The Serve Asia Podcast

In this episode of Kids Exploring East Asia, join Chris on an exciting adventure through Thailand. Explore delightful food and diverse culture. Thailand's rich history and the unique role of elephants, as well as a taste of the tropical weather and famous fruits. Tune in for a fun, educational journey through the heart of Southeast Asia! Episode Highlights: Introduction to Thailand [00:00] Elephants in Thai culture [01:27] Thailand’s tropical climate [03:06] Famous fruits [05:18] Thailand’s beautiful beaches [10:00] A prayer for the people of Thailand [10:44] Video available on Spotify or YouTube: https://youtu.be/yVv3aXmHH0k [https://youtu.be/yVv3aXmHH0k] Mystery sound courtesy of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gekko_gecko.wav] Israel Benjumeda [https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Israel_Benjumeda&action=edit&redlink=1]. Used under Creative Commons License

Increasing numbers of young people around the UK today are growing up across cultures, trying to work out their identity, sometimes struggling to feel like they belong and navigating challenging generational divides. How can intercultural churches respond and help grow intercultural disciples who live out the good news of Jesus? And what does all this have to do with taking the gospel around the world anyway? Reuben and Nathaniel are back for the final episode of our series on intercultural church exploring these questions and more with our guests: * Grace Robinson (Intercultural Worker at Holy Trinity Platt [https://www.plattchurch.org/], Manchester) * Wien Fung (London City Mission [https://www.lcm.org.uk/]) * James So (Chinese Overseas Christian Mission [https://www.cocm.org.uk/]) * Girma Bishaw (Reality Church London [https://www.realitychurch.london/] and Gratitude Initiative [https://gratitudeinitiative.org.uk/about-us/]) * Adam Martin (Director of Intercultural Churches UK [https://icuk.network/]) * Israel Olofinjana (Director of Evangelical Alliance One People Commission [https://www.eauk.org/what-we-do/networks/one-people-commission]) Find out more about our intercultural ministries and links to the resources mentioned in this episode at omf.org/uk/intercultural [https://omf.org/uk/get-involved/intercultural-ministry/]. Book for the OMF (UK) National Conference (7-9 March 2025), which features a seminar on intercultural church led by Nathaniel, at omf.org/uk/2025 [https://omf.org/uk/event/national-conference-2025/].

What does intercultural church look like Sunday by Sunday? How do ideas about community, unity in the gospel and preferring the needs of others play out in church life? What does worship, Bible teaching and communion look like in an intercultural church? In this episode co-hosts Reuben and Nathaniel explore all these questions and more in discussion with our guests. There's no one size fits all model, but in these conversations the journey toward intercultural church becomes clearer. We also examine some of the tricky tensions in pursuing intercultural church. Guests featured in this episode: * Jessie Tang (Songs2Serve [https://songs2serve.eu/]) * Adam Martin (Intercultural Churches UK) [https://icuk.network/] * Girma Bishaw (Reality Church London [https://www.realitychurch.london/] and Gratitude Initiative [https://gratitudeinitiative.org.uk/about-us/]) * MiJa Wi (Manchester Yedam Church of the Nazarene [https://yedamkorean.com/] and Nazarene Theological College [https://nazarene.ac.uk/]) * Wein Fung (L [https://www.lcm.org.uk/]ondon City Mission [https://www.lcm.org.uk/]) * James So (Chinese Overseas Christian Mission [https://www.cocm.org.uk/]) * Grace Robinson (Holy Trinity Platt, Manchester [https://www.plattchurch.org/] and OMF (UK) Intercultural Ministries [https://omf.org/uk/get-involved/intercultural-ministry/]) * Israel Olofinjana (Evangelical Alliance One People Commission [https://www.eauk.org/what-we-do/networks/one-people-commission]) * Laura Palmer (Transformations Leeds [https://transformationsleeds.org.uk/]) Reuben and Nathaniel also mention the upcoming OMF (UK) National Conference 'Across the Street and Across the World', 7-9 March 2025 at the Hayes Conference Centre in Swanwick, Derbyshire. Nathaniel will be leading a seminar on intercultural church at the event, alongside lots of other great sessions and Bible teaching. Find out more and book your place today at omf.org/uk/2025 [https://omf.org/uk/event/national-conference-2025/].

After laying the foundations of looking at intercultural church, in the second episode Reuben and Nathaniel share the stories of Justin Lau and Girma Bishaw as windows into the need for and value of intercultural church. We hope you are blessed by their stories. Justin Lau shares his experience of coming to church in the UK after growing up as a missionary kid to Singaporean parents in Japan. He gives a candid insight into the challenges he faced in a predominantly White British church. Girma Bishaw led the first Ethiopian church in the UK, but is now part of the leadership team at Reality Church [https://www.realitychurch.london/], a diverse, intercultural church in London. He explains why he made this move and how knowing Jesus gave him a new identity.

What's the difference between a multicultural church and an intercultural church? And why does it matter? Reuben is joined by OMF UK Intercultural Ministries Director Nathaniel Jennings and guests to kick off a new series 'Building Intercultural Church'. This first episode lays the foundations, defining intercultural church and exploring how it reflects and embodies the gospel we believe in. Our guests include: * Adam Martin, director of Intercultural Churches UK * Israel Olofinjana, Evangelical Alliance One People Commission director * Wien Fung, London City Mission * Grace Robinson, an intercultural church worker in Manchester * Jessie Tang, Songs2Serve * James So, Chinese Overseas Christian Mission And many more.