Yeathus Johnson Leans in with Love To Help Bring Racial, Cultural Unity

Photo: Pastor Fred Provencher (left) and Pastor Yeathus Johnson

Editor’s note: Pastor Yeathus Johnson​ was recently interviewed by Pastor Fred Provencher​ of Cornerstone Church for “A Conversation about Race: Multiculturalism and How People Change.” He also appeared on a panel, “Uncovering Roots of Injustice,” hosted by King of Kings Worship Center and Pastors Peter Roselle​ and Patricia Roselle​. The links to the interview and panel discussion are at the end of the story.

By Rachel Mari

Pastor Yeathus Johnson is an Urban Consultant and Emotional Intelligence & Cultural Intelligence Trainer with the Metropolitan District of the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA). He is also president of SocialPreneur at 3rd Culture People. His programs couldn’t be more timely.

“Our society is coiled in tension from racial, ethnic, cultural, and political differences. Whenever you turn on your television or sign into any social media platform, there is rarely a day that goes by where a newsflash isn’t pulling at our emotions from racially, ethnically, politically, or religiously charged incidents,” said Johnson, of Paterson, NJ. He adds the facts that: the United States is more diverse today than ever, yet often remains divided along racial, cultural, and political lines.

For several years, Johnson has been conducting one-hour seminars at churches, ministries, businesses, and non-profit organizations around the country to “pursue competencies and skills that will break down the racial walls of separation, the ‘us vs. them’ mentality, the division, and ambivalence toward cultural diversity.” One-day workshops, 2-day workshops, and 3-day retreats are also offered for more intense training and growth.

Johnson developed the seminars and training sessions during his doctoral program while choosing a topic for his dissertation. After being encouraged by a colleague and consulting with his professor, an expert in the field of cultural intelligence, Johnson ended up pursuing the Cultural Intelligence (CQ) Assessment and certification through the Cultural Intelligence Center.

“One of the biggest challenges I have currently is getting leaders of the dominant majority culture and those within ‘closed cultures’ to buy into the training,” he said. “Many feel it’s a nice thing to do, but many do not see this as a discipleship and spiritual formation tool of the church. Church leaders fail to realize that most of their people work in diverse work environments, and CQ, Diversity Awareness, and Inclusion training will prepare their congregants better to become Third Culture disciples who are equipped to develop cross-cultural relationships that can lead to the expansion of God’s kingdom.”

The church’s role as a champion for racial healing in our country and beyond is key. “We must lead with a biblical and missiological foundation for cultural intelligence,” said Johnson. “John 3:16 indicates that God so loved the world, humans, that He sent His only Begotten Son to reconcile them to Himself and each other. Here are the words of Jesus in John 20:21: ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ God the Father so loved the nations that He sent His only Begotten Son and is now sending us, the church, in love. Unity begins with the church expressing the Gospel in tangible and loving ways. Love is a universal language.”

And that language has served Yeathus Johnson well in his work overseeing urban churches. “In my role as an overseer and consultant of urban churches in the Christian & Missionary Alliance, I work with Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Caribbean, African-American, Haitian, West African, Ethiopian, Guyanese, Indian, Arabic, Jewish, and Russian leaders and churches, so I am bound to make mistakes,” said Johnson. “However, I lean into a cross-cultural relationship in the posture of love. When [I do that], my success rate working interculturally is much higher. “

Though challenges are inevitable, the fruit that comes from increased cross-cultural understanding and love is encouraging. “My biggest victories have come from working with churches in deep conflict when I became their interim pastor or when I had to invest considerable time at the church to resolve a major leadership conflict,” he said. “Even though, ‘no hablo Español’ and ‘Mwen pa parle Kreyol,’ my ability by the grace of God to apply CQ competencies has been key to my success. There are four competencies that are thematic throughout my training, which energizes the sessions; they are CQ Drive, CQ Knowledge, CQ Strategy, and CQ Action.  All four of these competencies are extremely important, but I lead with drive.  What fuels that drive?—LOVE!”

For more information on the Cultural Intelligence, Diversity Awareness, and Inclusion training, please contact Yeathus Johnson at: 3cpteam@gmail.com.

Link to Yeathus Johnson interview by Cornerstone Church:

Link to Yeathus Johnson on King of Kings panel: