Building a Church for Everyone: Embracing Vertical and Horizontal Faith

In a recent episode of the Future Christian Podcast, I had the privilege of speaking with Dan Kreiss and Efrem Smith about their book, Church for Everyone: Building a Multi-Inclusive Community for Emerging Generations. Our conversation explored the necessity of embracing both a vertical and horizontal vision of faith and the challenges of making an existing church more diverse.

If you’re passionate about building a church that truly reflects God’s kingdom, this episode is a must-listen. Here are two key takeaways to pique your interest.

Faith is Both Vertical and Horizontal

One of the most compelling points in our discussion was how the church must balance both personal piety (vertical) and social engagement (horizontal). Efrem Smith explained how his faith journey, shaped by both the African American church and the Evangelical tradition, revealed this tension:

“Sanctification is a major part of the Christian life. But I also believe liberation is too. Because sin is not just in the soul of individual human beings. Sin is also in systems, in society… We need a justice and righteousness biblically that can live itself out through the church that recognizes both of these dimensions of sin.”

Too often, churches lean too far in one direction—either emphasizing personal salvation and holiness without addressing injustice or focusing on social justice without nurturing deep spiritual formation. True discipleship requires both.

Why It's Easier to Start a Diverse Church Than Change One

Another compelling takeaway was the reality that starting a diverse church is much easier than making an existing one diverse. Efrem Smith pointed out that many historic churches, even those not intentionally exclusive, struggle to overcome deeply ingrained cultural norms:

“The older the church is, the more it is deeply rooted in the soil of a racialized society and all that comes with that. A lot of times their diversity is still built on assimilation. We want anybody to come, but you’re assimilating into the established culture that is already here.”

New churches, on the other hand, have the opportunity to be built from the ground up with reconciliation in mind rather than assimilation. Efrem shared a simple but profound example from his own church plant:

“We used to have these multi-ethnic dinners. And I would encourage people to bring a dish that represented their upbringing, their culture… Because as we digest one another’s foods, this church is going to be predicated in part on digesting one another’s stories, one another’s pain, one another’s triumphs, one another’s cultures.”

Listen to the Full Conversation

If you care about the future of the church and want to lead well in an increasingly diverse and complex world, you won’t want to miss this conversation with Dan Kreiss and Efrem Smith.

We covered why many churches struggle to change, why the church should be leading in reconciliation, and how to make our faith both deeply personal and outwardly transformative. Whether you’re a pastor, church leader, or simply passionate about the future of faith, this episode will challenge and inspire you.

After you listen, I’d love to hear your thoughts—how is your church approaching these challenges? Leave a comment or send me a message!