2016-2020

Elder Carmelo Mercado meets regularly with pastors in our major metropolitan areas to enhance understanding of  cultural bias that permeates society. For the past  four  years,  Elder Mercado has resourced approximately 30 pastors in  three of our four major cities, having conducted multiple meetings in each to develop  interracial  understanding  amongst our leaders and lay leaders at the ground level and encourage discourse, develop a sense of common purpose,  and enhance cultural intelligence resulting in broad-based  missional thinking as evidenced by the following example:   

• Utilizing teleconferencing, individuals specializing in this area have been secured to present on this sensitive subject to regional and state conference pastors  together. In these meetings  each  presenter  shares on the subject of cultural diversity  and  the  historical  challenges to growth in this area, hears subject matter that increases awareness of each other’s world view, after which discussions have taken place that have led to an enhanced sense of brotherhood.  Elder Mercado has reports that these pastoral cohorts have drawn our church leaders closer to each other, and each group has become more cohesive and less defensive as regular dialogue has resulted in a  greater  understanding of each other’s perspectives and enlarged each other’s capacity to understand each other’s viewpoints. Recently, without prompting from Elder Mercado, one group called a meeting to address current issues illustrating a growing  sense of  ownership,  camaraderie, a need to affect change and brotherhood in general.  

• Through Elder Mercado, the Lake Union  also  has  sponsored Sabbath afternoon gatherings of  lay  members in Berrien Springs, Indianapolis and Milwaukee where dialogue on the importance of unity amidst diversity has been  encouraged.  Leadership  development is critical to  accomplishing  cultural  and  organizational shifts in thoughts, ideas and understanding  relative to this subject. As pastors and lay-leaders grow in cultural competency, so also their congregations will grow. Today’s fastest growing congregations have been identified as those that are multicultural faith communities. Grounded in the work of the Holy Spirit, a ministry of reconciliation has been advanced through Elder Mercado which has been critical to the success of spiritual and social maturation not only of individual leaders, but also toward helping the Lake Union territory  experience  a  gradual  paradigm shift  by advancing  a change of heart and mind toward each other that is rooted in the work of the Holy Spirit. Revival must always proceed reformation. As evidenced by the book, The Great Controversy, when God is not a part of the process of transformation, then reformation is not sustained because there hasn’t been a change at the source of the issue, our hearts. Having spiritual substance, as was the case in the Civil Rights movement that gave it its life, vitality and longevity, non-violence was taught by Jesus because God knows love begets love and hatred excites  hatred.  Hence, it was a movement that was rooted in the heart  (Jer. 31:3). 

• Diversity Training and Speaking Engagements  —  General vice president Elder Mercado has presented for multiple conferences both within and beyond our borders and internationally.  Also,  he is currently, at the Lake Union  Administration’s encouragement and  expense, pursuing a doctoral degree to enhance his ability to address this issue. 

Lastly, Vice President Mercado organized a prayer conference known as “Our United Cry” which was held in Indianapolis the first weekend in March 2020 with the goal of having people from different cultural backgrounds come together to pray for the Holy Spirit.

The event was planned by a handpicked, diverse group of leaders from around our union territory in the hope that all groups represented would attend, resting assured that, as they were represented in the year-long planning phase,  they  also  would be represented in its execution. Over 500 people from our five conferences and beyond attended this weekend event at which great diversity was represented on the stage and in the audience.