“Our suburb was changing. The signs outside the shops were now in English plus another language. Some shops had their windows covered in ads for phone cards to places all over the world. Some were staying open till very late in the evening, and there were always people in the shops, talking in a foreign language.

“The people moving into our neighbourhood were different as well. Some were very noisy and always had the stereo up loud. Others were very quiet and private. They seemed as if they were frightened of something and wanted to be secretive.

“But church remained the same. It felt good to meet with the same group of people and to do everything the way we had always done them.

“And then the pastor told us about the visitor. It appeared that some of the new people moving in to the area are Christians. And one of them visited the pastor to ask if they could use our building for a worship service on Sundays in their own language.

“The church consented, so long as they only used the small hall on the church property. And only on Sunday afternoon, because there might be a parking problem if they met on Sunday morning when we do. And all breakages must be paid for.

“That’s our church’s first ethnic congregation. I hope they don’t damage the building.”

New cultures. New languages. New ways of doing things. We can find it all so unnerving. We are very excited to have missionaries working amongst people groups far away, but we get nervous when representatives from those same people groups move in to our own suburb. Why do we not respond with the same excitement as we do for the missionaries? What is it that so often bubbles to the surface when the arrival of people of different cultures challenges us to accept new ways of doing things, new ways of relating, new ways of valuing? I call it latent racism.

No, not the racism of those who march in the streets with their provocative banners and slogans against immigration. But a latent racism. Latent because it is, to quote the dictionary, “present, but not visible or apparent”. There are no banners, no slogans. But certain situations provoke a hesitant response, a negative feeling, an ‘us and them’ comment. Why, for example, do we speak of an “ethnic’” congregation when the members come from a different cultural background? A group of anglo-celtic Australians have a common ethnicity, so they are also an ethnic congregation. But they would never use that term of themselves. It’s an “us and them” term. And it carries that strong hint of being inferior, of being the lesser.

The apostle Peter struggled with a similar problem. In Acts 10, God made him acknowledge people of a non-Jewish culture. People who were different to him in so many ways. And Peter eventually came to that great conclusion himself: “I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism but accepts men and women from every nation who fear him and do what is right” (vv. 34-35). The church leaders in Jerusalem also reviewed their thinking when they said “God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life” (Acts 11:18). Yes, “even the Gentiles”, whom before they clearly thought of as lesser people from an inferior culture.

In both cases Peter and the Jerusalem leaders had to bring to the surface their racist attitudes and allow God’s way of thinking to change their way of thinking. The result was that Peter made new friends in Christ and enjoyed their hospitality for several days, even sharing in their food that he had previously rejected.

So what about us in our beautiful multicultural country? What can we be doing to surface and deal with any latent racism in our attitudes? Let me make four suggestions.

First, take some time to think through your own attitudes and responses with regard to people of other cultures; and talk to the Lord about the degree to which you reflect, or fail to reflect, his attitudes.

Second, read slowly Ephesians 2:19-22 and Galatians 3:26-28 in the context of multiculturalism and with regard to the possibility of latent racism in your heart.

Third, read some books on cultural difference, starting with Denis Lane’s little book One World: Two Minds (OMF, 2008). It’s only $5 from OMF, and you can pass it on when you have read it.

Fourth, go out of your way to build a friendship with some folk from another cultural background. Depending on where you live, that might be a family down the street, some international students, or the owners of a local shop. God has brought the nations to Australia, so we need to respond to their arrival with the same attitude of mind and desire of heart that he has.

Bruce Dipple is a missiologist and author and former director of SIM for Australia and East Asia.