Title: The Most Desired Qualities for Short-Term Guests
1The Most Desired Qualities for Short-Term Guests
- Three Attitudes
- HumilityShow up late to a meeting
- AffirmationRefuse to be a critic
- VulnerabilityNot afraid of weakness
- Three Roles
- StudentCome as a learner
- ServantDo whatever needs to be done
- StorytellerWitness to the hope that weve
received
2- 5 ways to prepare and enhance my life as a guest
in another culture - Before I arrive
- Understand some of the history, geography,
religious life, and view of America of where Im
going - Know some of the local customs, especially in
regard to the behavior ofand towardsguests - Know a few key phrases in the local language
- Know in advance some things Id like to learn
- Already know how to delight in cultural
differences
3The Power of Culture
Learning to Delight in Differences
4People are more alike than their
cultures
- Similar hopes
- Similar fears
- Similar basic needs
- Bearing the Image of God
- Family Resemblance
- Family Reunion
5Learning our 1st culture
- On our mothers knee
- Sayings, adages
- Mother tongue
6- To be human is to be part of a culture
- There is no such thing as a simple or
primitive culture - All cultures are highly complex systems for
ordering social life and clarifying what is - Right and wrong
- True and false
- Possible and impossible
- Acceptable and unacceptable
7Is there such a thing as the Biblical Culture (or
worldview)that is universally normative?
8Doctrinal (Cultural) Differences in Gods
Christian Family
9Universal or Contextual?
Holy Kissing Baptism Head covering
Foot washing Women teaching Braided hair, gold rings
Long-haired men Circumcision Raised hands in prayer
Give to beggars No debts Favoritism toward rich
10Most cultures reinforce their authority by
asserting that Our Values Gods ValuesOur
People Real People
11Enculturation
12If Im to delight in differencesthere, Its best
to cultivate that capacityhere!
Denomination Doctrine Devotion
Social Status Social Skills Social Interests
The In-Group My kind of people
Race Class Ethnicity Language
13We know whats at stake
- 1. Conflict over race, ethnicity, culture and
class fractures every society - 2. The Church in America is as (if not more)
fractured by racialism as our society - YET
- The world will believe in Christ
by our love for one another John 13.35
14Cultural Differences Feed Our Deepest Conflicts
15We know the Scriptures
- If anyone is in Christ there is a new creation
everything old has passed away see, everything
has become new! 2 Cor 5.17 - He is our peace in his flesh he has made both
groups into one Eph 2.14 - For in Christ Jesus you are all children of God
through faithThere is no longer Jew or Greek,
there is no longer slave or free, there is no
longer male and female for all of you are one in
Christ Jesus Gal 3.28
16We are ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the
Gospel of Reconciliation
Were impoverished and were impoverishing the
world by our homogeneity
Short-Term Mission can contribute to the
development of long-term
multi-cultural competencies
17A biblical mandate!
- a strategic opportunity our
capacity to maintain unity and be enriched by
diversity is one of the most compelling proofs of
the Gospel - an organizational necessity any
institution that doesnt embrace ethnic and
cultural diversity will increasingly be
irrelevant in the world of the future
18INDIA One Nation, 700 nations
19How Can We Co-Exist? Strategy 1 Tolerance
Tolerance
Tolerance
20Strategies 2 3 Avoidance, War
Ghettos, segregation--avoidance
Culture Wars
21Strategy 4 Eliminate Diversity through
Oppression
Totalitarian Oppression of Others
22Strategy 5 Eliminate Diversity through Cleansing
Internal WAREthnic Cleansing
23Strategy 6 Minimize Diversity through
Assimilation
Unity through Domination Melting
Pot, Cultural Hegemony
24Strategy 7 Focus Diversity through War
External WARCommon Foe
25Unity that includes and is enriched by Diversity
26Gods Kingdom Call
- There is one body and one Spirit,
- just as you were called to the one hope of your
calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, - one God and Father of all, who is above all and
through all and in all. - Ephesians 4
27Gods Kingdom Life
Life in the Unity of the Spirit Therefore, I
beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to
which you have been called, with all humility and
gentleness, with patience, bearing with one
another in love, making every effort to maintain
the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4
28KINGDOM CONNECTORS
Authority of Scripture Christs uniqueness Jesus
as Savior and Lord Life in Christ Personal
faith Love for neighbours Social
action Worship, Prayer Sacraments Presence of
Gods Spirit Power of good evil Community
Belonging Witness Mission
Shared beliefs in Gods Christian family
29KINGDOM DIVERSITY
Kingdom connectors
Appreciating the differences within Gods
Christian family
30Enriched by our DifferencesStrengthened by our
DissimilarityUnited by Faith
- So then, you are no longer strangers and aliens,
but you are citizens with the saints and members
of the household of Godwith Jesus Christ as the
cornerstone. In him the whole structure is
joined together and grows as a holy temple in the
Lord - Eph. 2. 19-21
31Biblical Mandate Make Disciples of all nations
ta ethne Matt 28.18-20
- All authority in heaven earth political
authority - Make disciples of all nations
- cultural authority
- Teach to observe all Ive commanded
- social economic authority
32- In the Unavoidable World
- Jerusalem
- Judea
- In the Avoidable World
- Samaria
- The rest of the world
33Biblical Mandate As the Father has sent me, so
send I you (Jn 20.21)
- Incarnational ministry (Phil 2)
kenosisemptying ourselves - Christ-centered ministry (Eph 2.14-15) in
his flesh made one, one new humanity, one new
Body - Diversity-embracing ministry (Gal 3.28, Col.
3.11) clothed with a new self, in the image of
God
34- Let your attitude be that of Christ Jesus Who,
being in the very nature God, did not consider
equality with God something to be grasped, but
made himself nothing.
35- taking the very nature of a servant, being made
in human likeness. - And being found in appearance as a man, he
humbled himself and became obedient to death---
36 37Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
38- that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and
every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is God, to
the glory of God the Father.
39Therefore, continue to work out your salvation
with fear and trembling, for it is God who works
in you, making you willing and able to fulfill
Gods good purpose. Phil 2. 5-15
40 By the power of the Spirit we participate in
Christs entrance into peoples lives rather than
wait for them to enter into ours Humiliation
only bears the fruit of humility through
reliance on the Spirit of Christ How would you
like others to pray for you?