The Multicultural Mission Field

Because of the “melting pot effect of cultures within communities,” proclaimers of God’s message must not only be filled with the Holy Spirit, but they need to consider cultural intelligence strategies for such communities. What presuppositions, behaviors, and even tastes will prevent the hearer from hearing this message? Livermore suggests that organizations that lead without cultural intelligence (CQ), often experience “increased time to get the job done, heightened costs, growing frustration and confusion, poor working relationships and lost opportunities.”[1] It is more than just going into these communities and homes and teaching/preaching the Bible. The training for multicultural teams for these melting pot communities ought to include: (1) awareness of their own cultural and theological assumptions; (2) identifying racial/ethnic, cultural, and class assumptions of the hearers; (3) an awareness of pitfalls to hearing the Good News; (4) the development of the spirit of awareness and dependence on God’s spiritual gifts and (5) learn effective pedagogies and communication strategies.[2]  

Who will embrace this strategy?

References:

[1]  David Livermore, Leading With Cultural Intelligence: The Real Secret To Success, (United States: AMACOM, 2015), 14.

[2]  Bob Ekblad, Reading Scripture For Good News That Crosses Barriers Of Race/Ethnicity, Class and Culture, Interpretation (2011): 229, accessed September 7, 2018, https://search-proquest-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/docview/879074305?accountid=12085

Written by Kevin Hall