Teaching Seminar

Getting to Know the Diaspora Churches of Europe

This seminar explores the history, mission, ecclesiology, challenges and contributions of diaspora people in Europe. Three speakers will look at the African Diaspora, Latin American Diaspora and Chinese diaspora in Europe; an important part of the Christian Church in the new Europe!
About the speaker

Samuel Cueva holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Wales, and a MA in Mission Studies from The University of Birmingham. He is a missiologist, writer, and mission consultant promoting two-way mission bridges to every continent for the fulfilment of God’s mission, while developing a mission theology of reciprocal collaboration. He is currently a member of the Latin American Theological Fraternity, and a council member of the Evangelical Alliance (UK); board member of One People Commission (Evangelical Alliance UK); board member of the Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World (African initiative), and board member of the steering committee of the Equip7: Learning Community (Asian initiative). He is a Visiting Lecturer in Missiology at the University of Roehampton (UK) and his most recent publication is Mission Partnership in Creative Tension. He currently lives in London.

About the speaker

Henry Lu was born in Xian, China. His spiritual journey began with a simple prayer with a house church sister in China at a young age. He then went through many years of seeking/growing spanning 3 continents. After a teaching career where he engaged with university students and served in local Chinese churches in the USA as a lay leader, Henry and his family moved to the UK in 2007 to join Chinese Overseas Christian Mission (COCM) as missionaries. Since then, he has been involved in mission strategy developments for the Chinese diaspora in the UK/Europe. He finished his MA in mission leadership from All Nations in 2015 and is currently COCM General Director.

About the speaker

Israel Oluwole Olofinjana (PhD) is the Director of the One People Commission of the Evangelical Alliance. He is an ordained and accredited Baptist minister and has led two multi-ethnic Baptist churches and an independent charismatic church. He is the founding director of Centre for Missionaries from the Majority World, a mission network initiative that provides cross-cultural training to reverse missionaries in Britain. Israel is an Honorary Research Fellow at Queens Foundation for Theological Ecumenical Education in Birmingham and on the Advisory Group on Race and Theology of Society for the Study of Theology (SST) He is a consultant to the Executive Team of Lausanne Europe advising them on matters related to diaspora ministries in Europe. He is on the Christian Aid Working Group of Black Majority Church leaders exploring the intersection of climate justice and racial justice. Israel is a Yoruba Nigerian and comes from a Pentecostal background. He is happily married to Lucy Olofinjana who is the Senior Media and Communications Officer for Churches Together in England (CTE). They are blessed with one son Iyanuoluwa (meaning God’s miracle).