Jesus’ command is for his followers to take the gospel to people of all cultures. How do we do it successfully?
To begin with, there can be no ethnocentricy in Christian ministry. Ethnocentricy is the mindset that my culture is better than anyone else’s culture. Remember, the only culture that is pleasing to God is kingdom-culture. All other cultures are flawed and distorted by sin.
Here are six steps to take to overcome the barriers of cross-cultural communication..
i. Be sensitive
When you are among people of another culture, be sensitive to the fact that things are different. Guard your assumptions. Just because people speak the same language, does not eliminate cultural differences.
Be careful of economic differences. Flaunting affluence erects walls between people rather than tearing them down. You don’t have to deny who you are but it’s unhealthy to parade economic advantages.
Guard making quick assessments of a different culture. One week does not make you an expert. Guard making quick judgments, both of individual people and cultures. Usually hasty judgments are inaccurate.
For Americans, being sensitive generally involves more listening and less talking. It involves sensitivity in dress, not to offend the local culture, regardless of what you think. It means being careful with humor. A no know-it-all attitude will build a barrier faster than anything else.
ii. Identify with the new culture
The greatest “cultural” gap ever bridged was when the eternal Son of God became the infant Jesus, identifying with people he sought to reach.
The Son of God emptied himself. He voluntarily limited the exercise of his divine glory. “Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” (Phil. 2:6-7). This incarnational principle of cross cultural ministry is the model for evangelical missions today.
This identification with the “target” people was also illustrated by Paul. “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22b). “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Cor. 9:19).
iii. Seek to understand the new culture
When Paul visited Athens, he said, “As I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription, TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.” (Acts 17:23).
Paul stopped to look and listen before he spoke. He observed carefully.
Paul was careful to build a cultural bridge between the experience of the Athenians and the Gospel.
In this day of modern communication and information, there is no excuse for a lack of at least basic historical, political and social history of a country. When visiting a new country, do your homework before you travel.
iv. Build relationships
It is a basic principle of communication theory that the acceptance of the messenger always comes before the acceptance of the message. This is certainly true for sharing our faith. A good relationship always precedes the most effective evangelism.
A strong relationship is essential for discipling new converts. A trust bond develops slowly, and is only earned by faithfulness and consistency. It may take years to develop a reputation for being trustworthy.
While a missionary in East Africa, I discovered the people gave missionaries a name. It was a name you were never told. It was a name that emerged after several years and when it became settled, it very accurately described a person’s character.
Friendships build trust. It is only when there is trust, that people feel comfortable in sharing the deeper aspects of their cultural traditions.
v. Demonstrate a servant-heart
Jesus “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). Jesus, who as God was the agent of creation, became a humble member of the humanity he made (Col. 1:16).
Paul wrote of this servant-heart and said we should model it in our lifestyle. “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 2:5). Service is a cross-cultural way of life. Service bonds us to those we seek to reach It creates bridges, as did the flesh of the God-man.
Paul demonstrated this identification with the “target” people he was trying to reach “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” (1 Cor. 9:22b). “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Cor. 9:19).
vi. Be loving and accepting
People can quickly tell when you accept them as equals and when you are simply using them to accomplish your own purposes. If we don’t accept people as equals, they will never accept the Jesus we represent.
Jesus accepted us and this is the standard for us to follow. “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.” (Rom. 15:7).
We must love. “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” Love covers cross-cultural conflict and soothes cross-cultural misunderstandings. Genuine love is foundational for any Christian ministry.
CONCLUSION:
Cross cultural ministry is like picking one’s way through a mine field. With great care we probe for the mines, knowing that a situation may blow up in our face if we are careless.
We will all make mistakes and at times offend the very people we want to reach. Hopefully, we learn from our errors and improve.
To adapt to a people requires unusual flexibility and humility. Such ministry demands us to be sensitive as well as competent, humble as well as intelligent and gracious as well as gifted servants of God.