After spending 18 years in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, missionary Donald Hanscom and his family have learned the importance of respecting and engaging different cultures. Hanscom, who serves as the national director for multicultural ministry at the United Pentecostal Church International in St. Louis, visited Apostolic Life church in Urbana on Sunday. He brought with him a message of welcoming people of all different cultures and languages.

“It’s important that the Christian church mirrors the community that it is in,” Hanscom said. “I think the church is a place for everyone regardless of language, culture, skin color. That’s what multicultural ministry is all about.”

During the time he spent in Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Hanscom had a hand in establishing 1,500 churches with more than 110,000 members. Hanscom’s ministry in Pakistan also initiated several training seminary schools for those interested in working full-time in Christian ministry.

As part of United Pentecostal Church International administration, Hanscom has adapted to including all different language groups within ministry. Hanscom says there has been work done with 106 different language groups in the United States and Canada alone. Although Pakistan is predominately Islamic, Hanscom says that focusing on multicultural outreach and being sensitive to different language groups and cultures has been a fruitful experience.

“We saw tremendous growth in our ministry in Pakistan,” Hasncom said. “I think it’s very exciting and interesting to understand how people live and think and to learn about their cultures and customs. If there’s something I’d like the people in Urbana to know about my time there is that it’s important to trust in God for protection and provision and to expect more from your prayer to God.”

Hanscom hopes to encourage members of Apostolic Life church in Urbana to continuously learn about different cultures and customs from Hispanic cultures to Amish societies in America.

“I think it’s important for the church to answer the needs of its diverse community,” Apostolic Life church member Tom Tryon said. “It’s important to hear from an expert like Don about this type of outreach.”

Hanscom also emphasizes the importance of multicultural ministries to be mindful of not sacrificing the uniqueness of different cultures.

“We don’t stress changing cultures at all,” Hanscom said. “We want people to keep their language, and if time and facilities allow, we’ll hold services in their own language. I think in the end that people just want to be themselves.”