One of the joys of living in multi-cultural Britain is that we have people arrive from all over the world, and in recent years the numbers from other countries have only been increasing.
God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12 speaks of how he always intended to bless all nations. The church has a special privilege to welcome those from other nations: to help those in need, to share the good news and to disciple believers.
As people from different countries arrive, we need to make a concerted effort to welcome them in. This is both easier and harder than we might expect. I’ve spent eight years doing international student ministry in the UK, and over 20 years living overseas in Africa, Asia and the Middle East – and have had the chance to be both the welcomer and the welcomed. At a basic level, it’s not difficult to take time to chat to a neighbour from another country, or to look out for international visitors at church. It’s not hard to invite them to stay for coffee after the service, or to do some simple hospitality.
