Decades ago the small church was considered to be monocultural. There was a prevailing culture which was considered to be the way of the church – the rules and regulations were fairly well accepted. Often the faces all looked the same, the color was monochrome (whether red and yellow, black and white – as one song used to speak of the colours of the world).
Now, in Canada, you can consider even the rural and small population areas will contain people from all sorts of cultures. The term multiculturalism took on a forceful meaning and an active engagement from the 1960’s onward. But a melting pot we were not – which assumed a final predominant culture to which other cultures would submit.
If anything, the past decades have seen many cultures seek to dominate the landscape and the political culture of Canada. While some agencies have sought to bring peace on earth the agency best suited to true unity is the church. The small church, with its emphasis on relationship, is especially suited to intercultural ministry. NOTE – not multicultural which seems to imply a mixing of all cultures into one, not cross-cultural which seems to imply merely tolerating each other, . . . but intercultural which implies we meet each other where there is messiness and conflict and we work our way through the dissension towards submission to each other – true humility in action.
“This is Us: Canadian Small Churches in Action” podcasts can help us focus our thoughts on this approach to interculturalism. I invite you to listen and consider your place in this multicultural world we call Canada.
Episode #8 – Kevin Driver – Intercultural resort villages must tailor their approaches to church
Episode #21 – Tim Nielsen – Small churches can be intercultural
Episode #37 – Mark Reece – Refugee ministry suits the small church
Episode #50 – Kevin Driver – Newcomers, welcoming communities and small churches
Episode #61 – Matt and Sue Craig – Welcoming Newcomers
Episode #71 – Alison Witt – Refugees and the Small Church
Episode # 79 – Dorothy Pang – Intercultural Canada – where small church can shine