Missions Interlink welcomes Shashi in a volunteer role as Care & Culture Facilitator.Auckland based, Shashi's role is to encourage pastoral care in our network and be a cross-cultural advice advisor- primarily for MAIN, but also to our members.

Shashikant (Shashi) Christian has a passion for intercultural discipleship.  Shashi brings brings over three decades of transformative leadership in member care, intercultural mission, and collaborative ministry to this new role.

Shashi's journey in cross-cultural mission began in India with an evangelistic and contextualised church-planting ministry, followed by theological academic leadership and pastoral ministry in the Church of South India congregation in Hyderabad.

In 2001, Shashi and family migrated to New Zealand, where they have invested over two decades serving diverse communities across Auckland. His extensive experience includes serving as Personnel Director & Global Ministry Point Person with SIM International New Zealand, leading teams to provide care for mission personnel serving across five continents and supporting teams serving among the Hethne. He pioneered intercultural engagement by founding the Gujarati Christian Fellowship. He led multi-agency collaboration as Missioner/Director of The RUN Charitable Trust, partnering with St Margaret’s Hillsborough, NZCMS,  Church Army, and the Anglican Diocese of Auckland to support migrant communities, as well as serving in a short tenure as Vicar of the Church of the Saviour in Blockhouse Bay.

He is experienced in organisational revitalisation, integrating te ao Māori principles, and promoting cultural diversity. Shashi holds an MBA from the University of Auckland Business School, as well as Theology qualifications from both the University of Otago and UBS/Serampore, India.

Currently, Shashi is also developing LOTUS People Care, creating innovative frameworks for pastoral support among missionaries to and from the Global South.

With deep intercultural understanding, he uniquely positions himself to foster meaningful connections across MI's diverse network. He is an Achiever, Strategic, Futuristic, Learner, and Maximiser, which reflects his capacity to build vision and inspire collaboration. He lives in Auckland with his family and enjoys cricket, Gujarati & Hindi music, and a good cup of chai.