week 8 reponds 200 word each and referance on each
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week8responds.docxBrian Sims
RE: Discussion Board 6
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How can intercultural communication and cultural intelligence, built on a biblical worldview, help the church overcome the cultural barriers to complete the Great Commission both locally and globally?
A necessary part of a beginning to engage with cultures that sound us is the forming of a biblical worldview. Since this worldview is foundational to all that we hope to achieve and to the manner in which we interact, we need to ensure that it is biblically sound. Before engaging with the culture, we must be sure of the ‘person in the mirror’ and what they believe and understand. Once we are firmly planted in the good soil of a sound biblical worldview, we can then engage with the culture.
CQ Intelligence as outlined by Livermore provides a roadmap of sorts that can be followed to gain greater proficiency in cultural communications. The Great Commission reminds us that we are to:
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, ESV)
Taking this command as the basis for a biblical worldview about engagement with the culture, we have the CQ Drive needed to be motivated to learn all that we can about the cultures with which we engage both locally and in the global mission field.
Another critical aspect of engaging with the cultures that surround us is the importance of verbal and nonverbal communication as outline by Ting-Tomey and Chung. Many different facets of verbal communication come into play as we consider reaching others with the Gospel. Is the culture high-context or low-context? Do they use direct or indirect verbal styles? How about self-enhancement or self-humbling verbal styles?[1] Each of these different types of verbal communication could occupy a discussion board post of their own but are mentioned here to highlight that verbal communication is much more than just words. Just as important, and perhaps even more so, is the non-verbal communication that one uses in the multi-cultural context. If one looks bored while sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, their message will be seen as disingenuous at best, and manipulative lying at worst. An easy way to ensure that we are sending the correct non-verbal messages is to learn the gestures and facial expressions that are expected in the culture that one is going to engage.[2] While this may seem rather simplistic, making sure that we get his area right will keep the door open for the sharing of the Gospel. Getting this wrong can have that door slam shut quickly due to an unintentional offense. In summary, CQ Intelligence and intercultural communication are vital tools to help share the Gospel to a hurt and dying world.
Bibliography
Ting-Tomey, Stella and Leeva C. Chung. Understanding Intercultural Communication. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012.
[1] Stella Ting-Toomey and Leeva C. Chung, Understanding Intercultural Communication, (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 2012), 123-26.
[2] Ibid., 141.
Intercultural Communication, CQ, and the Great Commission
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Intercultural Communication, CQ, and the Great Commission
Throughout the last century, globalism, as a result of increased and improved transportation, technology, and communication efforts, has begun to spread throughout the world, as the Western and non-Western worlds increasingly influence one another, and the world moves towards an international culture defined by many sub-cultures in what was previously dominantly single-cultural areas (Ting-Toomey 2012, 5-7). As such, a proper understanding of intercultural communication has become an increasing necessity even for those who have been called simply to minister in their own community as individual communities throughout the world are increasingly becoming impacted by this international spread of globalism (Ott and Netland 2006, 14-22). This has especially been demonstrated to be the case by scholars such as Piper (2010, 16) who have shown that missions work is becoming an increasingly non-Western to Western endeavor in stark contrast to how missions has been traditionally considered a Western to non-Western construct. This movement, along with the increasing importance of sub-cultures, has led to an increased demand for cultural intelligence (CQ) of sub-cultures, cultures, and international cultural developments on behalf of the Christian who is participating in discipleship throughout the world.
However, while the need for a proper understanding of cultural communication norms is especially evident in global missions, it is often not as apparent when one considers local discipleship and ministering to those within one’s own community. Nonetheless, as was briefly alluded to in the section above, an increased cultural intelligence has become increasingly necessary for local communities as well. Not only has globalism led to an increased spread of various communities and cultures into one geographic area, one’s ministry has become increasingly globalized even if they stay in one area their whole life as a result of technological advancements, particularly through the development of social media and multi-media messaging. As such, Ting-Toomey (2012, 15-18) states that students of intercultural communication should consider not only the cultural preferences of those who differ from oneself, but also become increasingly aware of one’s own communicative cultural standards in order to more effectively engage and reach those in local intercultural communities as well as those abroad. Finally, Paul demonstrates how a high CQ is especially important in ministry when he tells the church of Corinth: “For although I am free from all people, I have enslaved myself to all, in order that I may gain more. I have become like a Jew to the Jews, in order that I may gain the Jews. To those under the law I became as under the law (although I myself am not under the law) in order that I may gain those under the law. To those outside the law I became as outside the law (although I am not outside the law of God, but subject to the law of Christ) in order that I may gain those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, in order that I may gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, in order that by all means I may save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, in order that I may become a participant with it.” (1 Corinthians 9:19-23, LEB).
Bibliography
Ott, Craig, and Harold A. Netland. Globalizing Theology: Belief and Practice in an Era of World Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2006.
Piper, John. Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2010.
Ting-Toomey, Stella, and Leeva C. Chung. Understanding Intercultural Communication. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012.
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