David and Dana Santiago lead IC:Madrid in Madrid, Spain. They have served for nearly 25 years in missions.

There are few places where our call to make disciples of all nations is reflected more completely than in an International Church. The beauty of its nature is that the International Church is able to minister to many cultures and nations—all within a single gathering. God has allowed the International Church to be an instrument for sharing the good news to people from nations where the gospel cannot be taken. We have often said that God brings the nations to us when we are not able to go to them. In Europe, through recent situations such as the influx of economic and political migrants, the International Church is reaping a harvest of souls. People, especially those who have been displaced from their country, are hungry and searching for a sense of belonging. The International Church satisfies that need and becomes family for those who are far from their own families.

Unlike a national church, an International Church uses English as the common language, which becomes a connecting point for many who come from all over the world. Those who are new to foreign country, whether as students, refugees, cross-cultural workers, or simply tourists often look to connect with a body of believers who speak today’s global language. Interestingly enough, for the majority of those who attend the International Church, English is not their primary language, but it is the language that best helps them to adjust in their new surroundings. And the International Church helps to ease that transition of adaption to the local culture by providing community in Christ.

When the economic crisis hit our nation of Spain in 2008, our church, the International Church of Madrid, as well as other churches, felt the hit as well. Our congregants struggled financially, which in turn affected the church. Many returned to their home country or simply could not afford to pay the cost of public transportation to attend church, much less give their tithes and offerings. Everyone was living in survival mode. Church attendance dwindled and we subsequently lost our building.

The Spanish sovereign debt crisis turned around in mid-2012. Simultaneously we also experienced a defining moment as the International Church Madrid. We were slowly recovering but knew that God had clearly spoken about the direction the church needed to take. That turning point came when we took a step of faith and moved from the outskirts of the city into city center. Financially this was not an easy decision because we knew that moving would be a big challenge. However, we also knew that location was key for success of reaching the International community that was primarily located in the center of Madrid.

This proved to be the case. We began to grow by twenty-five new people each month. Within three months of being in our new location, we had outgrown our facility and had to launch a second service. By the end of that year, we were facing the same dilemma and launched a third service, then a fourth. Sundays were exhausting to say the least.

It was evident that God was doing something amongst the international community in Spain. God was gathering a multicultural and multinational group of people to a common place. Not only did it prove a sense of community and belonging, but of identity. International Churches provide identity for those who can’t identify with the nationals of that country, either because of language or cultural differences. It provides the place where they can gather and have that fellowship with those in similar circumstances.

When Jesus said to go into all the world and make disciples, we see a mandate that the International Church can fulfill. By being a connecting point for all nations to gather, the International Church creates a sense of belonging, community, and identity for those who are searching. In this changing world, God is using the International Church as an instrument to bring hope and healing to these multicultural and multinational people groups as he brings the nations to us.