Ethnic Identity

Did you know that the Bible has a great deal to say about ethnicity?

Through the Bible, God shapes the way we engage with ethnicity. A biblical perspective on ethnicity gives us confidence to explore our own ethnic identities.

In this eight-session LifeGuide® Bible Study, Steve Tamayo takes us through passages that open us up to difficult yet important conversations about race, culture, and ethnicity. If ethnicity is a gift from God, engaging this material may deeply transform the way we interact with family, friends, and enemies.

For over three decades LifeGuide Bible Studies have provided solid biblical content and raised thought-provoking questions—making for a one-of-a-kind Bible study experience for individuals and groups. This series has more than 130 titles on Old and New Testament books, character studies, and topical studies.



Steve Tamayo serves as a strategist for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, working in the Latino Fellowship and the Creative Labs. In these roles, he equips and resources InterVarsity's national pivot to online ministry. He is the showrunner for the podcasts Con Confianza and Ministry During the Disruption. Steve holds degrees from Duke University and the University of Oxford. In addition to his work with InterVarsity, Steve has served as the executive pastor at Chatham Community Church and the pastor of spiritual formation at Crossway Church. He is also the CEO of Orange Apple, a consulting firm that helps non-profits and small businesses make better decisions. He and his wife live with their four children in Tampa.

Getting the Most Out of Ethnic Identity


1. From the Beginning (Genesis 1:26-28; 11:1-9)


2. Ethnic on Purpose (Genesis 12:1-5)


3. Our Broken Ethnic Stories (Exodus 2:11–3:12)


4. Navigating Pressure to Assimilate (Daniel 1:1-21)


5. Ethnicity and the Gospel of Christ (Ephesians 2:1-22)


6. Unity Through Diversity (Acts 6:1-7)


7. Engaging Ethnic Tension (Matthew 15:21-28)


8. Ethnic Forever (Revelation 7:9-17)


Leader's Notes

"Steve Tamayo has been facilitating a journey in Scripture to investigate what the Bible has to say about ethnicity for over a decade. His passion for God's Word and his practical experience helping others in their identity journeys make this Bible study a critical guide in the life of an individual or small group. Steve has created a resource that will equip communities to reflect on God's design for our embodied identities and to come together in unity across diversity."



"As we think about the impact of racial and ethnic division, as we deal with the fallout of previous ideas of colorblindness, and as we sit reckoning with our modern manifestation of the civil rights era, we need this Bible study guide. We in the church desperately need to get back to the biblical truths that we have forgotten, distorted, or just plain ignored. When I read the table of contents, I knew this guide was special, and my delight just increased from there. I am so grateful that Steve has created this nuanced, rich, and compelling Bible study guide. He is a gracious leader, winsome storyteller, and accessible theologian. I recommend this study for people of color (both monoethnic and mixed) and white folks alike. In fact, I highly recommend it for everyone!"



"We live in a world of racial division, but God's answer isn't to be colorblind. To participate in God's justice and reconciliation, we need to understand how our ethnic identity fits in to the bigger story. This Bible study helpfully and skillfully gives us the start we need to help us receive and redeem our ethnic identities in Jesus' name and be a part of the healing that only the kingdom of God can bring!"



"I first learned that the Bible has a lot to say about ethnicity when I was in college. That has shaped my life and ministry for the past thirty years. Please give the same gift to those around you. This guide can help you and your small group dig into important biblical passages using these thoughtful questions, plus there are helpful leader's notes in the back." weniger anzeigen expand_less