Finding Unity in Diversity: The Use of Appreciative Inquiry to Cultivate Common Ground Among Leaders in a Multi-Congregational Chinese Church in Canada

Abstract

Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church is a large ethnic Chinese church in Toronto. Over the years it has become home to a diverse group of congregants who are of Chinese descent but who speak different mother tongues. Multiple worship services are held in three different languages. An action research project was conducted that used appreciative inquiry to cultivate common ground for the leaders of the different congregations to work together. The appreciative inquiry engaged leaders of the church to inquire and listen to one another’s stories and aspirations, and to identify the commonalities, values and experiences that they had in common. It took them away from the usual business meeting agendas to pay attention to each other and to work together in unpacking the DNA and lifegiving forces of their church. Through this shared experience, relationships were built and knowledge of themselves, of each other and of the church was enriched. Findings revealed interesting patterns of viewpoints and perspectives of the leaders, and unveiled a story of the church in her past, present and future. The project demonstrated how Appreciative Inquiry can be a valuable and effective tool to approach leadership development in church