“We have to be willing to deconstruct and reconstruct our strategies for the sake of the mission—not for the sake of preserving a multicultural identity.”
— Pastor Johan Luque
In the heart of Denver, Westside Church Internacional is doing something bold—but not for the sake of being bold. It’s multicultural, multilingual, and multiethnic by design. But as Pastor Johan Luque is quick to point out, that’s not the point.
“We’ve made the mistake before,” he admits, “of prioritizing our multicultural identity over our actual mission: making disciples.”
And that, he says, is the tension every church should wrestle with.
Multicultural ≠ Multilingual ≠ Multiethnic
For churches looking to reflect the diversity of their communities, Luque says it’s crucial to understand that these three terms are not interchangeable.
“You can be multicultural and unilingual. Or multiethnic and monocultural. They’re not the same,” he explains. For example, Westside Church offers one combined service that is bilingual—English and Spanish—with rotating weeks for translated teaching. But the cultural and ethnic makeup of the church? That’s far more complex.
“I might have more in common with a Venezuelan than a Mexican,” he says, “even though we’re all Latino. Culture is deeper than language or ethnicity. It’s about the lived experience.”
That nuance matters—especially when your goal is not to create a cultural museum but to make disciples.
The Discomfort Zone
Westside Church is not convenient. Not for English speakers who wear headphones to listen to a Spanish sermon. Not for Spanish speakers doing the reverse. Not for staff who double their work translating every announcement and newsletter. Not for the worship team flipping languages between verses. And that’s intentional.
“This kind of ministry builds character,” Luque says. “It puts us in what I call ‘the discomfort zone.’ And anything that pushes us outside our comfort zone for the sake of God’s kingdom is for our good.”
But that shared discomfort? It builds something rare: empathy. Mutual humility. A deep love for neighbor that can’t grow in an echo chamber.
The Real Mission: Making Disciples
The catch, Luque says, is that multicultural ministry can easily become an idol.
“It can become about preserving an identity—Look at us, we’re so diverse!—instead of asking, Are we making disciples? That’s the mission. That’s the command.”
It’s not that churches shouldn’t value diversity. But when the strategy becomes the goal, we lose sight of what Jesus actually told us to do.
Luque challenges pastors to evaluate every program, every Sunday format, through that lens. “Are we doing this to reach people with the Gospel—or just to maintain a brand?”
At Westside, he’s wrestling with that question in real-time.
Is the Door Too Narrow
Despite a database of over 600, Westside’s weekly attendance hovers around 80. Many visitors are curious about the concept, but fewer stick around once they feel the weight of the challenge.
So Luque’s asking hard questions:
- Should we restructure our Sunday experience?
- Is it time to offer separate services with periodic combined gatherings?
- Is our current model limiting the number of people who can be reached?
He’s not throwing in the towel on multicultural ministry—far from it. But he is willing to make changes if it helps more people hear the Gospel.
“The point isn’t to be known as a multicultural church. The point is to reflect the Kingdom and fulfill our mission in the context we’ve been placed,” he says. “If our format makes the door too narrow, maybe it’s time to widen it.”
So, What Does This Mean for Your Church?
You don’t have to become bilingual overnight. You don’t have to start a Taste of Nations potluck (though Westside’s quarterly one is pretty amazing). But Luque believes every church, regardless of size or setting, should be asking these questions:
- Does our church reflect the demographics of our community?
- Are we creating space for discomfort, vulnerability, and mutual learning?
- Have we elevated our format, style, or identity over the actual mission of disciple-making?
- Are we willing to rebuild our approach if it helps reach more people?
Multicultural ministry isn’t glamorous. It’s challenging. It can feel awkward. It takes intentionality, humility, and a heart of effort. But Luque believes it’s worth it—not because it’s trendy, but because it reflects the heart of God.
“We’re not all called to do it the same way,” he says, “but we are all called to make disciples. The question is: are we willing to get uncomfortable enough to do that well?”
