Paul Williams of the Bible Society calls Christians in the marketplace to rebuild culture by being Kingdom ambassadors.
Paul Williams, CEO of the Bible Society, recently addressed a gathering in the South West of England, hosted by One Exeter, on the theme: ‘Repairing Broken Walls: Marketplace Leaders Renewing our Cities’. His message came at a kairos moment, when believers across the UK are recognising a growing spiritual openness, affirmed by the findings of the Bible Society’s latest research, The Quiet Revival.
Paul brought a heartfelt and urgent appeal to Christians in media, business, education and civic life to recover their God-given identity as ambassadors of Christ. Drawing inspiration from Nehemiah, a high-ranking exile in a foreign land, he presented a Kingdom-shaped model for influence and restoration in a fragmented society.
A model of Kingdom transformation
Paul’s framework, developed in his book Exiles on Mission, outlines four transformative steps that believers can take to live faithfully in public life. This takes one from alien to ambassador, exile to embassy!
This is the challenge all believers face today including Christians in the media… The marketplace today includes media in every form, and the need to be present in print, video, film and social media has never been greater. So let’s rise to this four step challenge.
1. Establish an embassy
The Christian in exile is not a tourist or a bystander. Like Nehemiah, who carried out his work as cupbearer with integrity and influence, believers are called to represent the Kingdom of God wherever they are planted, as trusted ambassadors.
An embassy, Paul explained, is where the rule, values and presence of the home country are expressed in a foreign land. “Wherever God has placed you, a boardroom, school, hospital, let it become an embassy of Heaven, ” he said.
2. Know the mission
This is not just about survival. The mission is reconciliation. Drawing from Colossians 1, Paul reminded listeners that Christ is reconciling all things including individuals, institutions and industries. The marketplace is not exempt. The mission is to work towards the restoration of culture, truth, beauty and justice under Christ’s lordship. “We’re not waiting to be evacuated to Heaven, we’ve been sent with authority into the world to be a blessing.”
3. Learn the language
Living as an ambassador means understanding the culture you’re in, its hopes, fears and vocabularies. Paul noted that many no longer know the Christian story, yet hunger for meaning. Learning to speak in ways that connect, without compromising truth, is vital for Kingdom influence. “Justice, freedom, identity – our culture still shouts these words, but it has forgotten their source. We must reintroduce the story.”
4. Do diplomacy
Diplomacy isn’t about dominance; it’s about relationship-building, humility and courage. Nehemiah engaged kings, governors and local leaders. In the same way, Paul encouraged collaborative, prayerful engagement across sectors – churches, businesses, civic institutions etc – to draw them towards a Kingdom vision for flourishing. “Rebuilding requires trust, wisdom and resilience. Diplomacy is love in action, representing Christ’s heart to a world unsure of its direction.”
As Paul reminds us, Christians are not tourists in this culture but ambassadors—called to make truth visible through faithful presence and creative witness. Whether through stories, documentaries, radio or TV, we as Christian media professionals are invited to rebuild broken walls by bringing hope, beauty and integrity into every medium.
“The Church has more presence in every UK community than any political party or department, yet we often act like we’re invisible.”
A word to media and marketplace leaders
Paul spoke directly to those working in the media, business and public sectors:
- Don’t retreat. This is a moment for Kingdom ambassadors to step up, not back.
- Don’t go it alone. Collaboration across the Body of Christ is key. As Paul noted, “The Church has more presence in every UK community than any political party or department, yet we often act like we’re invisible.”
- Don’t ignore the hunger. The culture is asking deeper questions. The Church has answers grounded not in control, but in love, truth and hope.
This talk wasn’t just about restoring what’s broken. It was about reimagining the Church’s role in culture through strategic humility, courageous collaboration, and visible witness. Let’s move forward together, as ambassadors of His reconciling love.”
Discover more about Paul Williams in the CBC UK Directory, or explore the Bible Society’s wider ministry.
