Intercultural mission: A revelation of God's Kingdom

Major Jonny Smith shares a vision of God’s diverse, intercultural Kingdom.

‘I looked … and I saw’ is something John writes several times in Revelation. He’s trying to get his audience to grasp the revelation that God has given to him. Anyone who has journeyed with me for the past 24 years will know that the Book of Revelation, particularly chapter 7, is something very dear to my heart.

In 2002, both my wife, Major Catherine, and I – appointed in 2003 – were appointed to Southwark Corps in south London. At the time, the borough had about 350,000 people within it, with roughly 350 mother languages spoken. Coming from Hadleigh in Essex, my eyes were opened: as I looked at the community I was in, I saw I was co-leading a corps that matched it. In that moment, my heart for intercultural mission was born.

I didn’t realise it at the time but those 10 years at Southwark were when my eyes were first opened to the vision of the Kingdom that John refers to in Revelation 7. People from all different backgrounds and nations coming together and worshipping God – I looked and I saw this happening right before my eyes.

In various communities today, both inside and beyond church buildings, I am seeing multicultural and intercultural gatherings are two different realities. Being intercultural requires a willingness to enter another person’s culture, just as you expect them to enter your own. It also has an inevitability of inconvenience – and that needs to be mutual! When I have seen people enter each other’s cultures, and mutual inconvenience has been accepted, the outcome has been something beautiful and powerful – something I believe John is trying to get across to us in Revelation 7. It is an inevitability for John, yet it is something Jesus encourages disciples to long for, as they pray and live out the Lord’s Prayer: ‘Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’ (Matthew 6:10).

As we look at the news today, we see voices that are different to that of John’s Kingdom-now vision. These voices are causing division across the world, which is causing deep distress and disharmony. As I have looked and seen different expressions of intercultural corps up and down this territory – including Dublin City, Belfast Citadel, Livingston, Croydon Citadel (I could go on!) – I have been given a wonderful glimpse of unity in diversity. The revelation given to John all those years ago is a powerful proclamation of the Kingdom of God here on this Earth!

I am convinced that the future of our territory – at local corps, divisional headquarters and Territorial Headquarters – will include people from all different backgrounds and cultures. I am convinced that the future of officership will be diverse, and that this will only happen if we see local leadership teams journey towards a greater diversity.

Look and see what is happening in your community. Is that community reflected in your corps from Monday through to Sunday? If it is not, why and what are you prepared to do about it? If your community is reflected in your corps, how is your leadership team reflecting your congregation? If it is not, what areas do you need to address for this to happen?

My passion for intercultural mission has grown over the years, and, although I am soon to change appointment, intercultural practice is embedded deep in my heart and will always be a way of life I want to see and live. My prayer is that we will continue our intercultural journey as a territory, where the whosoever will continue to be welcomed, embraced and involved, and influence at any place that has the Salvation Army logo on it.