Picture a church where cultures don’t just coexist – they connect.
A church where strangers become family. Where cultural differences don’t divide but enrich.
A church where believers from different backgrounds worship, learn, serve and grow together as equals.
A church which witnesses to a broken and fragmented world the unity in diversity, in Christ, which will be found in the coming kingdom.
Many UK and Irish churches struggle to unite across cultural lines. Yet the Bible is clear: God’s church, his people, are one body. Our intercultural ministry team supports believers with training, resources, and support to break siloes and build bridges.
Our vision is to see churches in the UK & Ireland growing as Christ-centred communities of intercultural worship and witness where people of all backgrounds are welcomed in Jesus’ name, discipled and active in sharing him with others, across the street and across the world.
Intercultural Ministry Stories
Reaching Beyond
As the OMF (UK) office opens in Manchester this autumn, we look at two East Asian mission initiatives in the city: Manchester Alliance Church Reverend
Ministry in Maidenhead
A few years ago, Geoff Yeung came to the UK from Hong Kong asking, ‘Jesus, how can I keep on serving you in this country?’
The Power of Welcome
Over 150,000 Hong Kongers have moved to the UK since January 2021. For many, a warm welcome from a local church has opened the door
God on the Move through People on the Move
Many people are on the move from one place to another and one country to another. What is God doing through this movement? He is
Bridges of Welcome in Japan
Resourcing and sending cross-cultural workers to Japan continues to be a necessary part of God’s global plan. For many years now, the Lord has also
Intentionally Intercultural
Want to help your church to grow as an intercultural community? Here are 12 ideas from the OMF (UK) Intercultural Ministries team to get you
Reaching East Asians in the UK
Many East Asians come to the UK & Ireland to study or work.
Drawing on over a hundred years of experience in the East Asia, OMF can help you share the good news of Jesus with them right here in the UK by welcoming them and making them feel at home.
Do an intercultural Serve Asia placement in the UK or Ireland.
We have opportunities for you to get involved in intercultural ministry across the UK & Ireland. Serve alongside our experienced long-term workers for 2-weeks to 6-months.
Ministry Partners
One of our core values is partnership. We believe what is written in Psalm 133: ‘How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! For there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.’
These are some of our key partner organisations. They have great ministries and resources which you can engage with.
Friends International
Seeking to see every one of the 700,000 international students who are studying in the UK and Ireland having Christian faith and friendship shared with them.
COCM
Seeking to share Jesus with and disciple the Chinese diaspora in the UK & Europe. Have a wealth of Christian resources in Mandarin and Cantonese.
Welcome Churches
Seeking to see every refugee in the UK welcomed by their local church. Have resources tailored for different cultures and languages.
Intercultural Churches UK
Seeking to journey with local churches as they seek to become intercultural, Christ centred communities. Have theological and practical resource for serving churches in this area.
EA One People Commission
Seeking to celebrate diversity and promote unity across the UK church.
Resources
If you want explore the ideas of intercultural church and Christianity further we would recommend the following books:
- Dynamic Diversity, Bruce MilneÂ
- Building Multicultural Churches, Tony Thompson
- Intercultural Church, Safwat Marzouk
- Effective Intercultural Evangelism, Jay Moo & Bud Simon
- Building Cultural Intelligence in Church & Ministry, Osoba OtaigbeÂ
- Chinese Heritage in British Christianity; More than Foreigners edited by Alexander Chow.
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A special feature:
Polyphonic God: Exploring Intercultural Theology, Church and Justice.
In Polyphonic God, theologians and practitioners together contend that intercultural churches are significant in multicultural British society, and serve to create a counter-cultural kingdom narrative demonstrating how we can find unity in the midst of diversity and how this can enrich the lives of everybody involved.
