It began with a baby shower.
In a small New Brunswick town, a group of women from Woodstock Baptist Church gathered to celebrate a young expectant couple—newcomers to the community, far from their home country. What seemed like a simple act of kindness became something far more profound: a moment of transformation, where welcome turned into belonging.
Across Atlantic Canada, many churches are experiencing this shift. As new Canadians bring vibrant cultures, languages, and gifts into our communities, churches are asking deeper questions: How do we move from welcome to belonging? From friendly to family?
Photos of the congregation of Woodstock Baptist Church
You are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens
with the saints and also members of the household of God.
Ephesians 2:19
That’s where the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) comes in.
At Acadia Divinity College, we believe that equipping Christian leaders to engage across cultures is essential for the future of the Church. The IDI is a powerful tool that helps individuals and organizations assess and grow their capacity to relate across cultural differences—with humility, grace, and intentionality.
Over the past three years, ADC has used the IDI to strengthen intercultural understanding among our faculty, staff, students, and Board. In 2024, under the leadership of Dr. Steve McMullin, ADC’s Consultant on Intercultural Competency, we began partnering with churches across Atlantic Canada to bring this same formation to local congregations.
Rev. Craig Woodcock
Clark Vistan
One of the first to engage was Woodstock Baptist Church. Lead Pastor Rev. Craig Woodcock had seen his congregation grow more diverse over the years—today, more than 180 people from 30 nationalities call the church home. “We realized that welcoming people wasn’t enough,” says Craig. “We needed to develop the skills to build real relationships, to make space for others to belong.”
Working with ADC and going through the IDI process has helped Woodstock take practical, Spirit-led steps toward that vision. The impact has been tangible. Leaders like Clark Vistan, who moved from the Philippines and now serves as Graphic Designer and Media Coordinator, are helping others find their place. “True hospitality in Christ is more than a warm welcome,” says Clark. “It’s about seeing each person as a child of God and creating space for them to thrive.”
We believe this work is just beginning. As more churches seek to reflect the diversity of God’s kingdom, ADC is ready to walk with them—offering training, tools, and theologically grounded formation through the IDI. Your support today will allow us to expand this vital initiative to even more congregations across Atlantic Canada and beyond. Together, we can equip churches not just to welcome—but to truly embrace—those from every nation, tribe, people, and language.