Everyone is on the move. There is a restlessness—a vast migration—taking place worldwide. In our neighborhoods, communities, and cities, the nations have arrived at our doorstep. We each have the opportunity to embrace intercultural relationships and to understand, respect, and benefit from the richness of cultures interacting. This is more than a global issue. It’s a local invitation. Pastors have a calling to engage the mission fields right outside their doors.
Pastor Tim Keller once said that a kingdom vision will make you “open to being sent out into your neighborhood to reach and serve in new ways..” This is a new kind of being sent. Rather than uprooting our families and leaving jobs and support networks, being sent today may simply mean being available—willingly stepping into culturally diverse relationships.
People everywhere are looking for their place in the world. The importance of place is evident from the beginning of time. It’s woven into history: Mankind began in a garden (Gen. 2:8, 15), and for followers of Christ, our journey culminates in a holy city, New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2). Jesus’ ministry was rooted in specific geographic locations—Bethlehem, Nazareth, and ultimately Jerusalem.
In a similar way, God has placed each of us and our churches in specific places. He calls us to be more than merely residents. As a part of God’s redemptive plan, we have a responsibility to love our neighbors and engage our communities where we live, where we work, and wherever we go in our daily routines.
So how should churches and ministries respond to this opportunity?
To begin, we as pastors and leaders must rekindle the flame for mission.
I am one of the pastors at Perimeter Church, which has been ministering in the Greater Atlanta area for 48 years. Since our founding, Perimeter has sought to be a missional church, reaching our community, our city, and beyond. When we moved into our current facility in 1996, our surrounding community was approximately 90 percent white. Over the past 30 years, that same area has shifted to a 50-50 split between white residents and people of color. This change has brought new opportunities for intercultural friendships, and in turn, it has started to shift the relational culture of the church.
In response to this changing demographic, church leadership became proactive. We evaluated our staffing, programming, and engagement with our community. We increased diversity in leadership positions and developed partnerships with local nonprofits. Our people are building relationships and sharing the gospel in word and deed where they live, work, and go. Although we still have room to grow, we are increasingly reflecting our community and are seeing signs of progress.
Has your community experienced any demographic shifts? A simple way to assess this is to walk through your neighborhood, visiting local restaurants and stores, and intentionally spend time in public spaces. You may be surprised by how diverse your neighborhood is becoming.
How should pastors and ministry leaders build intercultural relationships?
Our people take their cues from us. The Father sent the Son, and the Son has sent his followers into relationships and mission (John 17:18; Matt. 10:5–8). That is just as true for us as for our congregants. As they are sent, so too are we. And as we build relational connections with pastors, community leaders, and neighbors in our communities, we model the richness of these relationships.
I have benefited from friendships with pastors who labor in different cultural contexts. Over the years, these pastors have become a “band of brothers” for me. We’ve supported each other through many challenges, and through these friendships, we have seen our lives and ministries flourish. I have experienced a couple challenging seasons of deep depression and anxiety, and the Lord has used these brothers as part of restoring me.
I recognize that many are reluctant to step outside their comfort zones and build relationships with people from other cultures. But you don’t have to travel overseas with a passport to be faithful. Sometimes the most courageous step is reaching across the street. It can start with having a conversation with a neighbor or inviting someone different into your home.
Let me share a little of my family’s story. We live in Duluth, Georgia, a town 15 minutes from our church. We’ve been in the same home for 23 years. Early on, when we first settled in, God began stirring in us a desire to reach out to our neighbors and engage with our community. Through those small steps toward missional faithfulness, we began experiencing intercultural friendships.
The second part of the Great Commandment is to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Building new relationships with neighbors was our response. We wanted to love people and share the gospel with them in both word and deed (Luke 10:9). Over the years, we have seen God bear fruit out of this desire, and the friendships we’ve gained have enriched our lives. A turning point came when we began serving in the public schools our children attended. We formed friendships with parents from many cultures and began doing life with them. As we stepped into leadership at those schools, our relationships expanded even more.
I’ve also had the privilege of joining a diverse pastors’ group in the city. We’ve built strong bonds, pray for one another, and spur each another on to love and good deeds in our shared community (Heb. 10:24).
I share these as simple examples of how easily we can begin to engage our communities as the local mission fields they are. I am not suggesting you do exactly what we have done; however, I do encourage you to pray about your community and ask God for meaningful ways to engage with your neighborhood. At Perimeter we have a phrase: “Think big, start small, and go deep.” It’s good to have big dreams, but lasting change always starts with personal relationships.
Here are three foundational principles and some simple first steps I’ve found helpful for building intercultural relationships.
Be intentional
Our natural instinct is to build relationships with people who are like us. But cultivating friendships across cultures requires intentionality. It means understanding that shifting demographics are not a threat but an opportunity to be faithful to God’s call to mission. Although there’s a low barrier to entry, we still need courage to take the first step.
Begin by praying for an intercultural friendship and a cross-cultural friendship where you live. I am confident God will answer that prayer.
Be a listener and a learner
As we engage in these new relationships, it will become apparent we have much to learn. And that’s okay. It’s part of the process.
James 1:19 encourages us to “be quick to listen, slow to speak.” Ask questions. Listen well. As you do, watch your friendship deepen through understanding.
Be perseverant
Don’t give up. Stay with it. Adopt the mindset of a missionary—don’t walk away after one awkward conversation or failed attempt. Keep trying new and different ways to build genuine relationships where the gospel can take root.
A few simple first steps
This kind of intentional mission doesn’t have to be complicated. It begins with small, everyday acts of faithfulness. Here are some first steps you can take:
- Research your church’s surrounding demographics. This will help you better understand the context God has placed you in.
- Invite another leader from a different background to have lunch and begin building a friendship.
- Encourage church members to host neighbors in their homes—whether through a holiday gathering, a simple conversation over coffee, or regular walks through the neighborhood to engage those who live on their streets.
Mission begins with getting to know the people the Lord places around us. All it takes is a mustard seed of faithfulness and a willingness to be intentional in ordinary places.
Finally, remember where we are all headed. We’re on our way to the new heavens and new earth. There, believers from every nation, tribe, people, and language will gather together in eternal relationship (Rev. 7:9). Our distinctives will remain, but something beautiful will happen: All will be redeemed. Every cultural barrier that divides us will be entirely gone. God’s unique design for each of us will be on display for all to enjoy.
Until that day, we bear witness to our future hope by living it out now. May his kingdom come and his will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
