September 1, 2021
The Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, Wheaton College, and the Ambassador Network have partnered to establish the Mosaix Institute at Wheaton College. The Institute will be a relational network of pastors and planters, denominational and network leaders, educators, authors, and researchers who exist to establish healthy multiethnic and economically diverse, culturally intelligent, socially just, and financially sustainable churches that express a credible witness of God’s love for all people in an increasingly diverse, painfully polarized, and cynical society.
“Scripture goes to great lengths to point out the diversity of those who follow Christ,” says Ed Stetzer, executive director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. “Thus, it seems only right and perhaps pleasing to God that our churches might be signs of the kingdom of God today in increasing multiculturalism. A multicultural church is not simply about skin tone, but about the intentional engagement of cultures. It means that we seek to celebrate, encourage, accommodate, and even engage those cultures. This new institute will equip all churches for this important work in showing and sharing Christ.”
The partnership will…
- Establish the Mosaix Institute at Wheaton College Billy Graham Center
- Appoint Dr. Ray Y. Chang as Director and Dr. Mark DeYmaz as Executive Director of the Mosaix Institute
- Launch a new cohort of the Master of Arts in Ministry Leadership focused on building healthy, multiethnic, biblically just, culturally intelligent, and financially sustainable churches
- Open an office in the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center
Why the Need?
Currently, just 23% of Evangelical churches and only 11% of Mainline churches have at least 20% diversity in their attending membership… this in spite of the fact that Jesus taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Stated another way, an increasingly diverse, painfully polarized, and cynical society is finding less credible the message of God’s love for all people as proclaimed from segregated pulpits and pews.
The kingdom of heaven is not segregated.
For the sake of the Gospel, the church on earth must reflect this reality.
- Dr. Ed Stetzer is Dean of the A. Duane Litfin School of Mission, Ministry and Leadership at Wheaton College and Executive Director of the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center.
- Dr. Mark DeYmaz is the founding pastor and directional leader of the Mosaic Church of Central Arkansas (Little Rock, AR). He is also the co-founder, president, and CEO of Mosaix Global Network.
- Dr. Ray Chang is the founding and former pastor of Ambassador Church (Brea, CA). He is also the founder, president, and CEO of the Ambassador Network
What's the Plan?
Under Dr. Chang’s leadership, the Mosaix Institute at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center will help to pastor ministry leaders, local churches, church planting networks, and denominations, to build healthy multiethnic, biblically just, culturally intelligent, and financially sustainable works, to glorify God and advance a credible witness of the gospel by:
- Casting vision via speaking, writing, and research
- Connecting leaders of like-mind
- Conferencing at the regional and national level
- Coaching individuals and groups
- Consulting organizations
- Curriculum development and distribution
- City cohort development
What's the Timeline?
- Winter 2019 – Dr. Ed Stetzer and Dr. Mark DeYmaz envision the Mosaix Institute in order to equip ministry leaders to build healthy multiethnic, biblically just, culturally intelligent, and financially sustainable churches.
- Fall 2020 – Dr. DeYmaz asked Dr. Ray Chang to consider becoming part of the effort.
- Spring 2021 – Dr. Stetzer, DeYmaz, and Chang met at Wheaton to discuss possibilities and determine next steps.
- Summer 2021 – Each of the three boards (Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, Mosaix Global Network, and Ambassador Network) agree to enter into a formal partnership and to have Dr. Chang led the effort.
- Fall 2021 – Dr. Chang opens the Mosaix Institute office in the Billy Graham Center at Wheaton College
- 2022 – Our first cohort of M.A. students is projected to launch
How Will the Institute Be Established?
Ambassador Network is committed to raising initial funding to establish the Mosaix Institute in the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center, for such a time as this. Funding partners will be acknowledged on a forthcoming Mosaix Institute website as well as in digital and print media highlighting the initiative. Join the launch team as an angel investing partner!
About the Organizations
- Ambassador Network (AN)
Established in 2010, AN’s passionand mission is to launch a movement of multiplying, multiethnic, and missional churches, both locally and globally. As a movement, the network exists to: - Plant healthy and reproducing churches in strategic locations
- Develop and cultivate young emerging, multiethnic leaders
- Strategize and assist ministries to be more effective in fulfilling their calling
- Mosaix Global Network (MGN)
- Wheaton College Billy Graham Center (WCBGC)
Established in 1980 by Billy Graham, the WCBGC is a ministry and academic center which exists to develop and mobilize Jesus-followers for individual and communal witness. Training takes several forms: teaching and preaching in churches, classrooms, and conference settings; online and print evangelism tools; and mentoring in individual and group contexts.
MGN is a relational network of pastors and planters, denominational and network leaders, educators, authors, and researchers alike, that exists to establish healthy multiethnic and economically diverse, culturally intelligent, socially just, and financially sustainable churches that express a credible witness of God’s love for all people in an increasingly diverse, painfully polarized, and cynical society.