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“Churches without People and People without Churches”: Diaspora Congregations in Scotland

Explore – Understand – Share

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Reimagining the Local Church: The Congregation in the Community

  • Changing local communities in a changing Scotland
  • Census 2022 results due out mid-May
  • Picture of changing Scotland, picture that is veiled for another couple�of months.

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What are Diaspora Congregations?

  • The paradox of Scattered & Gathered

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Diaspora churches are distinct congregations of Christians from another country.

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  • Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Orthodox, Chinese churches, Fijian Methodist Fellowship, African Catholic Community Aberdeen

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What we did

  • Building on Sheila Akomiah-Conteh’s PhD in Glasgow
  • Identified diaspora congregations across Scotland
    • Web searches
    • Contacts
    • Keeping our eyes and ears open
    • 200+
  • Invited them to complete an online survey & interviews
    • 33% response rate

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Congregations

  • Throughout mainland Scotland
  • Mainly in Central belt
    • 48% in Glasgow area
    • 26% in Edinburgh and Lothians

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  • 95% in urban areas

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  • 68% in more deprived areas

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Types of Congregations

  • 35 denominations identified:
    • 28% Redeemed Christian Church of God
    • 6% Church of God
    • 3% Church of Pentecost
    • 3% Christ Embassy
    • 31% Independent

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Languages used in worship

16 languages are used in worship – 83% use English

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Buildings used for worship

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Congregations

  • Average congregation size: 80 people
  • Mono-national with a multicultural vision
  • Youthful membership & Leadership
  • Mission focused: Church planting
  • ‘Aggressively’ evangelistic
  • Social outreach
  • Pentecostal
  • Online

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“God expects us to preach the gospel, and establish churches wherever we find ourselves across the world”

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“I was sent to plant a church in Glasgow. It was planted as a tool for revival”.

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“To meet the specific needs of Hong Kong refugees in Scotland”.

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Re-sacralising Sacred Spaces…

Restoring sacred spaces in Scotland as places of divine worship

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… and Sacralising Secular Spaces

Some churches meet in the most unusual locations, such as this Nigerian church between an off-licence and a butcher’s in Parkhead, Glasgow.

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Connections

29 congregations said they were part of a network

  • 14 in local groups
  • 12 in denominational
  • 9 in Scottish, and
  • 5 in UK-wide groups

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  • 32% aware of ACTS

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Challenges of the diaspora church

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  • “People without churches (church buildings)” (STAT)

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  • Homeless
  • Roots - “we don’t belong anywhere”
  • “Vision impossible”
  • Resources
  • Maltreatment
  • Discrimination
  • Security

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  • A leash limiting the missionary potential of the global church in Scotland

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“If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad” (1Cor 12:26)

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Ecumenical & Interfaith Issues

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  • Diversifying Scottish Theology
  • Re-envisioning mission �(all nations are here)
  • Reimagining the local church community� (God’s multicultural kingdom)
  • Learning, sharing and discerning together (Inclusion)

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What then shall we say to these things?: �The Kirk and diaspora congregations

  • Redeeming Babel at Pentecost
  • The Unity in Difference of the Body of Christ
  • The Great Commission for the Great Unification
  • Missional Leashes and Blind Spots
  • Recommendations:
                • Fellowship, prayer and worship
                • Shared ministry and mission
                • Buildings