The Church in the Twenty-First-Century Diaspora: The Local Church on Mission

Abstract

What must the church be in an age of diaspora? This article gives a glimpse of the twenty-first-century global diaspora, which has radically changed the context for the church’s mission. Drawing examples from local churches in Toronto, it casts a spotlight on the fruitful witness of migrant Christians and argues that the opportunity for renewal is ripe in cities where many diaspora peoples live. For those pained by the loss of land and community, it encourages local churches to stand in solidarity with them, striving to see communities shaped by the love of Christ—loving God and neighbor and looking forward with hope to his glorious reign.