Cross cultural ministry is a challenge. It is full of language barriers that lead to miscommunications, lifestyle differences that can be downright uncomfortable or simply frustrating, and many other added obstacles to sharing the Gospel. However, there is one thing that surpasses all of these, one thing that makes the challenge obtainable: love. Love knows no language and goes beyond any and all differences. Through love, the Gospel can be effectively shared in any culture coming from a person of any background.
The first aspect of love necessary to cross cultural ministry is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4, “Love is patient, love is kind.” Patience is the key to language barriers. It may take thirty minutes to communicate one sentence, but through many, many hand motions, some repetition, and a lot of patience, it can be done. At my ministry in South Africa, I attempt to teach a class of four year old’s Afrikaans. I don’t speak Afrikaans and the kids don’t speak English. The language barrier is there, but the love abounds all the more. It takes tremendous patience to try to understand and be understood by these kids, but that doesn’t limit how much they love me and I love them. They may laugh at me when I mis-pronounce all their names, but still, we loudly and proudly sing worship songs together, each in our own languages. The cultural issue of language does not interfere with the spreading of the love of God. I am confident my kids feel loved by me, even though they don’t understand my words as I say, “I love you.”
On the other hand, cultural differences are harder to overcome because they cannot always be understood. As missionaries in a foreign country, it is required to become accustomed to a new and different lifestyle, even if the reasons are not completely known. Missionaries must look to their goal, spreading the Gospel, and tear down any obstacle that stands in the way of achieving it. This means that if it’s necessary to wear ankle length skirts and hair wraps, missionaries must accept this way of life and take part in it simply to be accepted in the society. Through this, physical appearance barriers are broken and missionaries are able to do what they came to do; share the Good News and love all people. Now, cultural differences go far beyond clothing choices and often times, simply dressing like the people being ministered to does not lead to acceptance and openness. This is where another essential aspect of love comes in. “[Love] does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, [and] it is not easily angered” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Cross cultural missionaries must remember that we are the outsiders and understand that because of that we may be looked down upon. This does not give us reasoning to dishonor people of the cultural were living in and become angry with them because we are struggling to complete our own agendas, rather it calls us to love them even more. As an American in South Africa, I am seen as wealthy, greedy, selfish, and uncaring. In order to win the approval of strangers enough to have the smallest conversation with them, I must first break this stereotype. Based off my cultural background, it is expected that I will come into a place and try to change it. I’ve learned that I must not be angered by this, but that all I can do is show these people that I am different. I must not judge their culture, even when my own culture is being judged. Instead, I need to embrace the cultural I am living in, ask questions and listen, and allow these people to teach me how they live. Then, once they have become comfortable with me, I am finally able to slowly tell them the Gospel and openly show them the love of Jesus. Even still, I could be rejected at any moment, but cross cultural ministry is not about the missionary, it is about those being ministered to. I must not strive for my own goal, rather I need to meet these people where they are and walk with them, no matter how that might look.
Love is the power behind cross cultural ministry. Without love, cultures would not even be able to intertwine, let alone allow their beliefs to be shared and debated. By loving others we are spreading the Gospel. John 13:34-35 says, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This is what cross cultural missionaries strive to do. We must live with enough faith and love that others will hear about the Lord just from that.
