Michelle Reyes - Becoming All Things: How Small Changes Lead To Lasting Connections Across Cultures

The challenge of living as a multiethnic community remains as large as ever. Progress toward racially reconciled communities that embody Gods justice feels elusive and at times seems unattainable. I am thankful to Dr. Michelle Reyes for her insightful and well-told work that engages Biblical truths, sociological insight, and ecclesial realities. A much-needed text that offers helpful and useful practices that the church would do well to apply.

Soong-Chan Rah, Robert Munger Professor of Evangelism, Fuller Theological Seminary, author of The Next Evangelicalism and Prophetic Lament

In this powerful and important book, Dr. Michelle Reyes takes on one of the most important issues facing the church: How do we witness to the unity of Christ across social divisions? How do we love well in a multicultural, multiracial body of Christ and share that with a hurting world? With personal, professional, and scholarly wisdom, Dr. Reyes is our expert guide. She helps each reader unpack his or her own cultural identity, consider the social and theological significance of these cultural positions, and then leads us to consider how we can respond in practical, everyday steps informed by Scripture. I look forward to teaching this book to my own students.

Dr. Brian Howell, professor of anthropology, Wheaton College

Dr. Michelle Reyes is a connector of people and a facilitator of hard conversations surrounding race, cultural identity, and justice. Her story and voice matter, and most importantly, her words help Christians truly become all things in challenging conversations. If you are ready to lean in and grow in your understanding of your neighbor, then Becoming All Things is the book for you.

Terence Lester, founder of Love Beyond Walls, author of When We Stand: The Power of Seeking Justice Together

Michelle lives what she writes. In her informative and formative book, you are invited to participate in a thoughtful journey where you are given tools to navigate culture and cultural differences. You will laugh and lament as you learn through all that her words and ideas shed the light of truth upon. You will want to read this in one sitting, but I encourage you to take it chapter by chapter, reflecting on your life as you read the stories and lessons laid out here. Pick up a few copies, one for yourself, and some for your friends, and discuss the things you take away. Both Michelles intellect and heart shine through this very timely book.

Raymond Chang, president, Asian American Christian Collaborative, campus minister at Wheaton College

Dr. Michelle Reyes is a gifted leader and an excellent teacher. Her book, Becoming All Things, is timely and helpful for people from BIPOC communities and for those from majority culture. Filled with practical examples and solidly rooted in Scripture, Michelle guides the reader on how to celebrate and honor people from all walks of life. Unity is not uniformity. As we experience deeper fractures in our society over differences, this book maps a way forward to help the church become part of the answer to the prayer Jesus prayed in John 17 for us to truly be one.

Vivian Mabuni, host of the Someday Is Here podcast, author of Open Hands, Willing Heart

Becoming All Things is a kingdom of God manual, a path for experiencing Gods glory through Christlike sacrifice. With grace and truth, Michelle calls us to check cultural appropriation, inventory our own hearts, and move out of our carefully constructed comfort zones into a lifestyle enriched by the experiences of our diverse neighbors near and far. Michelle invites each of us to examine our unique story and the glory that can be experienced from flourishing together. This book stirs in me, after decades of multiethnic leadership, an even greater desire to experience Gods diverse kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. I pray that Christians who are unwilling to settle for perfunctory diversity will receive this book as a loving challenge to grow in respect, to build more justice-minded communities, and show our children neighborly love that is lived out to the glory of God.

Dorena Williamson, bridge builder and bestselling author of ColorFull

In a world of dizzying diversity, we search for fixed markers upon which to ground our sense of self. And in our searching, we want an identity that accords with dignity. The conundrum is that our society does not accord that dignity in equal measure. In Becoming All Things, Dr. Michelle Reyes deftly presses against dignity denying discord by calling us love our diverse neighbors for the sake of the gospel. As she says, We can be proud of who God made us to be without weaponizing that pride to think less of other people and how they live. We can value our unique cultural stories and expressions without worshiping the products of our culture. I encourage you to read this book and lean into the challenge of embracing the discomfort, delighting in the difference, and persevering in love.

Irwyn Ince Jr., author of The Beautiful Community

It has been said that we are in the midst of a Great Unlearning with it comes to issues of race, identity, culture, and racial justice. Michelle Reyes is one of the teachers we need at this moment. Becoming All Things is a pastoral, well-researched, Christ-centered exploration of the Christians call to cultural flexibility. Her invitation to know our cultural identities and stay curious about the cultural identities of others is a clarion call to reconciliation that is both practical, inspiring, and challenging. Read this book with your friends and make space to learn about each others cultures. Youll be the better for it.

Osheta Moore, author of Shalom Sistas and Dear White Peacemakers

Clearly spoken and transparent, Reyes graciously walks the reader through a necessary but often avoided journey of cultural discovery for the sake of the Gospel. She states, I am like every Indian, like some Indians, and like no other Indian, while weaving together Bible study, personal narrative, and practical application to become all things to all people. I can see how this book will help small group members, for example, to see and appreciate themselves and each other in order to foster equitable Christ-centered community.

Dr. Christina Edmondson

As a mixed race Christian professor of ethnic studies, I wish that I had read this book twenty years ago. Reyes shows that my lifelong journey of living in the in between, in the Brown, is actually the calling of every Christian. She offers a road map for cultural understanding that is vital for the rebuilding of the church in America.

Dr. Robert Chao Romero, author of Brown Church: Five Centuries of Latina/o Social Justice, Theology, and Identity

ZONDERVAN REFLECTIVE

Becoming All Things

Copyright 2021 by Michelle Ami Reyes

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ePub Edition March 2021: ISBN 978-0-310-10892-4

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV . Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.