2
Introduction
Servanthood is a burden and a challenge because it is culturally defined1. This means that all
who wish to serve must be sensitive to the culture in order to be an effective servant. Cross-Cultural
Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility provides direction for the Christian servant who
is committed to serving and being served.
Elmer’s (2006) book was written with the desire to spare cross-cultural servants from making
the same mistakes he made, which he generously shared. He reminded us that servanthood is unnatural
because humanity is subconsciously ethnocentric and so we use our own cultural frame of reference to
serve others; this is often perceived as superiority or neocolonialism2. Elmer reminded his readers to
follow the Christ model of servanthood which is the humble serving role not the savior role3. He gives
the readers six steps to becoming a servant. First, a servant must open themselves to other people who
are different than themselves, in a culturally appropriate way, to make them feel welcome and safe4.
Second, a servant must accept people in the same manner that Jesus accepts everyone in love5. This can
be done by communicating respect and showing dignity to everyone because they bear the image of
God. Third, a servant must build trust with the people they serve so that both parties understand they
are working with each others best interests at heart6. Fourth, a servant must continue to learn from the
host culture and avoid becoming infected by the virus of pride7. To do this a servant must continually
learn about others, from others, and with others. In the fifth step the pieces of the cultural puzzle come
1 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 1: Servanthood
2 Ibid., Chapter 1: Servanthood
3 Ibid., Chapter 1: Servanthood
4 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 4: Openness
5 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 5: Acceptance
6 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 6: Trust
7 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 7: Learning
3
together when the servant begins to understand the new culture8. Once a servant is able to identify
patterns of behavior within the culture, the servant can then start to see the world through the eyes of
someone from within that culture and a mutual understanding is developed. The final step is when all
the previous steps come together and a servant is able to relate to people in a way that affirms their
dignity and empowers them9. At this step the servant has everything he/she will need to model the
servanthood displayed by Christ. The final section of Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World
in Christlike Humility warns the servant of the pitfalls of leadership and power and reminds that life is
filled with mystery but the servant should always walk in dignity and faithfulness10.
The concept of leadership as opposed to servanthood is incredibly significant to cross-cultural
engagement. In order to serve a community or organization, one needs to first understand its culture. A
good leader does not make decisions without first consulting those around them who have previous
experience and possibly a deeper understanding of the community’s needs. Many authoritarian leaders
impose their own ideologies and rules on their people and never truly understand their role as a servant
of the people. A good leader serves his/her people by listening to them and working with them to solve
problems. This type of leader does not attempt to correct but instead attempts to understand. This
becomes an effective tool when the people in the community feel heard and respected. Elmer used the
analogy of a traditional tribal chief to explain the characteristics of a good leader11. The tribal leader
listens to his people and joins them as equals to solve problems together12. The tribal leader’s job was
8 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 9: Understanding
9 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 10: Serving
10 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 13: The Servant and Mystery
11 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 11: The Servant and Leadership
12 Ibid., Chapter 11: The Servant and Leadership
4
to announce the choice that accurately represented the group as a whole13. When this type of leader
makes a decision that is based on the thoughts and concerns of their people, real change can begin
because the people can stand behind the decision and take ownership. In order to achieve personal or
professional goals, one needs to be able to develop mutual understanding with people from different
cultures. Building relationships with people is not only a social goal; it helps get the work done.
The material presented in Cross-Cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike
Humility is relevant to Christian cross-cultural engagement. One should be able to engage people from
a variety of cultures different from their own and Christians should serve God wherever He leads.
When Christians are called to serve God’s people, in a different culture than their own, they are
encouraged to display humility because this shows proper respect for oneself, others, and God14.
Without humility, it would be nearly impossible hear the wisdom of God through His people15. “You
can’t serve someone you don’t understand”16. Jesus had to make the cultural transition to Earth and live
among God’s children before he could minister to them. He needed to understand the burden of sin so
that he could truly empathize with humanity. Jesus did this by being a humble servant. “For even the
Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Holy
Bible:NIV:New International Version. 2016, Mark 10:45). By using this model of servanthood in
Christ, Christians can aim to serve others without seeking praise or recognition for themselves.
The concept of “the monkey serves the fish” is one that I will certainly incorporate into my
interactions with people from different cultures whether socially or within my field of study. The idea
that a desire to serve can be misinterpreted as arrogance is one that I often forget. When the monkey
saw the fish swimming against the current he scooped the fish out of the water and placed it onto safe,
13 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 11: The Servant and Leadership
14 Duane Elmer,9Cross-culturalServanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility9(Downers Grove,
IL:9Intervarsity9Press, 2006), Chapter 1: Servanthood
15 Ibid., Chapter 1: Servanthood
16 Ibid., Chapter 1: Servanthood
5
dry land. The monkey had good intentions but he never stopped to consider that what is good for
monkeys may not be good for fish. Often, good intentions can be perceived as arrogance when we
don’t take culture into account. When we base our interactions solely on our own cultural
interpretations, we can unintentionally hurt those we are trying to help. It is a strong reminder to remain
humble and open to the idea that there is more than one way to solve a problem.
