In 1 Corinthians 9, Paul recommends a model for cross-cultural ministry, becoming like those he serves and ministers for the sake of building relationships and trust. With as much movement and exploration of different cultures we’ll have with 11 countries in 11 months, I can only imagine we’ll be building bridges in a hurry and hopefully effectively as well. I expect there will be many incompatibilities with the people we’ll meet along the way, but also among our team. With the help of Sherwood Lingenfelter’s book “Ministering Cross-Culturally” (and Ivan, who recommended this book), I’ve learned a few things about myself and my culture (a combination of American culture and progressive Chinese culture).
- Time Orientation vs. Event Orientation. In America, I have been trained to be on time, even early, and my patience is tested frequently when people arrive late to therapy sessions or show up without an appointment. Reorienting myself to time without a clock or watch will be challenging. I expect I will also learn to accept that my schedule does not have to be tightly packed with goal-directed activities to be productive.
- Dichotomistic Thinking vs. Holistic Thinking. I have been accused of being a black and white thinker. While therapy has taught me to appreciate the gray, taking into consideration the whole person and their unique circumstances, I would still say I am a rather detail oriented, patterned and organized person. Much of my security comes from discovering my particular role and living it out rather than exploring other roles. However, much of this journey is about discovering what other roles I may fill outside of the box I have pigeon-holed myself into.
- Crisis Orientation vs. Noncrisis Orientation. I like to believe that I am calm in chaotic and crisis situations, always prepared for the worst case scenario. However, until I am actually in a truly crisis situation, I can’t say what I will actually do. I recognize that planning can only go so far and wonder if expecting and hoping for the best may in fact be more edifying to my team and prevent anxiety. This year, I hope God will take me further than before and I in turn will take God out of the box.
- Task Orientation vs. Person Orientation. While I like to think of myself as more person and relationship oriented, I have come to realize that I am more task oriented than I would like to think, with a drive to accomplish and achieve. I expect that I will feel lonely at times, alone in my individual struggles, feeling misunderstood, or lost in a vast sea of culturally different people. I expect that I will also become overwhelmed by the people and want to retreat into a corner to find solitude and rest.
- Status Focus vs. Achievement Focus. In my book, respect is earned, not ascribed. My personal history has taught me that you can come from any background and still accomplish much. My grandpa emphasized an education, my parents emphasized hard work and I have always firmly believed in the story of the underdog who overcomes his or her ascribed status and achieves what was thought to be impossible. I expect that this year will demonstrate the constraints and privileges of social order based on status and humble me in the small ways people achieve victories and earn respect.
- Concealment of Vulnerability vs. Willingness to Expose Vulnerability. Before going to training camp, my mom told me I don’t always need to be strong, that I can show weakness and be real. I need to take more of her wise advice. 😉
“Attempting to belong to groups whose standards are in conflict with ours produces emotional stress within us and antagonism in our relationships with others… The essence of the incarnation is entering the cultural prison of others and submitting to it for the sake of the gospel.” Ideally, I would write here that I choose submission today. However, truth be told, I can’t predict what I’ll choose until I arrive in each place, observe each culture, engage the people, and daily decide to humble myself and submit my culture to become more like Christ serving other cultures. In another year, ask me if I chose wisely.
