Clear strategy and cultural sensitivity are imperative for Christians aiming to reach ethnic Australians.

by Ray Galea

It’s been 13 years since I first began the Multicultural Bible Ministry (MBM). It was a ministry inspired by a growing awareness that many people from Mediterranean and Middle Eastern backgrounds were not being reached with the gospel. It became a growing concern that such groups were not found in many evangelical churches. As a result I set out to establish an ethnic friendly ministry.
It was suggested to me that I reflect on the mistakes I made in the early years of MBM. Time and pride do not allow me to explore every one of them.
I think my first mistake was not thinking strategically enough about the location of the ministry. We began the ministry in Blacktown. At that time I was particularly focused on the Maltese and since there was a Maltese club in Blacktown it seemed to be an ideal location. I was, however, seeking to reach the second generation. The first generation were established in the Blacktown municipality but many of the second generation had grown up, married and moved further west or south west. I failed to do enough research.
Secondly, I began with a core group that was far too small. We did it the hard way.  I should have spent much more time casting the vision for an ethnic ‘friendly’ ministry. I should have begun with a core group of at least 30 adults. My original faithful core group numbered seven adults including my wife and I. As a result, a lot of responsibility was shared between very few people. I dreaded Saturday nights, fearing those phone calls from people who kindly apologised for being unable to attend church. Looking back it still feels like a minor miracle that anyone turned up each Sunday.
Thirdly, if I had the chance to do it all over again I would have spent more time training. The need to grow (for both pure and impure motives) meant that evangelism was naturally an obvious priority. However, the failure to train up in all areas of ministry meant that later on we were exposed when the growth happened. The fact that I was responsible for the trailer (which housed our equipment) after six years was indicative of that weakness. Although it has given me a special appreciation for anyone on the setting-up roster.
Fourthly, I needed to do more ‘smart’ evangelism and less ‘heroic’ evangelism. For example for two years I would go to the Flemington Markets with another member of MBM. We would arrive at 4am each Thursday morning to evangelise Maltese market gardeners who were selling their produce. This may have been ‘heroic’ evangelism but it was not effective. I should have spent more time following up those who were already in relationship with the members of the core group and who already showed some level of interest in what we were doing.
Fifthly, ironically, I was not culturally sensitive in some of my decisions. For example, when MBM moved out of my home in the second year we chose to move to a school rather than a church building – thinking the neutral venue would be less offensive. However, we have consistently found that Mediterranean and Middle Eastern people are alienated by public buildings, such as high schools. Generally, they are suspicious that churches which meet in such buildings are not legitimate and are therefore ‘cultish’. We also found that it was helpful with our target group to promote that we were Anglican.
Initially we had down-played our connection with Anglicanism, which inadvertently gave the impression that we were independent and therefore suspicious. In the words of one visitor we looked like a ‘Mickey Mouse outfit’. While many Aussies prefer secular locations for church meetings many ethnics do not.
Our largest service, which reluctantly meets in a high school auditorium, now has up to 180 adults and 90 children. Nevertheless, many relatives will not attend the baptism or thanksgiving of our church member’s children because it’s not in a ‘church’ building. Mistakes are inevitable, but what is crucial is that we don’t keep making the same errors of judgment. Hence, when we planted a congregation in Fairfield in 1995 and Bossley Park in 2003 we intentionally sought out church buildings.
Fortunately, with a God who can do more than we can ask or imagine he has overruled a thousand unwise decisions. Thankfully he has opened the door for the good news of his son, the Lord Jesus who commands all people everywhere to repent.