What if the Pakistani, Bangladeshi or Somalian corners of Bradford, Manchester, London or Bristol witnessed a wedding in their neighbourhood that looked something like this?
In July, a young Christian couple held their wedding in their deprived, multicultural neighbourhood in Toronto, Canada. Dumpsters and recycling bins fenced the gathering in on one side and a clattering subway track on the other. An unlikely setting for a wedding, but the entire neighbourhood was invited. Those who came loved it. Bride and groom, though Caucasian, wore Indian wedding garb. International music played and halal food was served for Muslim guests. The day’s festivities erupted into dancing at the end — including women jigging at the edges of the crowd in full burkas. Some Bangladeshi neighbours said this was the best day of their time in Canada since arriving years earlier. Many Bibles in foreign languages were given away from a book table.*
What if everyday followers of Jesus started intentionally moving in to the struggling communities of our cities in Britain, amidst ethnic and religious pluralism? Might embers in struggling churches burst into flame, and gatherings of new Christians start where no church existed before?
