A Member’s Perspective

by Shadrach Daka, a member of Milan Bible Church

Moving to a different country can bring lots of anxiety. When I left Zambia for Italy to pursue my studies, I stepped into unknown territory. One of my first priorities upon arriving in Milan was joining a local church. From the time I gave my life to Christ, I have learned the need to belong and serve in a local church, and it has been fundamental to my growth.
 
In addition to providing fellowship, a church is fundamental to one’s integration into a new society. At MBC, I found a place where I felt at home — a community that helped me slowly blend into my new environment.
 
I had moved from a small and fairly homogenous town in Zambia to the large, diverse city of Milan. The cultural mix at MBC helped me grasp and appreciate different cultures and widened my perspective of life. Most of the members at MBC have come from different countries as well as different denominations, which calls for mutual inclusiveness.
 
Learning to integrate into the diversity in an international church is a smaller scale of what we experience in a cross-cultural society, where interactions transcend shared beliefs. Before we can serve or channel God’s love into people’s lives, they need to know they are accepted. An international church provides such an opportunity: a new window through which to see life and equip believers to reach out.
 
One of the major challenges I had in moving to Italy was the language barrier. Apart from being able to deal with everyday life, I struggled to express myself or share my testimony when there was opportunity. But members of MBC helped me sharpen my knowledge of the local language. They understood my background and I felt more comfortable making errors among them and receiving feedback. So, while international churches offer a place to connect with other foreigners, they may be a place to connect with locals, too.
 
International churches also present opportunities to meet believers in various professions and hear how they’ve allowed God to use their careers for Him. Church programs that speak of witnessing in the workplace or university are essential to erasing the margins that we often draw between our Christian life, work life, etc.
 
My experience at MBC has helped keep me in check, set priorities, and remind me of the reason God has called me to a particular vocation and place — to reflect Him well and be the means of His work in the world.