I see a new city…
where many people from different cultural backgrounds, ethnicities, nationalities, races, generations, socio-economic classes, gender, denominations and abilities will one day come together in there cities and towns to live, worship, learn, interact, serve their community, break down barriers and find common ground while also valuing, honouring and safeguarding their individual cultural differences.
This vision reflects the picture in Revelation 7:9 where people from all backgrounds, nations, generations, and class will one day worship together harmoniously.
Nowadays, as our cities and churches are becoming more diverse. If we want to see a new city transformed or our churches grow, we can’t stick to old ways of doing things. We need to adapt and make necessary changes. If we don’t, our churches might decline and eventually close, our cities will certainly feel the negative impact of living in tensed silos. Change is a normal part of life, and if we don’t embrace it, we won’t be able to thrive.
Jesus said,
“No one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine will burst the wineskins and be spilled, and the wineskins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved”
Although this task will be difficult, it is our purpose and we must embrace the challenge. I strongly believe that this will serve as a powerful testament to our faith and will inspire many people to desire what we have and overtime turn to Jesus when they witness the beauty and its fulfilment.
In most part of last year, we started on a journey to explore how we could embark on this path. I facilitated small group discussions in various English cities to delve into two important questions:
What would an intercultural church look like in our city?
And what kind of impact could we achieve if we collaborate for the sake of Christ to bring about spiritual, social, and cultural transformation in our communities?
The purpose was to analyse the current state, envision the possibilities, and anticipate the future. As I travelled from city to city, actively listening to people’s thoughts on intercultural church and city transformation, I couldn’t ignore the strong presence of God’s spirit in certain places. Based on what I’ve gathered, I believe it’s time for us to embark on this journey together. It won’t be easy, but the long-term results will be amazing. These city-wide conversations last year led to the national gathering in Leeds on the 20th January with over 150 church and city leaders calling for a greater intercultural collaboration.
It was an incredible roundtable gathering bringing together thinkers and practitioners of individuals, from diverse nationalities, ethnicities, races, ages, abilities, socio-economic classes, church denominations etc in Leeds at the Gateway Church.
The vision is an intercultural church that embraces different perspectives, fostering understanding, respect and unity in Christ.
This gathering was so much about how we create a city or church that embraces cultural diversity and breaks away from the isolation of staying in our own groups. Being part of God’s family means that our interactions and relationships within the church should be characterised by unity, love, and a strong connection with Jesus Christ. The church is supposed to function as a united family, where each member has a unique role and contributes to the overall body of Christ working together to meet the spiritual, social and cultural needs of our places. Despite our differences in background, culture, or personality, we are called to come together as one, embracing and celebrating our cultural diversity, as it is a gift from God.
During the gathering stories were shared from various cities across the UK where churches have been working across cultural divides to see their places transformed socially, culturally and spiritually. Insights were shared from Leeds where an Intercultural Forum has been in operation for 20 years with some groundbreaking work with international students and intercultural worship.
Stories were also shared from Liverpool, where churches are collaborating to help every person hear the Gospel, and from London, where roundtable meals were being hosted regularly to listen intentionally to different cultural groups in order to foster better understanding and collaborative working. During the gathering we also shared an intercultural church and city transformation learning journey diagram to help cities identify, understand and navigate the different stages in this journey.
Contributors included Les Moir, a key organiser behind The UK Blessing video who talked about the importance of intercultural worship. Roger Sutton, co founder of the Gather Movement talked about the importance of churches collaborating to see their places transformed.
Joe Kapolyo, a Baptist minister, talked about the move from monocultural and colonial models of church to truly intercultural expressions, while the Revd Dr Israel Olofinjana, who chairs the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance, contributed to the intercultural congregations track.
Revd Chi Wai Wu shared insights from the Chinese Church, which is the fastest growing Church in the UK. An estimated 30,000 Christians have migrated from Hong Kong to the UK over the last four years.
The event was a vibrant tapestry of voices from the Christian community. We explored the transformative potential of fostering intercultural harmony, embracing our differences, and building strong, meaningful relationships across cultures. The discussions were invigorating, as we shared biblical and personal insights, experiences, and visions for a culturally inclusive church and mission.
We recognised the power of creating spaces where people from diverse backgrounds can come together, celebrate their unique identities, and find a sense of belonging. By doing so, we can create a community that thrives on diversity and unity.
It was inspiring to witness the collective commitment to breaking down barriers and building bridges that hinder cultural integration. We firmly believe that an intercultural mission and church can serve as a catalyst for positive change in our cities. By embracing cultural diversity, promoting inclusivity, and fostering dialogue, we can create an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered to make a lasting impact on society.
As we concluded the event, we made a resolute commitment to work together in realising our vision of an intercultural church and mission in our cities. Of course, we know there is a lot of hard work and patience with one another to be done.
I am hoping that this conversation will continue during the Gather Movement Summit in Derby, 17-18 June, with the theme ‘I see a new city’.
Together, we can make a difference and shape a future where cultural diversity is celebrated and unity prevails in our churches and cities.
Listen to some reflections from some attendees of the Intercultural Church and City Transformation event below.
Osoba Otaigbe
Gather Movement Associate
Osoba, is a Baptist Minister, working for the Bible Society as Church Engagement Manager, North of England and is on secondment one day a week with Gather Movement working on reimagining mission in the UK. He is also a Movement for Recovery trustee for Greater Manchester Churches Together.
