As students and families, hopeful migrant workers and desperate refugees continue to arrive in Sydney, the diversity of our cultural landscape continues to grow. This diversity is reflected in eufocus teams – both the eufocus Staff Team and the eufocus Committee (students and staff).

In 2015, Howies Josh (Mainland China) and Helen (Korean-Australian), joined Karen (Australian) and myself (Australian-Chinese) on the euFocus Staff Team, seeking to proclaim Christ amongst international students and see them grow to maturity in him alongside students. The mix of cultural backgrounds and perspectives has created challenges. For instance, given limited resources we’ve discussed how much energy should be spent on big picture discussions of biblical principles, and how much on efficiently sharing Christ with more and more students. We’ve needed patience and humility, listening and understanding, alongside a prayerful commitment to serving Christ and students together as we bring the best of all our God-given cultural perspectives to bear.

And here we’ve experienced the blessings and exciting potential of multicultural teams: when we allow the multiple perspectives our varied cultural backgrounds generate a voice, creative solutions to complex issues arise, enriching our service and the people we serve. Furthermore, healthy multicultural teams powerfully witness to the diverse community gathered around Christ’s throne, praising him for all eternity (Rev 7:9-17).

As euFocus is part of the large and complex EU, with many local Christian students from different faculties serving in various ways, it’s vital that we support students as they serve in biblical ways. At the same time, the thousands of international students who still arrive and leave Sydney Uni without hearing of Christ demand efficient and effective stewardship of our limited resources to reach as many as possible. Both perspectives are vital.

The euFocus Committee for 2016 comprises Christians from China and the Philippines, alongside Australians, some with Chinese or Korean family backgrounds. Please pray God will give staff and students grace and humility, patience and love to serve well in these multicultural teams now, but also be well equipped for future multicultural teams in God’s church in Sydney, Australia and beyond.