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
Fresh Perspectives
Earlier this year on the Serve Asia Podcast we explored intercultural church across a four-part series, bringing together a range of voices from around the
A Summer of Discovery
Although Joey and YuRa grew up in the USA, where their parents became Christians, their families’ roots are in China and Korea respectively. As they
Deeper Diversity
When people hear that I am developing OMF UK and Ireland’s intercultural ministries, I am often asked: how is this relevant to our vision, mission
From Belfast to Japan and back again!
On her retirement, OMF Third Culture Kids Advisor Helen Lyttle asked for readers of the May 2022 edition of Billions magazine to pray that God
Building Intercultural Church – Podcast Series
What does intercultural church look like Sunday by Sunday? How do ideas about community, unity in the gospel and preferring the needs of others play out in church life? What does worship, Bible teaching and communion look like in an intercultural church?
Why pursue intercultural church in the UK today?
Rev Dr Israel Olofinjana, shared at the mission event NextGen East about the theology and churches needed to reach the UK and the wider world today. He highlights the need to move beyond multicultural churches to truly intercultural communities to better reflect God’s wisdom to the world.
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.
