Engaging with Intercultural Ministry
A group of pastors and ministry workers gathered to discuss how FIEC can support churches in their ministry of welcome, evangelism and discipleship to people of all cultures.
Communities are becoming more culturally diverse as people from around the world make Britain their home. How can we prepare to welcome those from a diverse range of cultures to our churches?
In summer 2024, FIEC gathered a group of pastors and ministry workers for a consultation to help launch our first Intercultural Ministry Team. By intercultural we mean churches that are neither mono-cultural nor multi-cultural, but rather communities of believers where different expressions of culture are welcomed, refined and celebrated in the life of the church.
The team is being set up to help FIEC churches to take this kind of ministry forward, recognising that it will look different everywhere, depending on the demographical make-up of the church's local community.
During the consultation, discussions centred around the great things churches are already doing in this area of ministry but also engaged with the challenges faced. There was a recognition that although churches are generally reflective of the diverse communities they serve, that diversity isn’t always reflected in the church’s leadership.
We spoke at length about how churches united in the Lord Jesus can welcome, celebrate and integrate people of all cultures. In addition, there was recognition that God is sending brothers and sisters from other cultures as gifts to our churches, and empowering them to serve will bless the whole church.
The consultation group pictured above (left to right):
- Debbie Bryan, Knighton Free Church, Leicester
- Phil Topham, FIEC Executive Director
- Jackson Runezerwa, New Hope Christian Church, Sheffield
- Mike Sohn, The Globe Church, London
- Richard Weston, Magdalen Road Church, Oxford
- Justin Gill, FIEC IT Manager
- Jean-Michel Tchamba, House of Mercy Church, London
- Jeremy Fowler, Magdalen Road Church, Oxford
- Matthew Pilkington, Sunbridge Road Mission, Bradford
- Peter Fullerton, Harper Church, Glasgow
- Luke Crowter, Silver Street Church, Enfield
- Katy Knight, Firwood Church, Oldham
- Lucas Coelho, Sunbridge Road Mission, Bradford
From the group but not pictured above:
- Nathan White, Stockwell Baptist Church, London
- Rickey Raja, All Nations Church Barkingside & Clayhall, London
- Debbie Dickson, Cornerstone Church, Nottingham
What is culture?
Culture can be defined as the pattern people, or a community of people, follow to navigate life together. It’s not primarily about ethnicity or nationality (though that plays a part), it’s about the way people do things. That means that expressions of culture are not often right or wrong, but they are diverse.
The challenge is helping churches to explore what it means to move from being mono-cultural (where one way of navigating life is predominant) to a church that celebrates the diversity of all cultures. This happens when we embrace the interaction between different cultural groups, allowing our patterns of life to be shaped by God's powerful word.
Intercultural ministry
The purpose, therefore, of the FIEC Intercultural Ministry Team will be twofold:
- To serve and support Independent churches in their ministry of welcome, evangelism and discipleship to people of all cultures.
- Without virtue signalling or tokenism, to weave intercultural ministry into the fabric of the national ministries of FIEC, so that this reflects decisions and opportunities FIEC takes in its wider ministries.
This will be a journey for FIEC, but we are delighted that so many churches are already engaged in this work and ministry. There are great examples to learn from.
Initially, the Intercultural Ministry Team plans to create a resource for churches to help assess their own effectiveness in this area, and then the team will curate helpful resources that already exist to guide churches in different areas.
We want to tell good stories from churches to inspire and encourage others, and also hear from others who can help us to bring the glory and honour of the nations into the church (Revelation 21:26).
A small group of practitioners from the original consultation group will take the work of this team forward.
If you or your church has people who could serve FIEC well in creating and curating helpful material to serve our churches in this way, please get in touch.