Simon Cox Blog: Diaspora Missions: Diaspora Churches as Equal Partners in Mission

Thursday, 10 November 2016

Diaspora Missions: Diaspora Churches as Equal Partners in Mission

Hispanic, Korean, Chinese, and Nigerian churches embody the vitality and vibrancy of Global Christianity.

A few weeks ago I had the privilege of attending the first united symposium of the Chinese Alliance churches in Canada. These churches are part of the Canadian Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) and offer services in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English languages. They represent nearly 100 churches which account for 20% of all C&MA churches in Canada.

There, I met Pastor Solomon Chiang, a seasoned church planter who was pastoring in Taiwan and came to Canada for his theological studies. He then pastored a Chinese church in Parsippany, New Jersey, before moving to the greater Toronto area, where he planted three churches in the last two decades, all of them exceeding several hundred members. He focused his ministry on reaching the Mandarin-speaking new immigrants from mainland China.

When asked of the reason why the churches are growing, he simply responds that the church demonstrates Christian love and that is the catalyst that draws people to Christ.

On the States’ side, diaspora churches now account for more than 46% of the nearly 2,000 C&MA churches in the Unites States. Pew Forum’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study reports ethnic diversity among North American churches increased from 29% in 2007 to 34% in 2014.

This number is projected to continue increasing as the rate of immigration continues unabated in the coming decades.

While the story of Global Christianity has taken center stage in recent decades, its implications for global migration has received far less reflection. We must consider the stupendous growth of the Church in Asia, Africa, and Latin America alongside the rise of global migration.

Many of these sending regions are not only thriving centers of Christianity, but are now actively ministering ...