Ethnic Representation Among Pastors of Ecuadorian International Churches: A Multi-Case Study

Abstract

Ethnically representative leadership in the local church is an application of the equality of believers through our shared union in Christ and the fact that we are created in the image of God. Such leadership models have been shown to be deeply meaningful to ethnic minorities and are essential in reaching diverse groups for Christ. In spite of these facts, many U.S. churches still fail to have ethnically diverse leadership structures. This study explores whether U.S. missionaries are carrying models of church leadership that represent attitudes of ethnic superiority into the mission field by seeking to discover the factors that relate to the increased ethnic diversity of international congregations in Ecuador, South America. Ecuador was chosen as a case site because of its large expatriate population from diverse national backgrounds. This qualitative case study was conducted through participation forms and interviews of pastors and elders of international congregations in Ecuador.