Our Hope for Kingston
Here's a story that helps to illustrate what kind of church we're hoping to cultivate for Kingston.
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Once, in a distant savanna, there lived a tall, slender giraffe and a big, friendly hippo. The giraffe and the hippo were good friends, enjoying each other’s company whenever they could. One day, the giraffe, proud of its home, invited the hippo over for a visit. The giraffe’s home was designed for its long legs and tall neck, with high ceilings, narrow doorways, and furniture placed far off the ground. It was a space that worked perfectly for the giraffe.
The hippo, always happy to visit a friend, accepted the invitation. But when it arrived at the giraffe’s house, it quickly encountered a problem. The narrow doorway wasn’t built for the hippo’s broad, sturdy frame, and no matter how much it squeezed and wiggled, getting through was a struggle. Eventually, the hippo made it inside, but once there, it faced another challenge. The furniture was all too tall, and the counters were out of reach. The hippo tried to fit in but couldn’t find a way to feel comfortable in the giraffe’s space.
Noticing the hippo’s discomfort, the giraffe offered some well-meaning advice: “Why don’t you just stretch up a little taller, like me? That way, you can reach everything!” The hippo gave it a try, standing on its tiptoes and stretching as far as it could, but it was no use. No matter how hard the hippo tried, the house simply wasn’t designed for it.
Despite the giraffe’s friendly welcome, the hippo started to feel awkward and out of place. Eventually, it decided it was easier not to visit. The giraffe, meanwhile, couldn’t understand why its friend didn’t come around anymore.
It thought it had been a good host. It could not see that the house, though perfect for a giraffe, was not suitable for a hippo.
This story reflects a reality many people face, especially in diverse communities like London. The giraffe and the hippo represent individuals from different cultures trying to share the same space, just as people from various backgrounds often try to participate in the same church or community. The giraffe’s home, like many churches, was built with certain traditions and practices that fit its needs perfectly. For the giraffe, the tall ceilings and narrow doors felt natural, much like how certain cultural practices in a church can feel normal for some.
But for someone like the hippo, coming from a different background, the space didn’t fit at all. It didn’t matter how hard the hippo tried to adapt—it couldn’t change its shape to fit in a space that wasn’t designed with it in mind. This is how many people feel when they attend churches or communities that are rooted in a specific culture that’s not their own. They might feel like they don’t fit, even when everyone around them is friendly and welcoming.
In cities like London, where people from all over the world come together, this challenge is particularly common. London is a place of extraordinary diversity, where different cultures, languages, and traditions coexist. However, even in such a multicultural city, there are churches that, like the giraffe’s home, are built around a specific cultural identity. For someone from a different background, whether it’s their language, their way of worship, or even their experiences of faith, the church might not feel like a space where they belong or feel understood.
This challenge is not new—it’s something the Bible speaks to as well. Think of Daniel, who, as a young Israelite man, was taken from his home in Jerusalem to live in Babylon (Daniel 1). Daniel found himself in a culture completely different from the one he had known. The Babylonians had different customs, spoke a different language, and even tried to change Daniel’s identity by giving him a new name and new diet. Though Daniel was a man of God, he lived in a “third culture”—he was neither fully Babylonian nor fully Jewish, but he was able and bold enough to walk in faith, living as a covenant child of God.
Like the hippo in the giraffe’s house, Daniel had to navigate a culture that wasn’t his own. He remained faithful to God while learning how to live in a new context. In the story of Daniel, we see how challenging it can be to live as a stranger in a foreign land. Yet Daniel didn’t simply give up or withdraw—he found ways to stay true to his faith, even as he lived and worked within the Babylonian system. Daniel’s story teaches us the importance of holding on to our beliefs while also being sensitive to the culture around us.
In the same way, there are people who need the help of churches to navigate the challenges of living in a third culture. We are convinced that there is a growing need for churches that are more inclusive of people from different backgrounds, just as Daniel needed to maintain his identity in a foreign land. We need churches that help bridge the gap between cultures, creating spaces where everyone can feel welcome, regardless of where they come from. Just as the giraffe needed to understand the hippo’s needs, we need churches that understand that it’s not enough to be friendly—we must create spaces where everyone can truly feel like they belong.
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This lesson is for all of us. Whether at church, at work, or in our neighbourhoods, we may encounter people who, like Daniel or the hippo, feel out of place in a culture that’s different from their own. It’s our duty as ambassadors/representatives of Christ and his Kingdom to make sure that we don’t just open the door, but that we create spaces where everyone can feel comfortable and welcomed… where they feel understood… belonging. Just like Daniel found his way in a foreign land, we can help others feel at home, no matter where they come from.
How? We commit, as a diverse family, to embody the gospel that we all received. It involves embracing and learning from each other, cultivating deeper empathy, understanding, and solidarity. In turn, everyone will know that we are Jesus’ disciples, and his Spirit will draw people to himself through his church family.
Please join us in cultivating this church family.