houston et al;

T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org

“The word ‘Diaspora’ meaning ‘a scattering’ is used to describe this large-scale movement of people from their homeland to settle permanently or temporarily in other countries.”¹

factors that will fuel the increase in migration: economic inequality; the quest for education and economic opportunity; escape from political and social oppression demand for skilled workers; aging populations in the developed world, in need of personal care and pension support; religious persecution; inter-tribal conflict; students used to receive scholarships, but are now more likely to be funded from families; urbanization; population growth.²

“Change can be painful and the changes brought by the movement of peoples are no exception. While the outcomes may be creative, the process can be long and hard for everybody involved. There is no agreement on how diverse societies should live together. Different models are debated. The American ideal of society was the Melting Pot where everything is assimilated in the whole. For some that has been replaced by the Salad Bowl ideal in which each part contributes to the whole whilst maintaining its distinctive form and flavor. Some prioritize Integration while others emphasize Multiculturalism. Many want Contact but fear Assimilation, while others desire total Separation. Whatever form the interaction may take, the result will still inevitably be change and the changes have to be coped with.”³

Diaspora people vessels of cultural extension and economic support.⁴

“Many of us are caught in a cycle of kneeling before the toilet to clean it and kneeling in prayer for strength to do the same.”⁵

claims that the NHS would collapse without diaspora workers.⁶

opportunity to shape leaders from across the world.⁷

potential contributions of diaspora Christian communities 1) welfare of new society 2) reach out to fellow diaspora 3) reach out to other diaspora communities 4) reach out to marginalized people 5)mission bases 6) revitalize Christian community in host country⁸

Considerations for host Christian communities: 1) avoid patronizing 2) avoid racism 3) avoid fear.⁹

Consideration for diaspora communities 1) lack of resources and leaders 2) a minority within a minority 3) inward looking, ghetto mentality.¹⁰

“In the Christian world, Chinese Diaspora Christians have created a world-wide network for evangelism, as have the Filipino Diaspora Christians (See Chapter 7). The Association of Christian Ministries to Internationals (ACMI) was established in 1981 as a US/Canadian fellowship of international student ministry staff and volunteers to enhance networking, cross training and cooperation in North America and globally. It is recommended that all Diaspora groups learn from their experiences and explore networking in this way.”¹¹

presents as options for outreach among diaspora 1) churches emerging as homogeneous units within the diaspora 2) established diaspora churches plant new ones for their fellow nationals 3) different ethnic churches work together to plant churches for new ethnic group 4) international church 5) multiethnic churches¹²

1T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 7.

2T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 8–9.

3T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 13.

4T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 14.

5C Taguba quoted in T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 14.

6T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 15.

7T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 18.

8T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 19.

9T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 20.

10T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 20.

11T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 25.

12T Houston, R Thomson, RGidoomal and L Chinn, The New People Next Door, Lausanne Occasional Paper No. 55, (Lausanne Committee for World Evangelisation, 2004) available online at www.lausanne.org, 26.