An Inspiring Intercultural Kingdom Conference

On Saturday, St Cross Church in Clayton came alive with music and fellowship as over 150 people gathered for the Intercultural Kingdom Conference. The day was dedicated to sharing inspiration and practical resources to support parishes seeking to ensure their congregations and worship reflect the rich diversity of their local area.

Attendees travelled from local parishes as well as further afield, gathering together to get a taste of the worldwide church and to learn alongside others some fresh approaches to intercultural mission. The conference has been months in the making and was organised by Canon David Onabanjo, Intercultural Mission Enabler, alongside a committed team.

The vision for the day was taken from Revelation 7:9, where “every nation, tribe, people and language” are united in worship and brought together in the presence of God. Reflecting this we welcomed musicians from a wide range of traditions – including African drumming, Resonance Band and the Sing My Soul Choral Scholars – who each led worship that celebrated the beauty of cultural diversity. Our vibrant worship featured songs in multiple languages including Hindi, Urdu, Swahili, and French.

A highlight of the day was the keynote address from The Rt Revd Saju Muthalaly, Bishop of Loughborough, who spoke powerfully about the biblical mandate for intercultural mission and the joy of diversity in God’s kingdom. His talk will be available to catch up online very soon.

Throughout the day, practical stories were shared from churches across the diocese and beyond – examples of congregations embracing the growing cultural diversity of their local communities and creating spaces of belonging. The short films shown during the event are available here.

Breakout sessions explored themes such as welcome, discipleship, growing younger, intercultural worship and church planting, equipping leaders with tools and ideas to make their churches more inclusive and missional. The hospitality throughout the day was also particularly well received, with an international lunch that celebrated the flavours of different cultures and cuisines.

Reflecting on the event, David said,

“What an incredible day! Seeing so many people come together to celebrate God’s vision for His intercultural kingdom was truly inspiring. Thank you to everyone who contributed and brought their enthusiasm and commitment to the event. God has blessed us richly, and this is just the beginning of our work as we seek to grow our churches as part of God’s Intercultural Kingdom.”

Next Steps

If you were inspired by the conference and want to explore intercultural mission further, here are some practical ways to engage:

Listen to the Intercultural Kingdom Podcast
Hosted by Canon David Onabanjo, this podcast dives deep into culture, identity, and Christian faith, sharing stories and practical insights for building inclusive churches.
Visit the podcast page or listen on Spotify.

Explore Intercultural Mission Resources
Find guidance, stories, and tools to help your church embrace diversity and welcome all cultures here.

If you’d like support or advice on developing intercultural ministry in your parish, get in touch with David.