The world is changing. The global church is changing. The Australian church is changing.

Amid this context of significant and rapid change, Baptist Mission Australia has been asking the question how these big changes should impact how we participate in mission. We have been discerning new Spirit-led opportunities. One of these exciting new initiatives has been the formation of the Australian Intercultural Team.

The Australian Intercultural Team [AIT] brings together our long-term ministry in Outback Australia alongside First Nations people and our emerging ministries amongst intercultural communities in urban and regional Australia. As the world continues to come to Australia, Baptist Mission Australia sees the opportunity to play a pivotal role, in partnership with State Associations and local churches, in supporting intercultural mission in Australia, as well as overseas.

The nations have come to our land and we take joy in the vibrant tapestry of cultures that make up our Australian community today. This is an exciting opportunity to spread the message of Jesus in new and creative ways across the street and around the world.

Considering the huge shifts in Australian communities and churches our Future Directions Paper, released last year, highlights:

“In culturally and religiously diverse Australia and with huge shifts across our Baptist movement, we see the Spirit opening new doors of opportunity for our mission community in Australia. Humbly, we desire to share our expertise and experience in supporting, resourcing and catalysing imaginative, intercultural mission in local communities across Australia. We will seize these new, Spirit-led opportunities alongside Australian Baptist churches through an integrated national approach. Our support of churches, to more effectively engage in mission across the street, will create missional synergies, and strengthen our opportunity to develop tailored church partnerships, supporting our teams and ministry partners across the world.”

Flowing from this we have developed an Australian Action Plan, focused on:

• Church relationships and resourcing
• Australian Intercultural Team
• Mobilisation initiatives
• Intercultural communities engagement
• First Nations engagement
• Intercultural Mission Leadership Network

Our team will be very happy to connect with churches, pastors and leaders who would like to know more about the Action Plan and how we can support local churches in better engaging in their changing local communities.

Here’s what we see for our expanding Australian Intercultural Team.

We envision a growing team ministering in unique intercultural contexts across Australia, while simultaneously supporting the Australian church to enhance its capacity for intercultural mission.

What is the team doing?
The team is focused on four key roles:

1. Our team members are practitioners – each working in unique intercultural contexts, in partnership with State Associations, local churches and Christian partners.
2. Our team members are educators – seeking to use their gifts and experience to equip Australian churches in intercultural mission, including integral mission, cultural intelligence training, mission discernment coaching and an Exploring Mission course.
3. Our team members are mobilisers – seeking to mobilise a new generation of intercultural team members to serve across the world and in Australia. We do this through mission coaching, exposure trips, speaking, etc.
4. Our team members are partners – we are committed to partnering with State Associations, local churches, other Christian organisations. Collaboration is at the heart of our Future Directions’ vision.

The Australian Intercultural Team is being led by Andrew Duncan as part of his role as our NSW-ACT State Leader. The current team comprises:

• Pip: Mission consultant, mobiliser and supports contextual work among Khmer people, Sydney
• Paul: International students, mission consultant and mobiliser, Sydney
• Tash: Ministry to Muslims, mission consultant and mobiliser, Sydney
• Daniel: First Nations ministry and mobiliser for Intercultural Communities, NSW
• Jivan: Nepalese ministry, Hobart and Nepal
• Sam: Mission among Hindus from India and Nepal, Brisbane
• Mark: Mission and church planting, Canberra
• Bu Lu Kerang: Administration

Australian Outback Team

• Mat and Shannon: Kalkarindji – Team Leader
• Chris and Mal: Kalkarindji and Lajamanu
• Danny and Beth: Yuendumu, Ali Curung, Willowra , and Murray Downs

We are very encouraged to be in conversation with another ten people considering serving opportunities in urban and regional Australia, as well as our outback ministry.

You can find out more here:

• https://baptistmissionaustralia.org/location/australian-intercultural-team
• https://baptistmissionaustralia.org/about/australian-initiatives

Please join me in praying for our Australian team members. Pray for the new opportunities we have to partner with state associations and local churches in sharing the good news of Jesus – by word and deed – in changing Australia.