and more that things weren’t being explained as well, and ideas seemed more disconnected.
Overall tone is more on te intellectual side - which, if it is geared towards ministry leaders, I can see that being helpful to get down to business, more quickly. I think it is a good, instructional book. Just didn’t capture my heart as much as I’d hoped going in - more on the brain side.
May 5, 2020
Good introduction on the cultural intelligence needed for a multi-cultural church. I appreciated the time Rah takes to define culture and as he discusses the need for cultural intelligence, he is diplomatic in every way. I would give this book to my white friends to read. He doesn't speak to socio-economic differences as much as I would like, so I wonder how far his experience reaches in that regard.
December 31, 2021
The third part and particularly the last 2 chapters were incredibly insightful. His comments on not dealing with culture from a linear perspective were fascinating - giving words to ideas I’d never been able to communicate very well. The first part on a theology of culture was also extremely helpful - I had never really thought about how people might subscribe to this idea of culture not being of God and how that would prevent them from understanding how to engage with culture.
October 8, 2021
This book is a phenomenal exploration of multiculturalism and what multicultural churches could look like. It emphasizes systems thinking over linear thinking, which allows for the added complexity and dynamics of multicultural ministry. One of the best resources for the practical outworking of creating multi-cultural community.
June 8, 2020
This book was a great introduction to thinking about the importance of culture in the church. A must read for people in ministry and people looking to understand church culture as it is compared to how it should be. Soong-Chan Rah is a great writer and storyteller. I’d highly recommend this book!
June 8, 2020
Highly recommend for all church leaders
A fantastic, articulate, easy to read, and well-written resource giving a road map for multicultural ministry and dismantling systems of racism that continue to pervade even our churches. I cannot recommend this book more highly.
A fantastic, articulate, easy to read, and well-written resource giving a road map for multicultural ministry and dismantling systems of racism that continue to pervade even our churches. I cannot recommend this book more highly.
June 14, 2020
Colour Me Informed
Many Colors is timely book for all leaders of multi-ethnic churches. Cultural intelligence is a needed expression of agape love. This book will give you a lot of good to think about.
Many Colors is timely book for all leaders of multi-ethnic churches. Cultural intelligence is a needed expression of agape love. This book will give you a lot of good to think about.
July 19, 2021
This book seemed to me more so to be written as an essay, rather than a book format. The information in it was good and helpful, but not the most interesting format. I did enjoy some of the stories he shared, and learned a lot!
March 25, 2023
Grateful
I’m grateful that a book like this can be published and bridge so many perspectives rooted in scripture. Thank you, Soong-Chan, for taking the time to be intentional about how this is written and bridging the gap between global cultures.
I’m grateful that a book like this can be published and bridge so many perspectives rooted in scripture. Thank you, Soong-Chan, for taking the time to be intentional about how this is written and bridging the gap between global cultures.
August 30, 2017
A good book!
December 12, 2018
Good book for white Christians, to be honest.
December 31, 2018
I recommend to anyone who wants any introductory resources for diverse church planning and socially equitable ministry strategies.
April 12, 2022
This is an interesting exploration of race & ethnicity. It is especially geared toward pastor's & other church leader who want to nurture a multi ethnic church.
June 26, 2025
Phenomenal as always, Soong-Chan!
August 5, 2025
I had a bit of a hard time getting into this book, but it’s worth persisting because there’s a lot here that’s helpful for multicultural ministry, especially churches.
September 21, 2015
I appreciate the depth of this book - not focused on superficial how-tos but on developing a multicultural worldview that understands God at work in all cultures, reflects on the impact of history, examines power dynamics at work, recognizes that so much of culture is under the surface. At the same time, this big picture approach is also practical, illustrated by the author's personal experience and other stories. "Developing cultural intuition requires changing the system. It is not an individual activity. The entire church system has to develop an inteilligence, sensitivity, and intuition, to cultural differences." (page 92)
October 19, 2015
One of the best Christian books on Multiculturalism and Race. A little Evangelical-y and not as direct and prophetic on race issues as I think we sometimes need. But a helpful and winsome voice none the less.
December 29, 2011
Great Book on the need for cultural education in the American Evangelical Church.
December 16, 2015
Game-changer for me in thinking through how to cultivate cultural intelligence and engage in multiethnic and multicultural ministry.
February 19, 2016
Multicultural ministry requires the building of cultural intelligence of many colors. Soong-Chan gives a sound basis for engaging a mix of cultures that makes up many of our urban settings today.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews