Building Multicultural ChurchesNäide

Overcoming obstacles to true multicultural churches: Antioch

The church in Antioch was the first multicultural church described in the New Testament. The origins of the church are found in Acts 11 v19-21. The multicultural leadership is described in Acts 13v1-3. This multicultural DNA is what Paul and Barnabus carried with them on their missionary journey described in chapters 13 and 14.

It is therefore very surprising to read Paul’s description of an incident that happened in the Antioch church – Galatians 2v11-21.

The multicultural nature of the church in Antioch was characterised by different ethnicities eating and having fellowship together. This is true today, not just at church meals but with people from different ethnicities eating together in homes. However, when visitors from Jerusalem arrived, this communal eating immediately stopped and even Peter and Barnabus were led astray, despite Peter being told directly by God that he shouldn’t call anything unclean – Acts 10. Paul challenges everyone publicly and even writes about it in this letter so it’s out in the open. He feels so strongly that such practice of separation undermines the gospel.

If we are to build multicultural churches, it is important to understand why they stopped eating together. If people like Peter and Barnabus can be led astray, everyone is vulnerable.

I would suggest two reasons for the separation. We will look at the first today and the second tomorrow.

One of the issues was fear, which is very relevant today. When we are seeking to build friendships with people who are different from us, we must overcome the fear of getting things wrong. I have embarrassed myself many times by doing and saying the wrong thing. We need to be courageous if we are to overcome our fear; it is often easier not to bother and just relate to people who are like us.

Fear also shows itself in worrying about what others think. That was clearly going on in Antioch. It also happens today. The African who chooses to not go to the church with others from their tribe will face opposition. The British person in Spain will have to overcome the questioning of others if they choose to go to a multicultural church rather than an English church. We instinctively like to please people and choosing to worship in a multicultural church will inevitably provoke opposition from some. Fear of that can stop us from doing what we should be doing.