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Moving from monocultural to intercultural: Why it matters

  • kirranicolle
  • Mar 18
  • 2 min read

Updated: Mar 18


Nuria Gonsalves (right) with corps officers and Salvationists from across the country. Image: Mission Support
Nuria Gonsalves (right) with corps officers and Salvationists from across the country. Image: Mission Support
BY NURIA GONSALVES 

For The Salvation Army to effectively serve a multicultural nation, we must make intercultural engagement an integral part of our ministry. Harmony Week offers a symbolic starting point, but true intercultural ministry goes beyond a single celebration. It means integrating diverse voices into every aspect of church life, from leadership and discipleship to community outreach and worship. 


Many culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) community members already contribute greatly to our corps, but we must ask ourselves: how often are they invited to take on leadership roles? How are we equipping them to share their unique gifts and experiences with the wider church? This transformation requires courage and commitment, but it is essential to becoming a truly intercultural movement. 


Fulfilling The Salvation Army's Mission 

Harmony Week offers The Salvation Army an opportunity to reflect on how we can better live out our Four Mission Priorities by fostering intercultural relationships, empowering diverse leadership, and creating inclusive worship spaces. In doing so, we actively care for people, create faith pathways, build healthy communities, and work for justice. 


This Harmony Week, let’s commit not just to celebrating diversity, but to building a future where our corps mirror Australia’s multicultural reality. Together, we can move beyond a one-off celebration and embed intercultural engagement into the core of our ministry. By taking these intentional steps, we grow into the church God calls us to be—one that reflects His love for all nations, cultures, and peoples. 


Many culturally and linguistically diverse (CaLD) community members already contribute greatly to our corps, but we must ask ourselves: how often are they invited to take on leadership roles? How are we equipping them to share their unique gifts and experiences with the wider church?

Practical Steps for Corps Leaders 

  1. Plan a Harmony Day event or service that celebrates and showcases cultural diversity within your congregation. 

  2. Nominate a CaLD member for the Emerging Leaders Training to support their development as a future leader. 

  3. Encourage community engagement workers and ministry assistants to participate in the CaLD Community of Practice to build skills in engaging with diverse communities.   

  4. Consider sponsoring a refugee family through the New Beginnings Project as a way to live out our mission of caring for people. 

  5. Learn the Stages of Becoming an Intercultural Faith Community to understand how to keep growing intercultural understanding and collaboration. 

  6. Start a conversation with Intercultural and Disability Inclusion team about becoming an intercultural church and how to better serve the diversity of your community. 


This Harmony Day, let’s take meaningful steps toward a future where The Salvation Army in Australia reflects God’s heart for all nations, cultures, and peoples, demonstrating the unity that can only be found in Christ. 


Nuria Gonsalves is CaLD Community Engagement Lead for the Mission Support Department of The Salvation Army. 


 

MYSALVOS RESOURCES: Harmony Week resources can be found here

 

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