In depth | Evangelicals Now

FIEC considers how to be intercultural

FIEC

Phil Topham writes: 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?

The Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches (FIEC) has 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.

Highfields Cardiff – welcoming internationals

Nicola Laver

Newcomers from across 10 nations were recently hosted by Highfields Church, Cardiff with a membership dinner for people to get to know each other.

The church runs a quarterly membership evening at Highfields where, explained lead minister Dave Gobbett, they ‘share the vision and values of Highfields, and why we encourage those who see us as their spiritual home, to formally join as church members’.

Inter-cultural commission marks ten years

Milla Ling-Davies

More than 100 delegates have gathered at the London City Mission headquarters to celebrate ten years of the Evangelical Alliance’s ‘One People Commission’ (OPC).

Anchored by Titilola Babarinde, the co-ordinator of the OPC, the celebration began with a time of collective worship.

The challenges of deep multi-cultural integration

Al Gibbs

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.

Ten questions: Rejoice in diversity

Elinor Magowan

1. How did you become a Christian?

Seven ways to spot a ‘BWW’ and why it matters

Nay Dawson

I’ll never be one of the ‘Blokes Worth Watching’ (BWW) nor will many of my friends that don’t fit.

I love leadership and evangelism. I want to invest precious years into mission and the future of the church, so I’m wondering how do I become one of the BWWs [as described in this article in last month's EN] ? How do I get mentored? How do I get invested in so that I can make a significant difference? The problem is, I can’t. I’m a woman. I’ll never be a ‘Bloke Worth Watching’ and neither will half of those made in the image of God.

Evangelical crisis? I don’t think so

Andy Mason

What is the state of conservative evangelicalism? Glen Scrivener has given us a challenging answer in his article in the July 2022 issue of en, ‘BWWs: the “Blokes Worth Watching” conveyor belt…’

His article is a strong critique, essentially arguing that we evangelicals are in something of a spiritual crisis. The strength of its criticisms invites a rejoinder. As a fellow pastor, I know Glen and have worked with him. He is a wonderful evangelist, a man of integrity and a very gifted preacher. Most importantly, he loves Jesus and cares for the abused. I think, though, there are some real problems with Glen’s take on our churches.

Affinity seeks diversity, welcoming ethnic minority churches

Affinity

It has been an exciting first half of 2022 for Affinity, a network of around 1,200 churches and Christian organisations working in partnership for the sake of the gospel, writes Graham Nicholls.

We were delighted to welcome new members to Affinity – churches from a diverse range of backgrounds including majority Jamaican, Congolese and Chinese churches.

Evangelical Futures: Diversity - a powerful witness to a divided world

Graham Miller

As we consider our future as evangelicals, we should return to the commission the Lord Jesus gave before His ascension: ‘But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth’ (Acts 1:8).

Sharing our faith is core to our identity as followers of Jesus Christ, and Christians sharing their faith with others has been used by God to underpin the growth of the global church – despite heresy, persecution and scorn, the gospel prevails!

Disability, diversity, Frodo Baggins and Aslan

Cassie Martin

September is one of my favourite times of year. Keats called it the season of ‘mists and mellow fruitfulness’.

It marks the start of the academic year – new school shoes and lots of enthusiasm from both teachers and students. If we’re lucky, there’s an Indian Summer beautifully balanced by that crispness in the air in the early mornings. Closer to home, it is the month of our wedding anniversary and my youngest son’s birthday; he has the distinction of being born on Hobbit Day. Hobbit Day is the 22nd September, a date chosen because it is Bilbo and Frodo Baggins’ joint birthday. In the last few decades, it has become an opportunity for Tolkien fans across the globe to share their appreciation and enjoyment of Tolkien’s work.

Israel to champion ethnic diversity

Baptist Times

Israel Oluwole Olofinjana has been announced as the Evangelical Alliance’s new One People Commission (OPC) director.

The OPC seeks to ‘reflect, celebrate and serve the ethnic diversity of the church in the UK by helping to reshape the focus and the feel of the Evangelical Alliance and its membership’.

In Depth: diversity