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Introduction

How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land? Psalm 137:4 NIV

Consider these statistics: There are 9,161 churches in the Presbyterian Church in the United States of America (PCUSA), over 6,939, the Disciples of Christ, 3,627, the Southern Baptists over 47,000, the Church of Scotland (Presbyterian) 1,353, and the international churches number well over 3,000.

Wait a minute—international churches? Is that a

denomination? Who are they? Why haven’t I ever heard of them? Three-thousand churches?

One should not be surprised if they didn’t recognize the name “international churches.” In fact, these congregations would be easy to miss because they are not a denomination, but are part of an existing network or fellowship or, perhaps, movement of congregations spread around the globe.

However, their obscurity should not hide their immense influence around the world with people from multiple denominations and just about every nation on earth.

The assumption that someone from an English-speaking nation might make is that when locating to another country they either will have to attend church in the language of the host nation where they are visiting or working, or they might just have to skip going to church while they are abroad.

Think again. For over 450 years, British, Scottish, Canadian, Australian, Filipino, Nigerian, Ghanaian, South African, American and other English-speaking expatriates (those who live outside of their own country) have attended English-language churches in foreign lands while on vacation, studying or working.

Most likely, those congregations have been multi-national, multi-denominational churches meeting in their own buildings, a rented church, a hotel banquet room or school auditorium, a borrowed hall or gymnasium or someone’s expanded home. They have ranged from a handful of people squeezed into a living room to thousands who attend each Sunday in multi-campus congregations.

For the most part, they have met in small to medium-sized gatherings in a variety of venues, worshipping, studying and sharing in fellowship with people who share their common language and a firm belief in Jesus Christ.

And, while these congregations are somewhat hidden from church-goers back in their home country, they number in the thousands and have been a mighty force in the expansion of the Kingdom of God and the evangelization of people in countless countries.

While many of them were most often known as Union Churches, or occasionally American Churches in the past, today they go under the general description of International Congregations and they are unique gatherings of Christians with a wide influence.

This description from the website of the Missional International Church Network best describes these unique congregations:

What is an International Church?

International churches (ICs) are those churches around the world that primarily serve people of various nationalities (expatriates) and church backgrounds living outside their passport (home) countries.

Main Characteristics:

 They function in a language (mostly English) not normally spoken in the host country. Usually, there is a significant proportion of the church (which has) English as a second language.

  They have a majority of people from other countries – expatriates / people of the global diaspora / foreign passport holders. (In some major cities, the growing numbers of nationals who have been internationalised through substantial overseas experience has resulted in some international churches with a majority of nationals who are culturally more at home here than in the national church. In some others, it is illegal for nationals to attend.)

  They have a cultural flavouring and rich diversity, with stronger more global and global-nomad perspectives, which reflects the mix of nationalities and cultures involved. Typically, multi-national, multi-cultural, multi-denominational. Very intentional in preserving a focus on this diversity with a primary concern to serve (or minister to) expatriates.

Other typical characteristics include …

 There are well over a thousand1 international churches across the globe. They can be found in nearly all major cities, especially where English is not the main language. Most major and capital cities have several international churches.

 They are usually interdenominational, though a proportion is denominationally based. Denominational international churches may not always have the same breadth of multi-denominational expression

 They tend to have a high turnover of people as people transition in and out of the country.

 They tend to have fewer retirees (and a younger leadership) and fewer post high school students as these usually go back to home country. Otherwise they are multi-generational.

 They range from very small gatherings with volunteer leadership through to large mega-churches with multiple sites and multiple pastoral staff.

 They have a concern to reach out to and serve the wider expatriate community and, depending on the local context, often also have various roles in supporting the national church and contributing to the wellbeing of the city in which they are placed.

 The practical challenges of living far from home country tend to be a significant part of the international church agenda.

 There are English speaking international churches in English speaking countries. The emphasis in these is on cultural diversity and the concerns typical of expatriates.

 Some international churches may have a majority of nationals but are very intentional in preserving a focus on cultural diversity with a primary concern to minister to expatriates.

But not…

 There are many expatriate churches that serve a single ethnic, national or language group. These too can be found in most cities across the world. They are not usually included in what we mean by international church. Ethnocentricity may be a challenge to overcome on the missional journey.

 There are also churches that include the word “international” in their name who do so to reflect the international character of the Kingdom but are not international churches as described here. Some do so as a fund raising strategy!

 There are many national churches that include amongst their services an English speaking congregation. The church may not be international but the congregation may reflect the main features of an international church – language, passport and cultural diversity. (http://micn.org/defined/)

In another document, MICN describes those who attend IC’s as an assembly of Christians that are inordinately adventurous, highly educated, entrepreneurial, Biblically literate and living effectively outside their countries of origin. ( https://micn.org/story/)

Another umbrella organization, the Network of International Congregations offers this description:

Millions of people are living in lands other than their own, struggling to understand another language, culture, way of life. They seek community, support, a grasp of hope and reality. Persons in such situations can be lost, uncertain, confused.

For these and all who might be touched by the Good News in Jesus Christ, there are oases where Living Water is to be found. Christians abroad find fellowship in International Congregations, gatherings of like-minded and like-experienced people who seek God’s presence and seek to follow God’s leading.

These assemblies of believers focus their lives and activities together under six significant common characteristics.

EVANGELICAL is the chief and theological characteristic for an International Congregation. It sees the “Gospel,” the Evangel, as the principle sign, idea for a Christian. It points to Jesus Christ, the center and key for God’s church. “Evangelical” says that a church focuses on Jesus, who He is and what He does and means for us. Being evangelical means that Jesus is first, that He is Lord and Savior of all.

ECUMENICAL is the sociological characteristic. In these churches each person [left and right, liturgical and non-liturgical, fundamentalist and liberal, traditional and experimental] finds the welcome mat out. The affirmation “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” takes on a new depth as openness, and inclusiveness, gives a truly “Pentecostal” flavor to International Churches.

INTERNATIONAL is the political characteristic. If there is content to the current phrase, “New World Order,” then International Congregations have been an advance party of awareness. Vast changes are erasing old boundaries and diluting old ideologies. International Congregations witness to a reality transcending “the American way of life;” they testify to a willing embrace of all persons into one community in Christ.

ENGLISH is the linguistic characteristic. The English language now ties people within and among nations together. International airline communication is in English. Scientific and professional organizations use English as the prime language. Libraries want literature and reference works in English. Some nationals affiliate with an English-speaking congregation because they married an English-speaking spouse, or studied in English, or are more at home in English than any other language. As language was a key for a diverse company of people on the first Pentecost, so it continues to weld men and women into community.

CONTEXT is the cultural characteristic. The Christian faith is always wrapped in a cultural robe. There is no way to receive the faith outside of a cultural context. Congregations seek to connect individuals to a faith that acknowledges an inter-cultural reality by being part of a trans-cultural experience. The joy and amazement derived from association with these congregations stem from the fact it is possible to transcend human differences that often divide people.

MISSIONAL is the functional characteristic. It is for mission that the church exists: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Mission is expressed in word and deed, in telling and doing, in acting and being. Churches do not live only to perpetuate themselves, but to be servants of their Servant Lord. A mission-minded International Congregation reaches out to English-speaking persons even when they are not within the normal social or economic circle of the congregation.

International Congregations visualize the united, world-wide church of Jesus Christ without regard to separations of confession, race, culture, or nation. Diversity and unity are seen as complimentary qualities.

Some International Congregations are related through the agency of the Network for International Congregations (NIC). It is a network of congregations in more than 65 countries. They are instruments of God for demonstrating that barriers can be overcome, that faith binds believers into one company.

Congregations related to NIC fall into two styles of accountability: independent and confessional. “Independent” churches are frequently called “Union” or “Community” or “International,” reflecting an inter-/multi-denominational posture; they have no ecclesiastical base, or responsibility toward or benefit from a churchly source. “Confessional” churches are tied to a single Protestant denomination, but intentionally direct their ministry in an ecumenical or non-denominational manner; such congregations have a responsibility toward and receive benefits from their sponsoring church body.

(https://tinyurl.com/y257ajag)

In a more succinct form, Dr. Warren Reeve describes some of the characteristics of these churches:

 PEOPLE in the International Church: Rockstars, reformers, royalty, artists, ambassadors, academicians, military, mavericks, missionaries, politicians, professionals and pundits all engaged with the International Church.

 PLACES of the International Church: International Churches are first responders answering in close proximity to global crisis assisting where there is geopolitical turmoil, natural disasters and displaced people challenges.

 POSITIONS of influence: Located and functioning in open and limited access nations, nothing can penetrate closed countries, tight cultures and the kaleidoscope of classes like an International Church.

 PERSONS of every tribe, tongue and nation: The International Church plays a significant role in gathering the scattered diaspora and reaching persons from least reached people groups around the globe.

 PRUDENT investment produces synergistic impact: In our ever increasing globalized world, properly positioned personnel in the International Church will catalyze national redemptive lift for countries and regions around the world. --Rev Dr Warren Reeve, Missional International Church Network Founder

IC pastor James Carlson offers a fourth description, less extensive and complex, but helpful:

An International church is a church where at least half of the congregation does not live in their passport country.

An International Church can be found anywhere in the world. It specializes in ministry to people who are not living in their passport country for a variety of reasons. International churches use the lingua franca of the world as the language of communication, which in today’s world is English. They may offer translation into the local language or other languages found in the congregation, but English will always be used. International Churches are often different characteristically from local churches because of their congregation’s greater diversity nationally, theologically, denominationally, economically, educationally and linguistically. Because of these characteristics, demographically International Churches tend to have younger and more highly transitional congregations than the other churches around them.

(James Carlson, International Church Assessment, privately published, available at www.amazon.com, 2019)

Each of these differ in understanding as well as experience and while some may question the assumptions voiced, particularly in the third description, taken together they help to define and describe these churches in particular as they are different from congregations in the homeland.

There are many common characteristics among the more than 3,000 such congregations, however, one can easily say that each of those is distinctly different and difficult to compare to others. While many may classify themselves as multi-denominational, each congregation’s theological and ecclesiastical profile is shaped by the denominational background of those who formed it or those who have influenced it in more recent times. Therefore, although a church founded by Presbyterian missionaries or lay people may bear a resemblance to its roots, eventually, with the frequent turn-over of leadership and membership, it may change to reflect a more formal liturgical style or adapt to a more evangelical theology. Given that many churches call pastors from a variety of denominational backgrounds over the years, it is no wonder that some will eventually become a melting pot of various denominational backgrounds or change their characteristics with the ebb and flow of pastors and lay leadership.

Thus, while ICs are frequently characterized as being multidenominational and multinational, a particular church may reflect a North American way of doing things under the influence of leadership from that region. Years later, however, one could be excused for thinking its background is British or Australian as others come in and bring with them their practices and understandings of what a church might be.

For the purposes of this book, we will include under the title “international congregations” those churches in, primarily but not limited to, non-English speaking countries which serve third-culture people (i.e. primarily expats as well as locals with international experience). These churches are largely characterized as being multinational and multi-denominational individual supporting church.2

So, why write a history of a movement that, while global, is little known in the home countries of those who make up their constituencies?

First, this history is important because the international congregations reflect a long trajectory of ministry which has had a global impact, even when known only to a few.

Second, as will be illustrated, these churches have roots in not only ecclesiastical settings, but in the political, cultural and religious nature of English-language cultures going back for over four centuries. The establishment of British Anglican international churches goes hand in hand with the development of the British Empire which dates back to the late 1500s and expanded to the four corners of the earth. After all, the expression that the sun never sets on the British Empire denotes its global outreach and the spread of the gospel to those lands. In turn, the development of American global influence and expansion which began in the early 1800s was strongly tied to the planting of Union or American churches from Europe to Latin America, Asia, Africa and points in between. Finally, the onset of globalization in modern times coincided with the rise to prominence of the American evangelical churches and their expanded missionary outreach globally which included the planting of hundreds of new, English-language, expat churches.

Third, as I have been blessed to serve a number of ICs around the world and to attend several international gatherings of pastors, I have noted that many pastors are unaware of the history of this style of ministry. Too often they do not know that they share their work with other similar churches in the very communities where they labor.

Finally, as the baton is passed to a new generation of IC members and pastors, it is obvious that most are unaware of the length, width and depth of these ministries. As my generation retires and dies out this rich history will, I’m afraid, be lost, ignored and lose what it has to teach to those who labor in the expat field in the generations to come.

Several years ago I vowed that I would never write another book. Not that writing is that difficult—it comes rather easily to me. It’s the publishing and distribution of books that is a difficult task (what I call a “royal pain” in my more private moments) and I really didn’t want to go through it again.

Then, two events occurred almost simultaneously.

The first was the privilege of helping two men much younger than I explore the possibility of serving an IC. One accepted a call to serve an international church in Central America, the other who was living in Hong Kong and doing seminary work online, responded to my suggestion that he look into ICs by asking for information. It was refreshing and fulfilling to know that a new generation is stepping forward to continue and move the ministry of international congregations into the future.

The second was the opportunity to personally see the continued outreach of the three main streams of IC establishment while on a five week trip to Asia. On that journey my wife and I were able to visit buildings that once held vibrant Union Churches in cities throughout China and which now maintain a silent witness to those who served, worshipped and ministered there. In addition, we were privileged to worship in an historic English-language, Anglican church still serving one of Asia’s dynamic cities. And, we were able to also visit new, vibrant ICs ministering to today’s young expats in some of those same cities.

As will be explained more fully in the next section, three streams of IC development mark the worldwide expansion of English-language expat churches.

The first, the Scottish/British/Anglican stream, began over 400 years before this book was written, and has seen the planting of hundreds of English, Presbyterian and Anglican churches not only in British Commonwealth countries, but in numerous nations around the world.

In Hong Kong, we worshipped in the historic St. Andrew Anglican Church, the oldest English-language church in the Kowloon district of the island. The church’s website reports that While St Andrew’s commenced its life as a church for the expatriate community, it is now an international church with 90% of those attending considering Hong Kong as their home.

The idea of building an Anglican church in Kowloon was first suggested in 1897 but no progress was made until 1904, when Sir Catchick Paul Chater offered HK$35,000 to finance the construction. The chosen site was next to a large garden area owned by Sir Paul, covering the area between Robinson Road (now Nathan Road) and Austin Road.

The church was designed by Alfred Bryer of Messrs. Leigh & Orange. Work began in November 1904, and was completed in 1906. The church was consecrated on 6 October 1906.

The war years since 1914 had been difficult for the church, many of the early congregation having come from the military bases on Kowloon, so had left for duty elsewhere, and the church was barely able to make its way financially.

From 1942 to 1944, the congregation of All Saints Mong Kok used St Andrew’s for services as their church was used as a rice store. They were allowed back to All Saints in late 1944, and took much of the furniture from St Andrew’s with them, saving it from destruction when the main church building was turned into a Shinto shrine early in 1945.

Wikipedia contributors, “St Andrew’s Church, Kowloon,” Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=St_Andrew%27s_Church,_Kowloon&oldid=918163401 (accessed January 25, 2020).

Later on that trip, we ran across the Union Church on the Chinese island of Xiamen, formerly known as Amoy. This was not the only Union Church that we heard of in China but was the only one we were able to visit. Dr. Bill Brown, an American who teaches at Xiamen University wrote to me about this church that was planted in the American/Union Church era which began in the early 1800s.

Union Church was given that name because it was built by foreigners of several denominations living on Gulangyu so they (and English speaking locals) could worship together. Before this church, built in 1863, they had to take the dangerous ferry across the harbor to Xinjie Church (China’s first Protestant Church, 1848) or the Bamboo Church.

The Amoy Mission, unlike other missions in China, was composed of three denominations whose missionaries cooperated rather than competed (the denominational home offices fought it, and sent some home, but in the end accepted this). The Amoy Mission, in the 1850s, was also the source of the “three self” Chinese church principles adopted by the Communists in 1949.

In the 1930s, on Gulangyu was built Trinity Church (the Holy Trinity, but also, again, symbolizing by some the union of three denominations).

Union Church is not used for “worship” today but the local government and a wealthy Christian rebuilt it and it is used for weddings, music concerts, etc. The government allowed it to be used for services but local Chinese Christians opposed opening another church (because attendance has fallen in the other churches on the islet, largely due to its isolation from Xiamen Island).

The government spent about 4 million Yuan in helping to renovate it. Gulangyu was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2017, and Union Church is an important part of that heritage.3

We also visited two churches that fall into the third stream of ICs which have been planted in recent decades by the new American evangelical movement. Those were the large International Christian Assembly (ICA) in Hong Kong which was started by the Assemblies of God and the Guanghou International Christian Fellowship in China itself. This new congregation fills a large hotel ballroom each Sunday with worshippers from around the world.

The Guanghou church describes itself this way: GICF is a group of expatriate Christians living in Guangzhou who meet together regularly. Our mission is to serve English-speaking expatriates by providing a stable environment for fellowship, worship, Bible teaching, mutual encouragement, and personal spiritual nourishment and growth. We also provide people with an opportunity to contribute to the community and help each other live effectively as foreigners in China.

(http://www.gicf.net/mission-statement)

Similarly, ICA in Hong Kong provides this description: We are a Glocal Church. We act locally and impact globally. Yes, it’s a new kind of Church.

We are A CHURCH THAT CARES to embrace all people, regardless of age, gender, class, countries, cultures and creed because JESUS loves all people. We choose each other as friends and family and we strive to love Jesus more perfectly as a Community.

We are a House with many rooms. People from different places worshiping in their language. People of different age and life stages with different worship styles growing and serving together. Even though we are many nations and generations yet we are ONE Church. (http://www.icahk.org/our-vision)

Visiting these churches took us through an historic sweep of 400 years, demonstrating the impact and influence that these churches have had around the world and the importance of their ministries. We will explore how these came about and developed in the rest of this history.

A brief note: Writing a history of any kind is daunting when the author is neither an historian nor an academic. In fact, I am a practitioner more than anything. As a pastor, a missionary, a teacher, I have been involved with ministering to congregations and individuals, helping churches to grow and care for people. Knowing how to write a history is beyond my scope.

I trust that in telling the story of ICs as I have known them will help others to catch the vision of what they are about and to appreciate how they have not only been centers of ministry to expat and third-culture communities, but have also been facilitators, trainers, teachers and evangelists, sending people back to their home countries in all parts of the world as better trained, experienced evangelists and pastors.

1 A more recent accounting puts the total number of international, English-speaking congregations at more than 3,000.

2 While this book focuses on the various Protestant international churches around the world, it should be noted that hundreds if not thousands of English-language Roman Catholic masses are held regularly in local vernacular churches, seminaries or other Catholic institutions in all parts of the inhabited world. The location of these congregations and other Roman Catholic organizations and institutions can be found at https://www.catholicdirectory.com/maps.

3 Much of the above information came in a personal letter to the author from Dr. Brown. Rev. John Abraham Otte was a Dutch missionary and medical doctor. The Island was the site of 13 foreign consulates, thus an ideal place to form an international Union Church.