11.11.2023

Nations are on the move. According to the United Nations, 108.4 million people were forced from their homes last year. This is a significant increase in displaced people from previous years, fueled in part by major geopolitical events such as the war in Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East. Many of these refugees travel to wealthier countries in Europe. This is significant for missions. Many of these refugees have never had a significant movement to Christ in their nation. In Europe, they can meet the Gospel. They are generally free from the surveillance of governments and family members. Here, they often meet Christians for the first time. They have been told various uncomplimentary narratives about Christians, but as they experience the love of Christians in refugee camps and aid programs, many realize that those narratives were patently false.

These are first People, although they go by various labels such as refugee, asylum-seeker, Forcibly Displaced Person (FDP), or the derogatory term “illegal.” Many will spend years traveling from camp to camp or city to city before they find a new place to call home. The wheels of asylum bureaucracy move very slowly. Yet, many will find home in far-flung towns and cities across Europe. While some place their faith in Christ during the transitional periods, it is not until they find a new home that communities of faith can flourish. These are the Syrian, Afghan, or Ukrainian diaspora. Their identity comes under intense pressure. Who are they really as an Afghan living in Switzerland or a Syrian living in France?

Ministering among these diaspora populations has significant advantages. First, barriers to travel and residency for North Americans are minimal. The refugees have moved from one of the top 10 most persecuted countries to some of the freest. While they still may face pressure for their faith in Christ, it is a far cry from what they would face in their homeland. Here they are relatively safe: they have the freedom to worship corporately without hiding. They can safely carry a Bible and openly produce Christian media.

Here they can learn from the example of established churches and ministries. However, there are some significant hurdles to diaspora ministry. First is the conflict of cultures–Eastern versus Western. We hope to present ourselves as culturally sensitive to those coming from the Middle East, yet we recognize that they need to learn to live in European culture as well. What does healthy contextualization look like in a diverse environment? We need to learn the language of our target people, as well as Greek. How do we maintain contact with the target people when they are very transient, moving as opportunities and government policies change? For example, two years ago, downtown Athens had a large population of refugees. Now most are being housed in camps outside of cities. How do we navigate the Eastern-versus-Western notions of truth and loyalty? For example, in the west, we value propositional truth–“knowing the facts.” Generally, Eastern cultures place the highest value on relationships. We want to honor their collectivist culture yet help them to communicate with clarity and integrity in Europe. What about conflict resolution? Eastern conflicts are often mediated indirectly by a third party. In the West, we value direct conversations about problems and attempt reconciliation in private.

No formula exists for navigating these complexities. We must first recognize the impossibility of the task; it is only a miracle of the Holy Spirit that we see any success. Secondly, due to the thinly-spread diaspora believers, connection to the healthy host-country churches is critical. As ministry workers, we must build bridges with believers across Europe, including those from different denominations. This requires much discernment and quite a bit of travel. And above all, we need to completely rely on Christ. This is His Church, not our own.

Please pray for those working in this field. Don’t forget to ask the Lord what your role might be. Chances are, there are members of a nation with minimal Christian witness living near to your home. In God’s timing, you might play a role in changing that.

~Anonymous