Intercultural Church: The Vision of Our Ascended Saviour by Ian Collinge

Following the stimulating WEAVE Manchester 2026 conference in February, we are freshly aware of an overriding question in all our discussions: how can we foster genuinely intercultural church, mission, justice, and worship here in the UK? I would like to offer some biblical reflections, expressed in three proposals.

First, in everything, we need to intentionally, repeatedly, and insistently focus on Christ. This sounds obvious, but it is essential if our dream is not to dissolve into something merely human. Our WEAVE network is extremely diverse. This is deliberate and wonderful. What, then, unites us, if not Christ? (Ephesians 4:1–6). Our strapline is: “weaving cultures, building community, inspiring change.” These three phrases speak of a desire to bring glory to God by becoming the kind of Church in Britain that Jesus desires. For this, our constant and central focus must be Christ.

Second, I propose we give focus to the ascended Christ. This may seem unexpected, so why do I highlight this? The reality is, whatever tradition we represent, it is easy to miss the countercultural and intercultural significance of what happened at the Ascension. We often cite Pentecost (Acts 2) as inspiration for intercultural church. The context for Pentecost, however, is that Jesus ascended, and was “exalted at the right hand of the Father” (Acts 2:33). He received from the Father the Holy Spirit before clothing his people with “power from on high” (John 14:16; Luke 24:49). It is this enthroned, exalted, and glorified Jesus who filled his people with God’s Spirit—but what did Christ have in mind when he poured out the Holy Spirit? It was his Church! The Church he envisaged was to be global and diverse, a witness to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). The gift of tongues itself demonstrated that his gospel is for all peoples, nations and languages (vv. 17–18). Christ’s body is to be an intercultural Church! If so, we need to stay close to the ascended Jesus, constantly catching his heartbeat for his Church.

My third proposal is that intercultural church, mission, justice, and worship are impossible without the Holy Spirit. Conferences are great for networking. Vision papers help develop understanding. The name “WEAVE” crystallizes what many long for. Biblical reflections root us in God’s Word. The Holy Spirit is present in all of these. When it comes to working it out in our local congregations, however, we must not imagine that strategies, vision-casting, and new songs will make vision a reality, all on their own. We need the power, presence, and leading of the Holy Spirit! Our intercultural vision is riskily countercultural, especially in our current social, political, and cultural climate, and it requires churches to stretch beyond their comfort zones. For all these reasons, we need the gifts Paul listed in Ephesians 4:11–13. These are people with “apostolic” gifts of strategic, intercultural leadership, those gifted with “prophetic” vision, others with cross-cultural “evangelistic” capabilities, as well as “pastors” able to empathize interculturally, and “teachers” adept at communicating beyond a single culture. We also need Spirit-gifted intercessors, activists, worship leaders, theologians, artists, those with practical gifts, media specialists, encouragers, creative thinkers, givers, the hospitable, and so much more! These may, or may not, be people with official positions. Let’s pray for such people, those able to help lead the Church into the new territory God is giving us a vision for.

Finally, I believe God is already raising up such people. WEAVE and similar forums help us celebrate them. It is through the working of his gifts in local churches that Christ is reigning at the right hand of the Father. Further, through his counterculturally intercultural people, we are already catching a glimpse of what the ascended Christ had in mind, as he breaks down the barriers between cultures, races, social classes, ethnicities, and generations. This is something of what it means for Christ to prepare his bride for the day of his return (Ephesians 5:25–27; Revelation 7:9; 21:2, 24–26). In the meantime, exalted Lord Jesus, keep filling your people with your Spirit, so that your Church becomes all that you have in mind, to the glory of God the Father!

Multicultural Worship Resources to Celebrate the Ascended Christ

Please click this link for Multicultural Worship Resources to Celebrate the Ascended Christ

Ian Collinge is the author of the book An Intercultural Worship Handbook - Routes, Tools and Guidepost for the Journey