Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church

Session 4: Them, Us and “We” BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

The Them / Us Barrier Cultural barriers separate people Language Customs Beliefs Worldview Reaching them requires creating a bridge across those barriers that allows us to go to them and have them come to us. To create that bridge, the first step is to know who God is calling us to reach and get to know them. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Some Things to Think About Christ commands us to make disciples of “all nations” (Matt. 28:18-20). There are “hidden” people groups in our own communities with little or no Christian witness. God has brought them to our communities with the hope that they will know Him (Acts 17:25-26) We are God’s agents working with Him to fulfill this purpose (I Peter 2:9). BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

“Them” God is moving people to us so that they might know Him. Who are they? Look around you. Study the opportunities. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

What is wrong with this picture? BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

“Ready, Aim, Fire!” Ready: church is motivated to be used of God to reach beyond their predominant culture.  Fire: create and launch a plan to reach the goal. Aim: decide what specific group(s) to reach and how to reach them. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Once a Group Is Identified... Get to know them. Understand their physical and social needs. Understand where they are in the progression towards Christ. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

People Come to Christ through Their Felt Needs Because we obey the Great Commandment to “Love our neighbors,” we identify and address their needs as a way of creating bridges to them. We meet needs in a way that seeks to build relationships. We teach about God and witness to His power to meet need and change lives. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Where are They Spiritually? Where are they on their journey towards knowing God? We plan our activities in relation to moving people step by step towards a knowledge of God and a personal introduction to Jesus Christ. The Engel Scale helps us do this. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Engel Scale -7: No awareness of Christianity -6: Awareness of the existence of Christianity -5: Some knowledge of the gospel -4: Understanding of the fundamentals of the gospel -3: Grasp of the personal implications -2: Recognition of personal need -1: Challenge and decision to receive Christ Conversion +1: Evaluation of the decision +2: Incorporation into a fellowship of Christians +3: Active propagators of the gospel BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Example A church decides to reach out to recent immigrants from mainland China who are at stage (–5): “Some knowledge of the gospel.” At level (-5), the church offers English classes which also teach the significance of major Christian holidays such as Easter and Christmas. At level (-4), as classes progress, they would be taught about the Bible and the life of Christ. Later, at (-3), what it means to be a follower of Christ. At level (-2 or –1) both the knowledge base and the relationship has been built that will allow those involved to be introduced to Christ. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

“Us” What’s our identity? Where have we come from? Where are we going? BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Self-Assessment How do people perceive us? Are we ready to change to become an attractive place for those of other cultures? What are our motives? BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Intercultural Assessment Stage 1: Deny Our culture is the only real culture. Stage 2: Defend Our culture is the “best” culture. Stage 3: Diminish Other cultural differences can be explained away. We are the same in Christ. Stage 4: Accept We respect other cultures but view them as separate and we may want to keep it that way. Stage 5: Adapt We can together express cultural diversity in appropriate ways and want to share leadership. Stage 6: Integrate We can move easily between different cultures. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Becoming “We” Most people and churches begin their intercultural journey at Stage 1: Deny, or Stage 2: Defend. Many churches feel they have arrived when they reach Stage 3: Diminish. Churches at Stage 4: Accept are facing “reality.” Stage 5: Adapt is the goal of most Intentionally Intercultural churches. Stage 6: Integrate may be an ideal for which some leaders should reach for. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Build Bridges A bridge needs to be built over the chasm that separates us from unchurched people. People may come because of programs and events, but they will stay because of the personality of the congregation. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE

Conclusions To be intentional, we must know who we are trying to reach. We intentionally create a bridge to meet their felt needs and gain experience in relating to and reaching those of other cultures. God changes us into a congregation that values people because they are different, not in spite of that fact. BECOMINGWEBECOMINGWE