Multilingual Church

"Multilingual Church by Jonathan Downie is an answer to prayer! It is a well-founded theological and biblical workbook for all of us serving in multicultural, multilingual contexts. As Jonathan so eloquently explains in this book, a multilingual church is more than a strategy to reach other people, it is a revelation, a vision from God. If the ultimate goal is to bring every nation, culture, and language in unity in front of the eternal throne of grace, shouldn't we make every effort today to bring multiple cultures and languages together to worship God? Downie's book answers this question by affirming that multicultural church necessarily needs to reflect the multilingual reality of its people. The clear vision, thorough analysis and clear step by step approach Jonathan adopts in this book is a great help for every pastor and church leadership team who wants to become an inclusive multilingual church. Furthermore this book is a great tool for church planters in North America and Europe where a diversity of languages and cultures are intermingling in our cities and nations. As the Lead Pastor of a multilingual church in America, I encourage my fellow co-workers in the kingdom to read and take to heart the vision presented in this book. After all, we are called as the church of the living Christ to celebrate, include and bring to the table in a dignified manner every culture and language represented in our context. Fikri Youssef, DMinSenior Pastor, La Casa Church, Nashville, TN At Pentecost, we're told the people heard about the mighty power of the Holy Spirit in their native language. In Revelation, every tribe and language will stand before the Lamb. It's here, in the in between, Jonathan Downie speaks a prophetic word to the Church--a calling to create spaces where a diverse group can gather together as a multicultural tapestry and find our full identity in Christ. We're at a unique time in history to do this, and do it well. Traci RhoadesAuthor, Shaky Ground: What to Do After the Bottom Drops Out Have you ever dreamed of being part of an intercultural church where everyone feels welcomed, needed and known? If so, then you'll have found yourself wondering how can we be a healthy church family when we speak different languages? In Multilingual Church, Jonathan Downie doesn't sugar-coat the challenges, but, as an expert guide, he shows the paths you could follow and warns of the potential pitfalls. More than that, he presents a compelling, biblically grounded vision of how multilingual churches are a powerful witness to the power of the Gospel in our divided and diverse communities. I heartily commend this much needed book!' Adam MartinNational Director, Intercultural Churches UK Jonathan Downie has written an honest easy-to-read guide for churches and Christian communities who desire to become a place of belonging, where people of all backgrounds feel welcome. Jonathan acknowledges that every church has different challenges to becoming multilingual and rather than being prescriptive he provides research-based tools and suggestions. I appreciate that Jonathan's approach is not just to church leadership but to individuals wanting to apply this approach in their everyday life. While this book is about the power of being welcome and belonging, it also presents a challenge and an invitation. I appreciate Jonathan's anecdotal writing style backed by serious research. You will be able to read it swiftly but the questions it raises will linger. Are we willing to be those who truly serve those who we say we want to reach? After reading this book you'll be ready to roll up your proverbial sleeves and respond ""yes"" as you think through how to make the church look more like our multiethnic communities and most importantly like Heaven! Rev. Teresa Parish, PhDFounder KITE Ministries Many of us have experienced being in a situation where another language is being spoken. This can be an exciting adventure, but also hard work! Through his book, Jonathan leads us to reflect on the importance of languages used in church. He encourages us to see that a vision for a multilingual church is founded in biblical principles. He recognizes the challenges this presents and takes his reader on a journey through different options a church might use, the pros and cons, and questions to reflect on. Jonathan writes in an engaging and accessible way, helping us to see how we might ensure our churches reflect our local communities in the fullest sense, in a way that honors God and all his people. Emma BillingtonHead of National Development, Welcome Churches"