ANGELA YOUNGMAN speaks to Tony Thompson about his new book on multi-cultural churches, challenges he encountered in writing it and the role multi-cultural churches can play in the community…
Norwich, UK
Growing up in 1960s Luton, Tony Thompson took for granted accepted views on race as the norm. It was only after becoming a committed Christian that he began to question those views.
Called to serve as a church leader, he eventually returned to Luton with the aim of helping plant an outward-looking multi-cultural church.
Tony Thompson. PICTURE: Supplied
Exploring how to attract people from other cultures and to deal with multi-cultural issues became a journey of discovery leading ultimately to writing a book – Building Multicultural Churches – on building multi-cultural churches that can act as a roadmap for churches to reflect the rich, inclusive vision of God’s Kingdom.
Thompson, 66, speaks about his motivation for writing the book, challenges he encountered and the role multi-cultural churches can play in the community…
What was the motivation for writing this book?
“An awareness that whilst I still have much to learn, I do have something to say about multi-cultural church, especially from the viewpoint of a white church leader of a multi-cultural church. Many churches are growing in their awareness of its importance but do not know how to effectively grow multi-cultural churches or even what one really looks like. I felt I had something to say that might be helpful.
“I am also convinced of how important it is that churches become more multi-cultural because that is God’s intention for His church and the most effective way to re-evangelise the UK. Overall, mono-cultural churches are struggling.
“Many people from minority groups have been damaged by white majority churches. I wanted to do everything I can to prevent this happening in the future.”
What did you find most challenging while writing it?
“Being very clear about what I wanted to achieve. I am aware that the Apostle Paul identified three key areas where unity amid diversity needed to be outworked: ethnicity, social class and gender (Galatians 3:28). There are similar but different issues relating to each of the three. I therefore started writing a book that dealt with them all but realised that was too daunting a task and I should focus on my main area of interest – ethnic diversity. Once I made that decision, things became much easier and the book much shorter.”
Tell us a little about your own journey to faith.
“I don’t come from a church-goer home [and] rarely attended until I went to university, the first member of my family to do so. At university I met someone who said they had just become a Christian. I was amazed, thinking you were either born one or not, certainly you shouldn’t become one. I tried to persuade my friend to leave his new-found faith; he declined. I decided I needed to find out more about Christianity to disprove it.
“I went to church a couple of times and argued with people after the service. I then got involved in an evangelistic Bible study, again to prove the it wasn’t true. To my shock and horror, I came to the conclusion that they were right and I was wrong. All my arguments against were answered and I couldn’t get beyond the resurrection. I remember telling people I was going to become a Christian and then finally knew I could reject Christ, so [I] prayed my first true prayer – ‘Almighty God I give in’.
“Life changed. Nearly 50 years later I am still following Jesus and learning more about Him each day. I still long for outsiders like myself to see the truth that is in Christ.”
Do you feel you have met the demands of your original call to lead?
“I don’t think one ever feels they have achieved everything they are called to do. I often despair about the state of the church and our corporate failure to be salt and light in our generation. However, I am also aware that I am not called to be successful but to be obedient. I have sought to do that over an extended period. I try to keep hold of that and push on to continue to serve my Lord.”
Has your call to lead developed in the way you originally anticipated?
“Good question. In some ways, yes. I think I have helped people to be more outward looking. In other ways, no. I had no idea of the importance of embracing people who are different from us, not just those who weren’t brought up in church but people from very different ethnic backgrounds. The need for this and the awareness of it has grown over the years.”
Moving to Luton, you say you had no understanding of what a church in a multi-cultural town should be like, and would follow the same strategy as in St Neots (a town in Cambridgeshire). How has the strategy changed?
“The root hasn’t changed, it is still about building friendships prior to evangelising. However, building relationships with other ethnicities and people from other faiths is very different from building friendships with those from a similar background to yourself. It takes much more time and focused effort. It takes humility and listening skills. Ultimately it is much more rewarding. You learn so much. However, you can’t expect quick growth that we so often crave.”
What are the experiential reasons a multi-cultural church has a role to play?
“We live in an increasingly polarised society and the church is called to be counter-cultural. A multi-cultural church therefore stands out as being different from the world. It practically demonstrates something that people are longing for deep down.
“Additionally, many Christians are dissatisfied with mono-cultural church and unless there are authentic multi-cultural churches for them to be part of, they are in danger of being lost to active involvement in the body of Christ.”
IN SHORT – TONY THOMPSON
Who or what has proved most inspiring during my journey?…”Seeing numbers of people from minority backgrounds willing to pay the price to be part of a majority white church They are the people who have taught me so much.”
A favourite Bible verse?…”It is hard to choose just one, however John 15:16 – “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit – fruit that will last – and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you” – was very helpful early in my Christian walk when I questioned whether God could really use me. It still encourages me to not question God’s choice and to get on with the job of serving him and bearing fruit.”
A favourite Bible character?…”Again, hard to pick just one, but the Apostle Paul is an inspiration. His intellectual rigor coupled with his physical and emotional bravery. How he was determined to finish the race well.”
How can the barriers around changing cultural perspectives be overcome?
“Through putting the Gospel into practice, through humility, by considering others as better than yourself. By seeking to learn from other perspectives rather than just communicating your own. As mentioned in the book, I too often find this easier said than done. However, I know enough to keep trying and to encourage others to do the same.”
What examples can you give showing how multi-culturalism is working in Luton?
“There are many. Recently leaders from different faith communities have made a joint representation to our local MPs about our joint concerns regarding the Assisted Dying Bill. It is encouraging to find our common concerns. Also, together we have a greater voice than any of us would have on our own.
“There are many other ways people from different backgrounds have got together to serve our town together. A charity, Faiths Against Child Sexual Exploitation, enables Muslims and Christians together to bring a perspective on grooming gangs and failures within the church. Together we can declare that faith is not the problem but part of the solution to fallen humanity.
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“At different times people have sought to bring division in our town. Groups of people claiming to be Christians have sought to provoke reactions from people of other faiths and to film the response. At other times people have disturbed prayers in mosques telling those praying they are not welcome in a Christian country. In situations like this, it is a joy to be able to stand together and, in these cases, take the lead as the Christian church in decrying the actions of a minority.
“In short, community leaders are building friendships and finding ways to work together and to create contexts where the whole of the community can work together.”
How did the Christians Together for an Estate come about, and what has been the impact?
“This is in a very early stage, a new project that I am involved in. The initiative started with a realisation that many of the estates in Luton were not being effectively reached by the town’s churches. The estates were hard to reach, and individual churches had other priorities.
“Currently we are working in just two estates, seeking to establish something and to learn lessons that could be applied wider.
“In one area, we have mobilised people from Black Pentecostal churches, the local Anglican parish church, the Roman Catholic church and even a Russian Orthodox church to meet and identify ways to serve the area. A weekly drop in on the estate has been established and youth and children’s activities have become more widely known. The local Muslim councillor is involved and supportive. The greatest progress has been in building local relationships between Christians from different denominational and ethnic backgrounds that can be a foundation to service in the name of Christ.
“In the other area, following research, the needs of families has been highlighted as the major issue and Christians from across the area are looking to respond by starting regular activities for unchurch youth and children, with befriending opportunities for the parents. By working together, we can look for external support and funding for this.”
How do you see multi-cultural churches developing in future?
“I would like to see many more multi-cultural churches led by people from an ethnic minority. I also believe we need to see new churches started that complement the work of existing churches by focusing on those not currently being reached. These new churches should have a desire to be multi-cultural laid into their foundations.”
What can existing churches and congregations learn from your book?
“The importance of multi-cultural church both experientially and theologically. Additionally, some practical ways that this can be achieved. Hopefully avoiding some of the pitfalls that I have made.”
How can people get hold of a copy?
“The best place to get a copy is from my publisher’s website at malcolmdown.co.uk but you can find the book through online retailers like Eden and Amazon.”
This interview has been edited for style and length.
