Reported by Maria Arita of CBS 11 News, in December 2005.
CARROLLTON There is a mega church in north Texas representing every continent on earth. It’s located in Carrollton and CBS 11’s Maria Arita sat down for an exclusive interview with the senior pastor of Covenant Church, to talk about its unique multicultural aspects.
More than 42 flags from all over the world hang in the sanctuary of Covenant Church. It speaks to the diversity sought by the church.
Senior Pastor Mike Hayes says that commitment began for him long ago. "I saw the mistreatment and the ignoring of a race."
Once an adult, Hayes says he had a dream that changed him forever. "Like I was an 8 yr-old black boy, I didn't feel very included or welcome. I was in another world. Everybody I saw that depicted Jesus or any of the biblical characters, none of them looked like me," Hayes said.
The pastor says developing a truly successful multicultural mega church after that was simple."When we began to love them and include them, they came running."
Now the church is about 10,000 members strong and Hayes says the members influence each other. "If you took a pitcher of red Kool-Aid and then a pitcher of clear water… they were both half full. And you began to pour them back and forth into each other, one is not going to remain red and the other clear, they're both gonna be pink."
Hayes says it's all about color and that there’s something about Moses we should all know. "Moses married a Midianite woman who was a dark skinned race woman, a black woman."
That's where the torchbearers come in that greet visitors in the narthex. "Moses appealed to his father-in-law and said please stay with me, be eyes for me because you’ve been through this wilderness before," Hayes said.
A wilderness that seems to have lead here… they celebrate it in their annual "Colors of Christmas" celebration where live nativity scenes represent every continent. They sing in English and in Spanish.
Pastor Hayes says Christians should embrace other cultures and denominations and religions to form alliances and bridge the cultural divide. "For all that you've been through for the suffering, for the rejection, you can be eyes for us. We’ve got to get through this place and we’ve got to get through it together."
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