Cultivating Christ-like Intercultural Relational Competency A Theological Primer, Or Why Bother? Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D.

“Why?”

“What About Bob?”

My Story/My Calling

Capital Bible Seminary

My Story/My Calling

The Big Question  Does the Bible have a comprehensive theology… or is this all just “politically correct” thinking?

The “Push Back” Scenario

The Big Idea  Intercultural relating is not a PC Issue. It’s a God Issue!  Intercultural relating is everywhere in the Bible!  We embrace intercultural relating because of the Word not because of the World.

The Big Issue: What Are We Talking About?  Culture: The shared life patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling learned through social interactions that group members use to relate to one another and to others.

The Big Issue: What Are We Talking About?  Intercultural Relational Competency: The ability to relate like Christ when interacting with people whose patterns of relating, thinking, acting, and feeling are culturally different (diverse) from yours.

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is God the Father’s Passion: James 1:27-2:13; Romans 2:4-11; Genesis 16:13; Psalm 68:5 (Theology Proper)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is God the Son’s Commission: Matthew 22:35-40; 28:18-19; John 2:23-4:54 (Christology)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is God the Holy Spirit’s Provision: 1 Corinthians 12:12-27; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 4:3-6 (Pneumatology)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is the Trinity’s Eternal Relational Expression: John 1:1-18; John 17: (Trinitarian Theology)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is Salvation’s Mission: Ephesians 2:11-22; Revelation 5:9; John 3:16 (Soteriology) For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. With your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is Indicative of Sanctification Progression: Colossians 3:1- 11 (Soteriology)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is Central to the Church’s Mission: Acts 2:11-47; Acts 10:1-11:30; Col. 3:11-17 (Ecclesiology)

Taking God’s Worldview  Intercultural Relating Is God’s Eternal Vision: Revelation 7:9-10

The End of the Story: Revelation 7:9-10 “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding branches in their hands.”

The End of the Story: Revelation 7:9-10 “And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’”

Michael Jordan and the End of the Story  I’ve read the end of the story and we win!  The “we” is intercultural!—Rev. 7:9-10

Because God is moving all of history toward Revelation 7:9-10, we must equip one another to relate and minister interculturally now as a TEAM in light of our eternal future. Taking It Home with Us

Since the Bible passionately, consistently, and systematically emphasizes the centrality of intercultural relating, we derive our mission and motivation for relating and ministering interculturally not from the world, but from the Word.

So What?  Based upon what we’ve explored from God’s Word, how would you “graciously respond” to the “push back?”  What are you motivated to do differently or more of because of what we’ve examined together?

A Christ-Centered TEAM Approach  T: Taking Another Person’s Earthly Perspective  E: Engaging in Hope-Building Conversations  A: Abolishing Barriers  M: Making Intercultural Peace

Cultivating Christ-like Intercultural Relational Competency A Theological Primer, or Why Bother? Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D.