Since I just completed a series on diaspora missiology, I thought it would be appropriate to inform you of a new book that you need in your library. Chris Clayman and Meredith Lee have written ethNYcity: The Nations, Tongues, and Faiths of Metropolitan New York (NY: Metro New York Baptist Association; Cary, NC: Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, 2010).
This 192 page book, filled with hundreds of full-color photographs of the peoples of Metro New York, contains a wealth of data on 82 of the most significant immigrants groups in the area, from the well-known Irish and Italians to the lesser-known Bukharan Jews and Gorsky-Kavkazi. Each profile contains quick facts related to population sizes, religions, places of origin, languages, status of Christian witness, and much more helpful historic and contemporary data.
While the primary audience is clearly those ministering in the Metro New York area, there is much to learn from their research, including the fact that the urban diversity, represented in New York, is reflected in other urban contexts across the globe. From small cities to the megalopolises, the Church needs to be doing on-going research related to those living in Her backyard. We need to know who the Lord has moved to our communities, their needs, cultures, languages, the numbers of believers, and how best to minister to them. We need a global vision with an integrated missiology, wedding local church multiplication strategies with similar strategies among the same peoples living in other places across the globe.
To our shame, the North American Church has failed at understanding who is living in our backyards. We have better data on remote people groups living along the Amazon River and Bedouins constantly moving across the Sahara, than we do on the peoples in the cities of the United States and Canada. Chris Clayman and Meredith Lee, along with the partnership of the Metro New York Baptist Association and the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, have shown us what can be accomplished in one of the world’s largest cities.
I was honored to be one of the Foreword writers (I hope this does not detract from the book sales.). I’ll leave you with what I wrote for this work:
When I first saw an early version of ethNYcity, my first thought was “Wow! This is truly an amazing work!” Chris and Meredith have done an outstanding job assisting us in better understanding the ethnic mosaic comprising New York. What you hold in your hands is a visually stimulating, intellectually informing, and emotionally convicting book. This work will assist you in obtaining a better glimpse of the present realities facing the Church in this world-class city. You will come to know both history and contemporary facts about the people. But this is not simply a book to inform. Rather, the authors want this book to serve as a catalyst to move you to prayer and ministry.
The story of ethNYcity, however, is not just a story confined to one city. This is a story that is repeated in the urban contexts across the globe. It is my prayer that the example of Chris and Meredith will be an example to other Evangelicals in the cities of the world. We need better research to better understand the peoples the Sovereign Lord has brought to our neighborhoods. We need more authors to write such outstanding works.
While the colorful palette in the metro areas of the world is constantly changing, a helpful resource to assist us in knowing our contexts is needed. ethNYcity is that helpful resource. May the Lord use this book to assist you in multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches throughout New York and beyond!
For more information on the book, including a promotional video click HERE. Get a copy, read it, apply the knowledge for Kingdom advancement.