Below is an October 2025 prayer update sent to the Oakridge Bible Chapel family from Brian and Sally Seim, missionaries who serve the Lord with SIM Canada as an extension of OBC’s gospel ministry.
Hello, friends!
Sally and I resumed our ESL teaching on Thursdays and enjoy the opportunity for friendships. There are 135 students and 10 classes in our program, mostly made up of parents of youth from overseas, preparing for higher education. At times, they come to our home and we share food, hopes for their children, and wisdom. We’ll keep you posted on hospitality.
By God’s grace and strength, I have completed my PhD. My dissertation was accepted on July 18, and I passed my verbal defence on September 10. Four questions clarify my purpose.
Why did I take on this research? To develop the theoretical foundations for the intercultural church in urban missiology and establish them in academic settings.
How might you summarise this research? Using context, gospel and church in an urban district with 150 cultures, I determined how and why urban gospel works. From 2005–2018, 70 of 125 churches closed, as fear of tradition loss outweighed worship and the practice of faith.
Intercultural Churches laid aside tradition, welcomed diversity, became available to youth, and listened to neighbours, practising lovingkindness and undertaking “shalom embracing justice”, demonstrating gospel amid a chaotic district.Based on ‘Love God – Love People’, it clarified that while traditions were comfortable together, this church became a people of all nations in Christ. A holistic gospel brought the God of mission into diverse urban communities.
What was the point? If the gospel being used in an urban context is ineffective, there must be other methods that work. God paid a high price for gospel. Gateway cities are highly diverse. Immigrants bring their economic hopes and dreams, yet their church plants maintain traditions which are difficult to hear through. Listening to the God of mission, Intercultural churches effectively convey a holistic gospel among diverse neighbours, making disciples who follow Christ.
What have you added, as part of being awarded your PhD, to contribute new knowledge in urban missiology? Urban churches tend to think in suburban patterns, where traditions are maintained among a majority of people like themselves. Amid diversity, their cultural views, along with everybody else’s, introduce God through tradition. God’s character and gospel become fuzzy to neighbours.
Intercultural churches are effective in diverse cities, adapting to “become all things to all people.” They practice listening to God and working out his concerns in their district, presenting a singular, clear gospel. When urban believers hear God and demonstrate a holistic gospel rather than follow traditions, they become mission in a discernible way among their neighbours.
We are grateful for your prayer and know that He has answered.
Blessings,
Brian and Sally Seim
