Tim is an SMBC graduate serving as Senior Minister at Cabramatta Baptist Church in South West Sydney. His ministry communicates the gospel across diverse cultural, linguistic, and religious backgrounds. In this multicultural context, cultural intelligence is essential for reaching the local community.
Sydney is a mosaic of cultures. Over 40% of people who live in Sydney were born overseas. Because so many different cultures have found a home here, contextualising the gospel across cultures is now a key part of local ministry.
Cultural intelligence and agile ministry skills are critical to reaching the lost who are right on our doorstep.
Tim Donald, an SMBC graduate from 2011, serves in pastoral ministry in Cabramatta in south western Sydney. With a large Asian population, Buddhism is the dominant religion in the area.
His long-term ministry in Cabramatta is bearing fruit in a healthy church family that reflects the community that it’s in.
Tim looks back on his time of ministry preparation at SMBC –
“When I think about the people that I met here at college, I guess the word that comes to mind is diversity. There were people, men and women of all different ages, people from different work backgrounds, different cultural backgrounds, different denominations.
I saw SMBC as a place where it was academically rigorous. But I think just most importantly, it was a place that really wanted to prepare us well for the realities of ministry.
“a place that really wanted to prepare us well for the realities of ministry”
The vast majority of people that I’m rubbing shoulders with are people from totally different cultural, linguistic, religious backgrounds, to the background that I’ve come from myself. And so the ability to be able to communicate deep truths of the Scriptures within a way that is culturally appropriate has just been invaluable.
That was what I wanted in a college. I wanted to be prepared for what came next.”
Cabramatta Baptist Church
Tim’s church in Cabramatta shows what’s possible when ministry combines theological depth and cultural sensitivity. His church family reflects the beautiful diversity of God’s kingdom, where every tribe and tongue will one day gather around the throne.
As Australia’s cultural mosaic continues to evolve, so too must our approach to ministry. The question isn’t whether we’ll encounter cultural diversity, it’s whether we’ll be prepared to serve effectively within it.
The gospel is for all people, and there are people around our local churches, waiting to hear the good news in ways that speak to their hearts.
Interested in preparing for cross-cultural ministry?
Learn about your flexible study options at our next info session. They’re held throughout the year and include on-campus and online options.
