Pastoral Leadership Skills for the Multicultural, Multiethnic Church:

A Case Study of Southeast Asians in an American Church

Church leaders have attempted acclimation of Cambodian-Americans into their American Baptist church and leadership yet challenges loom relative to skill requirements, decision-making styles and processes. Since many churches have been so richly blessed with cultural diversity, the following leadership skills, talents and abilities to ensure each culture is sensitized to these requirements are listed below. Multicultural leaders should have the: 1. Ability to analyze cultural and ethnic groups and their various needs for security 2. Ability to identify cultural and ethnic group needs for belonging 3. Ability to select an appropriate response to ensure cultural and ethnic groups needs for significance 4. Ability to assess the success of the plan(s) to ensure the result of fulfilling the purposes God has for the lives of all cultural and ethnic groups to achieve their levels of self-actualization. Pastoral leadership skills for multicultural, multi-ethnic churches should ensure cultural differences are learned, respected, embraced and eventually celebrated. Pastors are granted authority but power is maintained when decisions are made in participation with diaconate and/or laity. Rev. Dr. F.Lee Jones interviewed a cross-section of twelve church and potential members through questionnaires. This project is a compilation and analysis of those responses which articulate the challenges, and rewards, of being open to all of Gods children. Dr. Jones has successfully transferred his secular leadership abilities into the pastoral role of church administration. He understands how to be a non-anxious presence in a crisis, as well as be a pastors pastor in his ministry to other clergy.