International churches (ICs) are those churches around the world that primarily serve people of various nationalities (expatriates ) and church backgrounds living outside their passport (home) countries. They are also increasingly including more nationals. The main characteristics are:

• International churches typically operate in English, often not the native language of the host country, with many attendees using it as a second language.
• Most members are expatriates or part of the global diaspora.
• These churches are characterized by cultural diversity, global perspectives, and a multinational, multicultural, and multi-denominational makeup. Their primary mission is to serve expatriates while intentionally maintaining their diverse and inclusive focus.
• International churches are often interdenominational, though some are tied to specific denominations with less diversity in expression.
• They experience high turnover due to people moving in and out of the country and typically have younger leadership, with fewer retirees and post-high school students.
• Congregations vary from small volunteer-led groups to large multi-site churches.
• Their focus is on serving the expatriate community, supporting the national church, and contributing to the local city.
• These churches address the unique challenges of living abroad and prioritize cultural diversity, even when located in English-speaking countries or attended by a majority of nationals.

A missional church is one that engages the entire congregation in God's mission through contextual, servant-hearted living. Mission means being sent by Jesus with His Kingdom purpose to serve the world. Discipleship is central to this mission, calling the whole church to actively live out their faith. Rather than sending just a few, the missional church sees all believers as sent into the world. It shifts from passive cultural consumption to active, thoughtful engagement with culture, reflecting Christ's purpose in everyday life.

MICN supports leaders of multicultural international churches in developing creative, context-sensitive approaches to participating in God's mission. Being missional isn't a program or method, but a mindset—a way of thinking and living shaped by Jesus' lordship and Kingdom vision. It involves intentional, whole-church engagement in the world through word, deed, sign, and prayer, adapted to each unique context. Missional is a continuous journey of growth, reflection, and theological grounding—acknowledging that no church is fully missional, but committed to pursuing God's purposes for individuals, communities, and the world.

MICN exists to strengthen individual churches by connecting them to a greater movement, enabling them to be more effective and faithful in their unique contexts and shared calling.

We recognize that the myriad of diversity in the international church can make a belief statement difficult. We know that various streams of theology and tradition converge into the river of God called the International Church. Although diverse, we can celebrate the unity we have in Christ as one global church body. Instead of a list of detailed beliefs to declare who is "in" or "out" of MICN, we view this statement as a core of beliefs that we find ourselves centred around.

At the core of our centredness is the Kingdom work and message of Jesus. The Missional International Church Network values Kingdom-focused ministry that shares and practices the good news of Jesus. The following beliefs are at the core of what we centre on:

ONE GOD

We believe in one God, infinitely perfect and eternally existing in three persons, united in perfect harmony and equality: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.[1]

We believe that God, by His Word and Spirit, is the creator and sustainer of all that exists and that His sovereignty holistically embraces all that He has made. He created and ordered all things with the purpose of humankind filling the earth and ruling as His vice/co-rulers (vicegerents).

To this end, for fellowship, and to manifest His glory, humankind was created by Him in His image, male and female alike. Consequently, we believe that all human beings are of equal worth in the sight of God, having all been made in His image, and that He does not discriminate based on race, colour, gender, language, culture or social status.

JESUS CHRIST

We believe in the full deity of Jesus the Messiah/Christ, His virgin birth having been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and in His full humanity, God perfectly manifested in human flesh. We believe in His sinless life, His miracles, His substitutionary sacrificial death, His bodily resurrection from death, His ascension and enthronement to the right hand of the Father, His rule over all things as Lord of Heaven and Earth, and His personal return in power and glory to complete the Kingdom work begun in His first coming.

We believe that through perfect obedience to the Father, through death and resurrection, through ascension and enthronement, the Father has confirmed that Jesus, the slaughtered Lamb, is worthy to be crowned as Lord and Christ, Lord of Heaven and Earth, and has been granted dominion over all the nations of the earth. He rules now as Prophet, Priest (Advocate), and King to fulfil the Kingdom of God promises in all nations and all the earth.

THE HOLY SPIRIT

We believe in the personality and deity of the Holy Spirit whose ministry is to glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, as He indwells, guides, instructs, fills and empowers all believers, and the body of Christ, for godly living and service.[2] We believe in the continuous transforming/sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit in persons, churches, communities, nations and the whole earth.

SCRIPTURE

We believe both the Old and New Testaments to be the divinely inspired written Word of God, the revelation of God's holiness and character, His values and purposes for His creation, and His will for the salvation of humankind, the nations and the earth. The Bible must be the final divine authority for all matters of Christian faith, life, conduct and hope.[3] The Holy Spirit is both the means of Scriptures' divine inspiration and the One who enlightens God's people as they read and study.

SIN AND SALVATION

We believe that all of humankind is caught up and lost in sin, all are sinners failing to live up to the perfection of God and all therefore are subject to the condemnation and judgement of God. We believe that salvation from sin and all its consequences, and salvation for the fullness of the Kingdom promises of God, is only possible by God's considerable mercy and grace, by the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ, and expressed as repentance from sin and faith in Jesus Christ [We recognize that some who know nothing of Jesus have a real and humble faith in God the Creator: as it was before the first Advent]. Those without such faith will be exiled/excluded from the new heaven and earth.

Jesus death on the cross was a perfect and complete atoning sacrifice on our behalf. He died the death that should have been ours, having taken upon Himself the guilt of our sin. Consequently, Jesus' death is the means of God's gifts of forgiveness, justification, salvation, redemption and reconciliation. We believe that this salvation comes to us through regeneration by the Holy Spirit through Whom we are born into new life and adopted as God's children.

[4] [5] [6]

DISCIPLESHIP, MISSION AND CHURCH

We believe that all in Christ are called to follow His example of peaceful obedience in serving others sacrificially and that through His Word and the Holy Spirit, Christ works to sanctify, equip and transform His people, both individually and corporately, that all might increasingly reflect His perfect maturity.

We believe that we serve Christ so that through us His Kingdom rule might transform persons and communities. We believe that Christian mission in the world of necessity includes the Gospel word of the Kingdom, the Gospel good deeds of the Kingdom, the signs of God's Kingdom presence in us, and intercession on behalf of others that the Kingdom might continue to increase in all nations. We believe that the hope of Christ's return, and the completion of the fulfilment of the Kingdom promises, should shape and give direction to our lives and our serving of others.

We believe that through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in all who believe, we are joined together as one into the Body of Christ and that this belonging is expressed in participation in the life of a local church. Christ is the Head of the Body, the Church, and through the Spirit, He equips us to love and serve one another in accordance with the Scriptures, sharing together in all we are, and all we have, in Christ and the Gospel of the Kingdom. Through Christ's gifts, the church is a community of covenant commitment to one another in every member ministry. [7] This covenant is represented both in baptism and sharing of the Lord's Supper.

HOPE

We believe in the return of Jesus Christ the Lord to complete and perfect in all the nations of the earth the Kingdom already inaugurated. Jesus' return will be personal, bodily, visible to all, and triumphant. This future hope centres on the enduring presence of God throughout the new heaven and new earth, which is the Kingdom fulfilled, and the new creation completed. We believe that this return will include judgement as well as renewal and transformation, the resurrection of all to either life within or permanent exile/exclusion from God's presence, and the removal of all sin and evil and corruption.

His return will bring the revelation of the full glory and power of Jesus as Lord of Heaven and Earth. Christ shall bring with Him the New Jerusalem, God will live in fellowship with His people, the nations will take their place in His presence. The renewed life for God's people in this new global community will be without all the causes of sorrow and brokenness, enriched with justice and peace, filled with joy. Humanity will be restored to its role as co-rulers (vicegerents) of God in ruling the new heaven and earth. [8].[9]

[1] Col. 1:15-20, Acts 11:15-18, Mat. 16:15-17, Gal. 4:6, Acts 2:33, Luke 3:21-22

[2] Rom. 8:28-30 , Rom. 12:1-2, Psa. 32:8, Heb. 13:20-21

[3] 2 Tim. 3:16, Eph. 6:17, Isa. 28:16, 1 Cor. 3:11

[4] Gen. 1:27, Col. 3:10, Judg. 1:15, 1 Tim. 1:15-17, Luke 5:32, Acts 20:21, Acts 4:12, 1 Thes. 5:9, 2 Thes. 2:13

[5] John 1:6-14, John 1:17-18, Mat. 1:18-23, Isa. 9:6, Col. 2:8-10, Mark 16:19, Acts 2:33-36, Mat. 28:1-10, Rom. 8:26-27

[6] Gal 3:24-29 , Rom 5:18-19, Rom 4:25, 1 Pet 1:23, John 3:3

[7] 1 Cor. 1:9, John 1:13, Acts 13:47, Mark 1:17, Matt. 10:1

[8] Mat. 24:30, Mat. 24:42, 2 Pet. 3:10, 1 Thes. 5:1-2

[9] Rev. 20:4-6, 1 Thes. 4:17, Acts 24:15, 1 Cor. 15:21, Matt. 24:51, Matt. 25:30