Loving Multicultural EuropePhilip Evans - 22 Nov 2010
The chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel recently made a strong statement when she claimed multiculturalism in Germany had 'utterly failed'. Merkel is worth listening to on the subject - Germany plays host to 7 million foreign residents. 4.3 million are Muslim with 3000 mosques in the country. Multiculturalism is no longer seen as a project with positive outcomes, but a reality of European life with economic migrants now working across the continent representing the global picture.
Today the people's of the world are moving to Europe - like it or not, Europe is becoming a melting pot of different cultures. Cities like London are among the most multi-cultural in the world, although Sydney is considered the most multi-cultural. Have you ever considered that the cities closest to the picture of heaven (Revelation 7:9) are the most multi-cultural cities?
Among the many immigrants moving to Europe are those moving from countries with little or no Christian presence. A study of mission history shows that there were times when God used circumstances to move either Christians to the mission field or the mission field to the Christians. Migration maybe a threat to some, but its an opportunity to grasp for followers of Jesus. The ends of the earth are now in our postcode.
I live in Skopje, a city dominated by 3 cultural groupings, Macedonians, Albanians and Roma. Each grouping lives in its own area of the city, with little interaction between the groups except for necessity. Jesus spoke about the gospel going to every ethne in the creation and we now have the opportunity to reach the ends of the earth by crossing the road or driving round the corner.
There exists a people blindness among God's people in Europe - we rub shoulders every day with people from all corners of the planet, but fail to see them. The challenge today to the European church is to recognise, engage with and serve their new neighbours, it's an opportunity the likes of which we have rarely seen.
The Nova Research Centre in Gloucester produced a report called 'Mapping Migration in Europe' (2008) to help us see this new landscape on our continent. Authored by Darrell Jackson and Alessia Passarelli. The report contains a two-page country profile for every member country of the Council of Europe with each presenting key migration data for the country.
The Kairos Course is another key resource God is using in Europe to mobilise His people to the least reached people's. Contact Phil to find out more or watch this short film:
What is Kairos? from Philip Evans on Vimeo.