AFM THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

PROGRAM: DIPLOMA IN THEOLOGY

COURSE: CROSS CULTURAL MISSIONS

FIRST SEMESTER 2020

CONTACT: CELL 0774064975

EMAIL: [email protected]

LECTURER: Rev Caesar Magwentshu

( Dip Theology, BA Theology,) MA Leadership, PHD Missiology, Phd Sociology Student

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CROSS CULTURAL MISSIONS

COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OVERVIEW

Welcome to the course of cross cultural missions.

This course in missiology looks at the cross cultural dynamics involved in modern missions with
a special challenge for the African church to spearhead missions. It is an elementary or
introductory course which will introduce you to issues related to culture and missions. It will
help you discover current problems like: How do cultural differences affect the way people
interact? How might one improve his/her communicative skills in a shrinking world? The most
important aspect of the course relates to the word: mission.

The course is dedicated to the special task of helping the person who would become a “ sent one”
to present Christ and His kingdom in an environment other than his/her own, familiar to his
culture. This course attempts to help the student discover answers to these current problems. To
do this we address, in turn: the relationship of communication and culture, how to reach people
where they are, how different people think and express ideas across cultures and subcultures
within a culture and how the thought and expression of people affect their behavior.

It is important to note that there is a biblical mandate for cross-cultural missions.( Genesis
1:1 ,26- 28 ; 3; 15; Exodus 19:3-6; Matthew 24: 14; 28:18-20; Acts 1: 8) and many other
Scriptures. The Bible is about missions. The author in Matthew 28 chooses the Greek word
“poreuthentes” (Go ye therefore) which means “depart, to leave, to cross boundaries,
sociological boundaries, racial boundaries, geographical boundaries and cultural boundaries.

Brethren, days and ages may change as the church carries on her mission, but one fact never
changes: Jesus Christ is urging on His church to complete her missionary calling as He
guides her to her final destination. This missionary movement which emanates from Him will
not cease until the end of the world.

Patrick Johnstone in his book, “The Church is Bigger Than You Think” writes, “Scripture,
theology, the church and even Christians would not exist without missions. Therefore a theology
without missions is not a biblical theology, a church without a mission is no longer truly the

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church and a Christian without a mission is no disciple. For Christians, missions is not an
optional extra for the fanatical few or for specially the anointed, it is a fundamental definitive of
who we are in Christ.

A. COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1. Understand the concept of communication, cross- cultural aspects and the process of effective
communication.

2. Describe some cross cultural problems that hinder and some cross cultural conditions that help
the process of effective communication.

3. Understand the role of culture in communicating the gospel.

4. Define and explain culture from both a secular and Christian perspective.
5. Be aware of dangers of ethnocentrism and cultural relativism.
Describe and critique Christian attitudes toward culture.
6. Define the term “world views” and describe both their similarities and differences among
various world views.
7. Know seven dimensions of cross-cultural communications and be able to give examples of
each.
8. Describe ways of thinking among human cultures and explain how a Christian witness can
increase his/her ability to communicate Christ to people who think in each of these ways eg,
African traditional religions, deviating beliefs, African indigenous churches, ideologies:
Muslims, Hindis etc.

9. Understand the biblical, theological, historical, strategic and cultural roots from which
contemporary missions have development.

10. Understand critical issues and trends in contemporary missions.

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B. TOPICS TO BE COVERED

1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO CROSS –CULTURAL COMMUNICATIONS.

1. 1. Definition

1.2. The concept of communication.

1.3. Man the communicator.

1.4. Basic principles of communication.

1.5. Communication and mission.

1.6. Implications of Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
2. UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF CULTURE

2.1. The basics of culture

2.2. What is culture?

2.3 .Characteristics of culture

2.4. Culture and cross -cultural differences

2.5. Cross-cultural misunderstandings.

2.5.1. Ethnocentrism

2.5.2. Cultural encapsulation

2.5.3. Cultural relativism

2.5.4. Preferred responses

3. COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE

3.1. The role of culture in missionary communication

3.2. The cultural barrier to missionary communication

3.3. A three- culture model of missionary communication

3.4. Confrontation of culture by Christ.

3.4.1. Christ against culture

3.4.2. Christ of culture

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3.4.3. Christ above culture

3.4.4. Christ and culture in paradox

3.4.5. Christ the transformer of culture

3.5. Cross- cultural identification

3.6. Dimensions of cross –cultural communication

3.6.1. World views: ways of perceiving the world

3.6.2. Cognitive processes: ways of thinking

3.6.3. Linguistic forms: ways of expressing ideas

3.6.4. Behavioral patterns: ways of acting

3.6.5. Social structures: ways of interacting

3.6.6. Media influence: ways of channeling the message

3.6.7. Motivational resources: ways of deciding.

3.7. Pre-conditions for effective cross-cultural communication

4. WORLD VIEW AND MISSIONARY COMMUNICATION

4.1. Ways of perceiving the world

4.2. Introduction to world views

4.2.1. What is a worldview?

4.2.2. The need for a worldview

4.2.3. How is a person’s worldview formed?

4.3. Categorizing world views

4.4. World view and contextualization

4.5. Contextualization and syncretism

4.5.1. Contextualization

4.5.2. Syncretism

4.6. Communicating to peoples of different world views.

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4.7. Recommendations for dialogue

4.8. Guidelines for the development of such a dialogue

C. COURSE TEACHING METHODS

The methods used in class will include, but not limited to. Lecture, discussion groups, question
and answer and brainstorming

D.CLASS REQUIREMENTS

Students should read assigned and relevant literature, research, take notes and be ready to
participate in class discussions. You will be given assignments; they will be 5 pages if typed and
at least 10 pages if handwritten. In all issues a biblical view should be brought out clearly. The
assignment will account for 40% of the final grade.
The remaining 60% to be determined by written examination.

E. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Ethics copyright law and courtesy require a student to properly acknowledge the sources cited in
a student paper. Plagiarism, derived from the Latin plagium( kidnapper) is a legal term that
denotes a violation of copyright laws. Literally, the concept means cheating by taking another
person’s research concepts or ideas and attributing them to oneself.
All texts as well as ideas borrowed from another source must be properly credited with citations.
Failure to identify sources may result in a failing grade.( cheating, plagiarism, fabrication,
obtaining an unfair advantage)

F.COURSE ATTENDANCE
1. Attending and participating in all lectures.
This course requires attendance and participation at all class sessions. Class lectures and
discussions will be based on the assumption that you will have completed all of your assigned
reading by the required dates. Tardiness, unexcused absence and lack of participation will impact

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your final grade. Students are expected to be creative. Research and initiative should characterize
all course objectives.

BIBLIOGRAPHY/RESOURCES

1. David J Hesselgrave, Communicating Christ Cross Culturally, Zondervan Publishing House,

Grand Rapids, Michigan(1991)

2. Ralph D Winter and Steven C Hawthorne, Perspective on the World Christian Movement,
Willian Carey Library, Pasadena, California ( 1992)

3. Jonathan Lewis, World Mission, Part 3, Cross Cultural Considerations. William Carey
Library, Pasadena, California (1994)

4. SteefVan’t Slot, World Evangelization Course, Hebron Ministries, South Africa (2000)

5. Dudley J Reed, Cross cultural Communication of the Gospel, Seminar Notes, South Africa.

6. Sherwood G Lingenfeller and Marvin K Mayers, Ministering cross Cultural, Baker House,
Grand Rapids, Michgan.

7. Reflecting on Mission in the African Context, Pro Christo Publications, Bloemfontein, South
Africa (1996)
8.Hesselgrave, David J. Communicating Christ Cross- Culturally. Grand Rapids: Zondervan,
1978.
9.Hiebert, Paul G. Cultural Anthropology. Grand Rapids:
Baker Book House, 1983.
10.King, Roberta. “MB540: Intercultural Communication.”
Unpublished syllabus, Fuller Theological Seminary,Fall 2002.
11.Kluckhohn, Clyde. Culture and Behavior. New York: Free Press, 1962.
12.Kroeber, Alfred, and Clyde Kluckhohn. Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and
Definitions. Cambridge, MA: The Museum, 1952.

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LESSON 1

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

The challenge of Cross – Cultural Communications

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, students should
• understand the meaning of “communicate”
• identify why communication is an intrinsic part of human nature
• illustrate the ways in which God has communicated with humankind
• know the content and intention of God’s communication with humankind.
• identify the major themes and events of communication in Scripture
• practice skills as communicating agents of the gospel

Many diplomats and political leaders of the world believe that only through successful cross-
cultural communications will mankind and society survive. Because of the vast improvement in
transportation in the last few decades, the world is indeed becoming a global village. However,
man’s ability to communicate well with his once distant neighbors has not kept pace.

Living in a Multicultural World

We are living in a multicultural world that is patently and increasingly diverse. Several
phenomena are responsible for this new reality.
The increased world population, now at over 6,300,000,000 people (2002 estimate), means that
in those inhabitable regions of the world, there is incredible jostling for position and power in the
context of limited resources. The greatest increases are seen in the non-White portions of the
world, especially in the developing countries.
Migration, both external (that is from country to country) and internal (within countries, usually
to urban areas), is occurring at a pace greater than ever before. Like the weather phenomenon of
“high pressure” winds blowing toward “low pressure,” masses of people move from

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economically and politically troubled places of the world to those that are more secure, despite
laws and limitations.
Increased communication has allowed the vast majority of the world the occasion to see how
wealthier nations live. They have become more conversant with Western values and politics than
have Westerners learned to understand other cultures.
There is an emerging international culture where English, secularism, the Internet and mass
communications, credit cards, and McDonald’s prevail.
On the other hand, there is the proliferation of new subcultures that are a reaction to this. They
represent a contrary and intentional desire to turn away from this movement toward international
culture, with split-off subcultures that reference the past, religious alternatives, or cult
personalities.
Those called to communicate the gospel necessarily need to understand the significance of these
new demographic developments. As recently as the 1950s, it was understood that the mandate of
the gospel was to send missionaries around the world to convert the heathen. Now it is
increasingly apparent that the mission field has come into our neighborhood. How will we
engage it?
In modern age technology the overseas witnesses of Christ has found it increasingly easy to go
and live in formerly hostile geographical areas of the world. Electronic communication is a
modern wonder that allows great segments of the earth’s population to witness a single event
simultaneously. The increasing contact between people who are culturally very different is our
central problem. Human communication between members of the same race, community and
even the same family is very difficult. In addition, communication between different kinds of
people demands much attention and effort.

Good understanding between people does not just happen naturally. The person who aspires to
be an effective witness for Christ should know this about the process of human dialogue: any
message ends up being more a product of the receiver than the sender is. Gospel communication
must stop believing the old false idea that “meaning are mainly in words” Research and objective
experience show that “meaning is primarily in people.”

Hesselgrave says, “meaning is to be found in persons, in sources and receptors (particularly the
latter because that is in keeping with Kraft’s receptor-oriented approach to communication.1

Any cross-cultural communicator will be successful in the measure that he learns enough about
his hearers to properly adapt his message to them. The purpose of a cross-cultural communicator
is to cause his audience of one corresponds with what he intends.

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The sender of a message is responsible to be “receiver oriented “. The words and symbols used
by the sender must be chosen carefully on the basis of his best understanding of what their
impact on the receiver will be. Cross – cultural communication is a rapidly – growing and
popular subject – not just in the world of Christian witness. The disciplines of philosophy,
psychology, theology, the social sciences and others are recognizing the importance of studying
communications. It is an inter disciplinary subject .No matter where one’s interest and learning
are centered ,if he wishes to transfer his learning to someone else , a study and understanding of
communications in general will enhance any other area of knowledge .Therefore the study of
cross-cultural communication is a very practical pursuit .

Hesselgrave in his preface says, “if the Christian mission were something to be played,
communication would be the name of the game. As it is, the Christian mission is serious business
– the King’s business. In it missionaries have ambassadorial rank. Their special task is to cross
– cultural and other boundaries in order to communicate Christ” 2

I will present in detail various aspects of cross – cultural communication in general with specific
emphasis on such communication of the Christian message. I have already here in my
introduction pointed to the general need for cross – cultural communication in our study and
accomplishment of such communication is the conviction of the importance of presenting Christ
to people everywhere.

1. 1. DEFINITION

Cross- cultural communication is the way people of a society convey ideas to those of another
society who differ in such areas as language, values, thought forms and behavior.

It is a field of study that looks at how people from differing cultural backgrounds communicate
in similar and different ways among themselves and how they endeavor to communicate across
cultures.

1. 2. THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNICATION

What Does It Mean to Communicate?

The root of the word “communicate” is the Latin word communis.
Communis is related to these words:
• Common—having in common; sharing the same things
• Commune—beyond simple sharing, to a commitment to one another in broad areas of living
• Community—sharing the same geographical space or special interests

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• Communism—a political system that seeks to make people have all things in common
• Communication—a constantly broadening involvement that finds and builds more and more
commonness, more areas of sharing
Evangelism only takes place when there is communication; communication only takes place
when there is involvement.

This means we have to establish “commonness “with someone to have communication. The
“commonness” is to be found in mutually shared codes, such as language and symbols. Symbols
can be expressed in allegorical language, but also through gestures or body language (and such is
non-verbal “3

Communication has been defined as the transfer of meaning through the use of symbols.
Hesselgrave quotes Emery, Ault and Agee who says, “Communication is the art of transmitting
information, ideas and attitudes from one person to another.”4

Communication is the process by which a person(s) tries to bring a message to another person(s)
through symbols, words or gestures in such a way that the latter succeeds in grasping the
intended meaning.

It is clear from the description above that in the process of communication two realities are
evident:

1. Communication involves a relationship between two people and a form of intercourse between
them.

2. Communication is also concerned with other factors: with instruments of communication, with
messages, with information which is transferred and received.

THE COMMUNICATION THEORY

There are different models of the communication process, but the most widely used is the
cybernetic model. This grows out of telecommunication and computer technology. It contains
such elements as a sender, receiver, channel, code, encoder, decoder, noise and feedback.
(Communicating Christ cross-culturally, 1991, pg40)

Let us consider the terms we employ in the communication theory

1. ENCODING

Through the process of encoding the source transmit the message using a coded system such as
the English language. The source takes into consideration a number of things: is the respondent
male or female? older or younger? The language he or she speaks. These and many more pieces
of information go through the mind, often in only a few seconds. In this way the source is getting
ready to communicate a meaningful message, which contains an idea. This means encoding

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according to Hesselgrave ,“involves the utilization of mind and body to put the message, which
previously existed only in the form of idea and impulses within the source, into some kind of
codes such as the French language, Indian smoke signals or the beat of the talking drums of
Africa.” (Hesselgrave 1991, pg 41)

How does the source of communication encode a message in His/her mind?

Raymonds Ross in his book, Persuasion: Communication and interpersonal Relations 194 on
page 58, he says,“The mind understands ideas from what has been stored in it before. That is
memory from past learning, attitudes, feelings and deep cultural values that are stored up in
millions of electronic slots.”

This means when you compose a message to be sent, you quickly sort through that mass of
stored information and select what you think will be best for the subject matter, respondent and
situation and these are three important elements for the source to consider before sending an
encoded message. Your selection of material from the storage slots in your mind takes up the
message to be sent. This material may consist of verbal symbols or non-verbal symbols

For example, the concept of trust. You would consider: What do I have in my storage slots about
trust. What do I know about my audience? How might the present situation or context affect the
transaction of communication?

(Outstanding in his field, nurse and a red light)

2.DECODING

Decoding helps the respondent understand the message, which he feeds back to the sender. He
does not use the sender’s process of mental selection; important he must use his own, which is
based on his own set of past learning, experiences, values and attitude. This helps us to
understand that meaning is not in words. Hesselgrave says, “It is to note that ‘the message’ never
exist in the sense of having an independent existence. Much misunderstanding would be averted
if we could but grasp the fact that in a primary sense messages are in human being – in sources
and receptors.” (C.C.C.C. Page 41)

On page 63 Hessselgrave again says “Meaning is to be found in persons, in sources and

receptors particularly the latter because that is in keeping with Kraft’s receptor-oriented
approach to communication.”

He also quotes David Berlo, who says, “Meanings are in people … They are in us, not in
messages … communication do not consist of the transmission of meaning. Meanings are neither
transmittable nor transferrable. Only messages are transmittable and meanings are not in the
message, they are in the message users”. (C.C.C.C PG 63)

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This brings us to something termed intentional communication..This is a process involving
conscious selecting of information from the mind’s storage slots for sending symbols. It is done
in such a way as to help another person find from his own stored information and experience a
meaning similar to that intended by the sender.

3. CONTEXT

These point to sentences that surround the phrase in question. Hesselgrave says,“ the context of
messages must be taken into account whether they be the sentences in a book that surround the
phrase in question, the occasion at which a speech is delivered or the place and time of a
conversation.” (C.C.C.C PG 53).

4. FEEDBACK

Feedback helps to know whether we have been understood or not, for true communication is
always two ways. Feedback is important to effective communication. Hesselgrave says, “Good
communicators pay attention to it and make necessary compensation”. (C.C.C.C pg 52)

Hesselgrave in emphasizing the importance of feedback says,“ One of the problems with a good
deal of contemporary sermonizing is that it is monological or one-way from preacher to
congregation, with very little attention to audience analysis and response. Effective preachers
learn to preach ‘dialogically’ in the sense that they anticipate audience questions and reaction,
are alert to feedback in the forms of attention, restlessness and so forth and adjust that their
sermonic communication accordingly. And some preachers are discovering advantages of
scheduling occasions when full dialogue can be employed, when members of the audience can
raise questions, voice objections, provide illustrations, or whatever- concurrent with the sermon
delivery”.

5. MESSAGE

It exists in the source in encoded form. Refer what we said on point 1 on encoding.

6. NON-VERBAL CODE

There are verbal and non-verbal codes. Verbal communication means that the message has been
put into one form or another of a language code. It is usually thought of as existing in two forms,
the spoken and the written, but spoken language takes precedence. Non-verbal communication
involves the encoding of a message by means of some code other than a linguistic one.

7. NOISE

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These are unintended factors that adversely affect communication, e.g. street sound, room
temperature, behavior of certain individuals etc. communication can be aided by reducing the
influence of “noise” as much as possible.

INTENTIONAL COMMUNICATION

Intentional communication is a process involving a conscious selecting of information from the

mind’s storage slots for sending symbols. It is done in such a way as to help another person find
from his own stored information and experience a meaning similar to that intended by the sender.
The respondent during a successful intentional communication receives the encoded message
and seeks to find a similar meaning for the message from the information stored in his or her
mind.

OVERLAPPING OF UNDERSTANDING

Overlapping of understanding enlarges the success of communication. It is important for any

communicator to communicate in such a way that there would be a mutual understanding
between the sender and the receptor. Increased mutual understanding between the source and
receiver in the communication of the gospel of Christ increases the success of that
communication and it happens through the overlapping of understanding caused by having the
same language, have been exposed to some of the same values, have both shared stable home
lives and had similar educational experiences.

Any communicator can increase the overlapping of understanding between himself and the
respondent by:

(1) Identifying items of difference between them that might prevent or hinder mutual
understanding.

(2) Modifying the encoded message in a manner that will cause the understanding of the
respondent to overlap in a greater measure with the understanding of the communicator.

Where does the need to communicate come from?

Communication is built into our physical/biological makeup: our senses of seeing, hearing,
smelling, touching, and feeling are the doors that open communication.
Communication is built into our social apparatus: our social survival depends on it.
The recognition that solitary Adam needed a partner, someone with whom to communicate, is
part of the creation story (Gen 2:18). The family was the first social unit.
Communication is built into our spiritual nature. Let’s consider four biblical indications of this:

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1. God is community. He is presented initially as the plural Elohim. “Let us make humanity in
our image” (Gen 1:26). Some commentators see in this the plural nature of God. Elohim is
expressed 27 times in Genesis 1, perhaps intimating the community nature of God, later
expressed in the Trinity. Therefore God is always in communication with the three expressions
of His being—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
2.Humans are also made in the image of God (Gen 1:26), mirroring not only the community
but also sharing God’s need or example to communicate to humankind, as in His conversations
with Adam in the Garden of Eden, “the Lord God commanded the human” (Gen 2:16).
3. The Fall was a failure to obey a communication (Gen 3:1-8). In the failure of Adam and
Eve to obey the instructions given by God, the result has been the universal human propensity to
selfishness, curvatum in se, turning in on oneself, resulting in broken communion with God and
with neighbor. It creates an “Us/Them” mentality.
Later we see the continuation of the collapse of communication in the sin of Cain and the
resultant fractured relationship with his own family (Genesis 4:1- 16).
A further example of the breakdown of communication is seen in the incident of the Tower of
Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) where the arrogance and self-importance of the locals resulted in the
collapse of communication through the diversity of languages and the dispersion of the people
groups.
4. The gospel as recorded by St. John begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The Greek word used here is logos, which
means “word.” The notion of communication is embedded in the word’s meaning. In the
Incarnation, God communicated with us by disclosing himself fully in the life, death,
resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, Jesus Christ. The Letter to the Hebrews adds to our
understanding. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and
in various ways. But in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir
of all things, and through whom he made the universe” (Hebrews 1:1-2).
1. 3. Man the communicator

God created man with the ability to communicate. He has been given the ability to assign a
meaning to an object or a symbol. Your ability to read these words is a proof of the fact. S. I
Hayakawa refers to the source of the ability to assign meaning to word symbols and to other
symbols as “trained patterns of response” .According to Hayakawa, patterns of reaction,
assigning meaning to symbols is based on what has already been learned.

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1.4. Basic Principles of communication

The purpose of communication is to bring a receptor (the person receiving the message) to
understand a message presented by a communicator (the source) in a way that substantially
corresponds with the intent of the communicator.

In any communicative event there is always present a primary message (usually intended by the
communicator) as well as secondary message such as the communicator’s attitude towards him
or herself, the message, the receptor, life in general and so forth (the latter are called Para-
messages and are usually unintended).

The communicator’s problem is to convey the primary message in such a way that the receptor
understands it in the way it is intended. This should involve a minimum interference of Para-
messages.

What is understood is at least as dependant on how the receptor perceives the message (plus the
Para-messages) as how the communicator presents it.

The mutual life experience, the communicator and receptor have had of the symbols (such as
words and gestures) used by them in the process of communication, is the basis of good
communication. However this experience is never the same for both of them. The fact as well as
the presence of Para-messages means that the receptor will never understand the communicator’s
intended message completely. The receptor is the final formulator of the message.

Communicators present messages via cultural forms (symbols) that stimulate within the
receptor’s minds meaning that each receptor shapes into the message that he or she ultimately
hears. Meanings are not transmitted, only messages.

A receptor is already loaded with material built up during his or her life within a particular
culture. What the receptor responds to in the communication process is the result of the impact of
the symbols (cultural forms) on the concepts that already exists in his or her mind.

The communicator, to communicate the message effectively, must be receptor -oriented.

It is inadequate only to make sure that the message is accurate and correct. It is necessary to also
determine accuracy and correctness of the message from how the receptor has understood it.

If the communicator’s message is to influence the receptor it must be presented with an

appropriate degree of impact.

There are different kinds of messages, e.g. merely informative messages or messages intended to
alter the behavior of a person. if the latter is the intention of the communicator, symbols should
be employed which will stimulate within the receptor the desired effect. This can be done best by
connecting the message to a felt need or providing a stimulus which will create such a need in
the receptor. Such a stimulus is here termed “impact.”
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The communication with the greatest impact results from person to person interaction.

Messages are made credible or non-credible by the nature of their relationship to the life of the
communicator, on the other hand and to that of the receptor on the other hand. The most
effective communication occurs in the case of prolonged involvement of one person with
another.

Communication is most effective when communicator, message and receptor participate in the
same context, setting or frame of reference. In those cases where culture, sub-cultural, linguistic
and experiential frames of reference are shared, the symbols employed in the message will be
best understood.

Communication is most effective when the communicator has earned credibility as a respectable
human being within the chosen frame of reference. Lack of credibility on the part of the
communicator can severely hamper the ability to communicate the message. The communicator
bases a great deal of credibility when he or she is classified by the receptor into some isolated
stereotype (label) such as doctor, clergyman or foreigner. This should be avoided by acting
unpredictably in terms of the receptor’s stereotype.

Communication is most effective when the message is understood by the receptor to relate
specifically to life as the receptor lives it. General messages have low impact on the receptor, but
messages related to day to day life and personal needs have a high impact.

Communication is most effective when the receptor, discovers: (1) an ability to identify at least
partially with the communicator and (2) the relevance of the message to his or her own life.

When the communicator and the message have the proper impact on the receptor, the latter
responds by discovering a life-changing relationship to both of them

1.5.Communication and mission

God sent Jesus to our world, He is the eternal Word of God (John 1: 1). Jesus established the
church and this church is built upon the Word of God. The Church received the calling from its
Master to proclaim or communicate the Message of the Gospel to all people living on the face of
the earth. Thus communication is basic to the church’s existence and in this respect the church
itself is a communicating community that should listen to the Bible and interpret it to others. Its
mandate to move out beyond its own borders to the outside world implies that communication is
not merely a hobby, but part of the church’s life itself. The relationship between church and
world may be seen in the following way. The church is a community in which communication is
an essential factor. This communication centers on the living Word of God rules the church. The
possibility of communicating by the church evolves around its life.

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By way of its communal life and internal communication the church grows and the number of its
followers increases. However, communication leads to further communication. From the
communication which takes place in the church as well as from the church’s witness in the
world, new communication is born. The message which the church proclaims to the world
stimulates people to respond with the result that they are drawn into the church’s communication
process. In this way new possibilities of communication around the living Word of God come
into being. The process is not yet completed. It will continue until the consummation. The Bible
put it in this way. “And this Gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the word for a
witness unto all nations and then shall the end come” (Matthew 24: 14 KJV)
1.6. Implications of Effective Cross-Cultural Communication
What are the implications of effective cross-cultural communication as understood by the
Christian?
Let’s consider seven practical consequences.
1. We become transformed into world Christians, people with a perspective of Christianity not
culturally bound to one singular and supreme localized model.
2. We take on the mandate of the gospel to minister to all peoples.
The Christian acknowledges and supports the desire of God to reach all peoples.
3. We become partners with God in His mission to the world. The Christian seeks to discover
God’s strategies to reach all peoples, and appropriate those strategies for his or her purposes in
life.
4. We serve as witnesses to God’s multicultural design for redemption. The Christian celebrates
and exalts those expressions of the gospel that speak to the whole range of humanity.
5. We become agents of hope and transformation. The message of the gospel is not one of
legalism, license, or parochialism—narrowing down to just “our” group—but it offers a message
of transcendent hope that all peoples are not only valued but capable through the redeeming
activity of God to live as brothers and sisters.
6. We engage the gospel in multicultural forms. If the message is to reach people of various
histories, worldviews, and cultures, it is necessary to learn the skills of communicating the very
nature of the gospel itself in multicultural forms.
7. We recognize God’s multi-varied expressions of the Kingdom. The Christian appreciates the
diversity of expressions among diverse peoples of the Kingdom itself, recognizing that culture

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and worldview are the “manger” or “cradle,” that is, the institutional and thought structures that
hold the Christ child.
LESSON 2

UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS OF CULTURE

LEARNER OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, participants should

 Explain the meaning of the term “culture” and its hold on individual and collective life.
 Identify a variety of ways in which one is a creature of culture.
 Identify within oneself any tendencies to ethnocentrism or to culture pluralism.
 Know various Christian attitudes toward culture and the implications of each on
communication.
 Identify one’s own attitude toward culture and how Christianity ought to respond to it.
 Know how the kingdom of God shapes us into a new culture orientation

It is important for any serious communicator of the Gospel to have a basic knowledge of culture.
One need a basic understanding of the conceptual tools used in cultural anthropology (the study
of cultures) Learning culture helps to promote the process of identification and adaptation.

Understanding culture is to deal with what is culture. It includes definition( e.g. culture is a way
of thinking, feeling, believing) characteristics ( e.g. culture is learned, shared, integrated,
changes) categories or types ( e.g. technological, sociological, ideological) layers ( e.g. 1 st level
– ideology, cosmology, worldview; 2 nd level – values; 3 rd levels – institutions; and 4 th level –
material artifacts and observable behavior.( Hesselgrave pp 100-102)

The basics of culture

Part of the problem of communication stems from the fact that human beings are all packaged
into cultures: some are massive cultures that enfold tens of millions of people; others, especially
within tribal societies, may include only a few dozens. These cultures influence us more than we
imagine. In large part, our cultural upbringing molds the way we act, feel and think toward all
aspects of life.

Some cultures allow considerable, individual self –expression where there is given greater
autonomy to act, feel, and think, outside or beyond the culture. Other cultures allow little

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tolerance. Communication is always set in the context of culture, because culture itself forms the
way in which people respond to sensory stimulus or data. First it is necessary to define some
terms.

WHAT IS CULTURE?

1.1. DEFINITION OF CULTURE

Since the term culture is central to our discussion, it deserves particular attention and definition.
Even though the concept behind the word is ancient and it is used frequently in many different
contexts, its actual meaning is elusive and often confusing.

I put some definitions of culture in order to reflect how it bears such a wide scope of meaning.

T. S. Eliot has written that culture “may… Be described simply as that which makes life worth
living.( Christianity and culture pg 100)

Emil Brunner has stated that “culture is materialization of meaning.”(Christianity and civilization
pg 62)

Ralph D Winter and Steven C Hawthorne say, “Culture is the integrated system of learned
patterns of behavior, ideas and products characteristics of a society.”(Perspectives pg c-9)

Steef Van’t Slot defines culture as a way of thinking, feeling, believing .It is group’s knowledge
for future use. It is a design for living. It is a plan according to which society adapts itself to its
physical, social and ideational environment.( World evangelization 2000, pg 59)

In Clifford Geetz’s understanding, culture is the glue that gives coherence (consistency, unity,
rationality, logic, reason) to a particular worldview. In today’s globalized concept of culture, the
understanding of culture is dealt under the rubrics of social location and social change.”(Models
of Contextual Theology, Revised and Expanded, pg 146, footnote 16)

An anthropologist, E Adamson Hoebly believes that culture: is the integrated system of learned
behavior patterns which are characteristic of the members of society and which are not a result of
biological inheritance.(Anthropology: The Study of Man 3d ed 1966, pg 5)

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According to anthropologists culture includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and
any other capacities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. Culture is the sum total
of the knowledge, attitudes, and habitual behavior patterns shared and transmitted by the
members of a particular society.( Culture: The Missing Link in Mission 1996, pg 171)

Kluckholn says, “Culture is a way of thinking, feeling, believing. It is the group’s knowledge
stored for future use.”

Luzbetak writes: Culture is a design for living. It is a plan according to which society adapts
itself to its physical, social and ideational environment .A plan for coping with the physical
environment would include such matters as food production and all technological knowledge and
skill. Political systems, kinships and family organization, and law are examples of social
adaptation, a plan according to which one is to interact with his fellows. Man copes with his
ideational environment through knowledge, art, magic, science, philosophy and religion.
Cultures are but different answers to essentially the same human problems. (Communicating
Christ Cross-Culturally, pg 100)

CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE

Culture is learned- it is biologically determined or restricted by race, ethnicity, etc. Being

hungry is not cultural; however, food tastes may be, and the manner of eating food with fingers,
chopsticks or silverware definitely is.

Culture is shared – it is held in common by a society. Everybody understands the meaning of the
flag, or traffic lights or money system.

On the other hand, the glory of a sunrise or the fear of thunder is not cultural responses. They are
universal.

Culture is integrated. - All of the parts function in such a way as to affect each other and
contribute to the totality. However, not all parts function smoothly. Germ theory led us to create
raised platforms called tables and chairs and we wear shoes to remove us from dirty earth.

Culture is changing – as a result of innovations, internal pressures and cross – cultural

borrowing. Some cultures change rapidly, others more slowly. We tend to change artifacts and

21
technology much more quickly than behaviors. Worldviews tend to change more slowly than
ideas or products.

Culture is universal – all peoples are profoundly influenced and affected by culture. In this
study, we do not talk of people with high culture, that is proper manners. These would be a
sophisticated sub - culture of socioeconomic individuals.

Culture Is Made Up of at Least Three Prominent Layers.

Technological culture: includes artifacts and activities designed to manipulate the material
world.
Often these are described as “tools” ranging from toothpicks to atomic bombs.
Sociological culture: includes those patterns of relationships and behavior that govern
interaction between individuals and groups. These can be kinship or family networks,
professional associations, even international coalitions.
Ideological culture: includes the knowledge, beliefs, worldview and values of a people. This
can include everything from unwritten codes of public manners, to cultural values, such as the
value of saving, hard work, private ownership, and equality.
Hesselgrave says, “Intercultural communication is as complex as the sum total of human
differences. Since the word culture is a very inclusive term, it takes into account linguistic,
political, economic, social, psychological, religious, national, racial and still other differences.
( ibid pg 99)

It is important for the missionary to understand culture and cultures equally – his own and his
respondents

This means culture is the way a particular people organize their world. Culture is an integrated
system of beliefs ( about God or reality or ultimate meaning)of values ( about what is true, good,
beautiful and normative) of customs( how to behave, relate to others, talk, pray, dress, work ,
play, trade ,farm ,eat, etc) and of institutions which express these beliefs, values and
customs( government ,law courts, temples, or churches, family ,schools ,hospitals ,factories,
shops ,unions, clubs, etc)which binds a society together and gives it sense of identity,
dignity ,security and continuity.

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All these definitions can be combined to include the worldviews, actions and products of a given
community of people.

Lloyd E Kwast says, “The most basic procedure in a study of culture is to become a master of
one’s own. Everyone has a culture and no one can ever divorce himself from his culture.” He
also says one helpful method is to view a culture, visualizing several successive layers or levels
of understanding, as one move into the real heart of the culture.”(Perspectives pg c-3)

We are to observe and analyze culture and make decisions regarding our proper actions and
reactions within it.

The first thing to consider in learning culture is:

BEHAVIOUR

This is the outer and most superficial layer of what would be observed by any foreigner. This
addresses the question of meaning, e.g why do people behave the way they behave? Culture
provides the patterned way of doing things.

Lloyd says, “Culture is a super glue which binds people together and gives them a sense of
identity and continuity which is almost impenetrable,” (Lloyd Perspectives pg c-4)

VALUES

These are “preset” decisions that a culture makes between choices commonly faced. The issue of
cultural values concerns choices of what is good, what is beneficial or what is best. It helps those
who live within the culture to know what “should or “ought” to be done in order to “fit in” or
conform to the pattern of life.

BELIEFS

These are learned and shared ways of perceiving or shared cognitive orientation. Beliefs answer
the question like: “What is true?”

WORLD VIEW

This has to do with the way one perceives things and it lies at the very heart of culture. This area
of culture concerns itself with the questions of ultimate reality, questions which are seldom
asked, but to which culture provides its most important answers. This area answers the most
basic question: “What is real?”

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One sown world view provided a system of beliefs which are reflected in his actual values and
behavior.

1.2. CULTURE AND CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES

There are profound differences that exist between cultures. Not only are these differences noted
on the superficial behavioral level of dress, food, language and actions, but at every level these
differences are marked. Values, beliefs and world view vary greatly from culture to culture. Paul
G. Hiebert says, “not only are there difference in the ways people eat, dress, speak and act and
in their values and beliefs, but also in the fundamental assumptions they make about their
world”. (Perspectives 2000, pg c-12)

1.3. CROSS – CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDING

Culture misunderstandings often arise out of actions done subconsciously. This is always
discovered when people from two distinct cultures come into contact with each other conclusions
about one culture are often drawn based on the other person’s cultural assumptions.
Misunderstandings are based on ignorance about another culture. The solution is to learn to
know how the other culture works. Our first task in entering a new culture is to be a student of its
ways.

Ethnocentrism

Ethnocentrism is a form of opposition to change that causes a person or a people to practice

willful cultural isolation. An ethnocentric person is reluctant to accept or participate in strange
cultures. The Natural tendency is the judging of the behavior of other people on the basis of your
own cultural assumptions. It causes a person to look with suspicion on other practices and
customs, believing them to be improper or inferior. Ethnocentrism describes the human
characteristic of non-acceptance of strange cultures not only by Americans in Africa, but by
almost any groups of people living away from home.

Steef van’t Slot says, “Ethnocenrism is something we need to be aware of first and a very good
way of exposing is to go on a (short-term) mission outreach to a different culture. Once aware of
the problem, certainly for the ones that offer such a trip experience a vocation for world
Evangelization, is to make a decision (an inner choice) whether one is willing to learn to
sacrifice his own cultural inclinations for the sake of the Kingdom”(World Evangelization
Courses 2000, pg 61)

Ethnocentrism could be described as the idea: our own cultural traits are better than the cultural
traits of others. Your idea of culture is made up of many categories of attitudes about things,
people, organizations, nature, economics, and politics.

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Let us just comment on two: attitude toward food and attitude toward religious expression.
Cultural encapsulation is seen in the strong feelings most people have toward food and religious
expression.

I have come to believe that one can predict with reasonable accuracy the effectiveness of a
potential cross-cultural communicator, not so much by what kind of food he likes as by how
tenaciously he believes his food is superior to other food. It is not so much the particular
liturgical form he prefers in church as it is the tenacity with which he maintains that his
preference is superior to other preferences.

Cultural encapsulation

We want to identify practices through which people make others aware of their cultural
encapsulation. Some medicine comes in capsules. A capsule contains medication which is
completely enclosed by a plastic – like material that dissolves in the stomach and releases
medication. Our individual cultures completely enclose us, just as surely as if we were existing
in a plastic covering .Cultural encapsulation causes us not to be aware of our own cultural biases.
The fact is most of us are capsulated by our cultures and we are not aware of how it happened.
We are prisoners of our cultural encapsulation by the attitudes and actions of other people
regarding us. We have all sorts of cultural biases with regard to speech accent that identifies you
where you come from and such a region is part of encapsulation, the way you use of time (arrive
early or late), the attitude you have about food preferences are also part of the subconscious
items of your growing up years that you identify you to other people. We are all products of our
particular culture. How we communicate is a direct result of what we are. People judge us by the
way we use personal space in interpersonal relations. They judge us by the way we arrange our
furniture and the way we wear our clothes. They evaluate us by the way we stand or sit, the way
we use our voices and preference to worship.

All these things and many more are practices of persons through which others become aware of
their cultural encapsulation.

Cultural relativism

Here on believes all cultures are successful adaptations to their distinct environment and history
and therefore beyond critique. Example: “When in Romans do as the Romans do.”

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The past culture is rejected as inferior while the new culture is embraced without perceptive
critique. The danger of this position is the it is dishonest, in that it tries unsuccessfully to
suppress the originating culture . Once the local people’s get wind of the disguise, they often are
threatened or amused at the extreme attitude.

Preferred response

Christians should not veer into either of these extremes. Instead they understand that all cultures
are creative attempts to organize and sustain community life within specific environment
conditions. The desire to create culture is God- breathed, part of the prevenient grace (that is, the
preventing grace of God that seeks to protect humans from disastrous vulnerability) implanted in
the nature of all humans.

However, it is acknowledged that culture, like all human institutions, over time, becomes corrupt
and abusive.

Therefore, each culture is a response to divinely instigated urges to organize life meaningfully,
but also expresses with it a poignant mix of good and evil.

Within this understanding, Christian people have responded and reacted to specific cultures out
of their theological attitudes to culture, in general As such, these resources cut across a wide
spectrum of attitudes.

LESSON 3

COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE

1. THE ROLE OF CULTURE IN COMMUNICATION

We need to know that culture is a dominant theme in cross-cultural communication and it is very
important in understanding the whole course. This will help us to communicate to others more
clearly and effectively. Hesselgrave encourages cross cultural witnesses to consider earnestly the
value of the cultural element: a great realization of the importance of culture in communicating
Christ (CCCC PG 95)

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The problem before was the barrier between earth’s people was mainly physical , transporting of
men, messages and material goods across treacherous seas, towering mountains, deserts, but
today we can deliver a man, the Bible anywhere within hours, can transmit pictures and sounds
in seconds.

2. THE CULTURAL BARRIER TO MISSIONARY COMMUNICATION.( cccc. 107-113)

Hesselgrave says, “There is a very real danger that as our technology advances and enables us
to cross geographical and national boundaries with singular ease and increasing frequency, we
may forget that it is the cultural barriers which are the most formidable. The gape between our
technological advances and our communication skills is perhaps one of the most challenging
aspects of modern civilization… Missionaries now understand that much more than a micro-
phone and increased volume is involved in penetrating cultural barriers”.(Perspective Pg. C-35)

Intercultural communication is a complex as the sum total of human differences.

Communicators within the same culture understand each other only about eighty percent of the
time. This fact makes it clear how complex communication becomes when it crosses the
boundaries of language and culture.

Missionaries must come to an even greater realization of the importance of culture in

communicating Christ. They need to know the message for the world, but also the world in
which the message must be communicated. Before preaching you need to study not only the
language but also the audience (audience analysis) you must learn before you can teach, listen
before you can speak. They need to know the message for the world, but also the world in which
the message must be communicated.

3. A THREE-CULTURE MODEL OF MISSIONARY COMMUNICATION

There are always three cultures involved each time a cross-cultural missionary attempts to
communicate: Bible culture, missionary culture and respondent culture.

The source of the missionary’s message is in the Bible. God gave the message through the
apostles and prophets in the languages and cultural contexts of the people of their time. (Bible
culture)

The missionary’s belongs to another culture with its own distinctive language, world-view and
value system (Missionary culture)

There are people who are in another culture with its own sources, messages and respondents.
( The respondent or target culture)

The missionary’s objective is to communicate Christ in such a way to people of another culture
that they will understand, repent and believe the Gospel.

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The missionary is, however, confronted with a formidable task because that culture differs from
his own as well as from the Bible’s and has yet another world-view, language and set of values.
Starting from the missionary’s culture, cultural boundaries must be crossed in two directions.

The missionary stands on the middle ground and looks two directions:

1) He looks to the Scriptures. The message is not really his, did not originate it, he was not there
when it was first given. His own words are not inspired in the biblical sense (1 John 1:1-2)

He knows he must be diligent to present himself approved unto God (2 Timothy 2:15) He must
study and obey the word. His also aware of some dangers (Revelation 22: 18-19)

In summary, in relationship to the biblical message, the missionary is simply a messenger, an

ambassador, a secondary, never a primary source.

The missionary must understand how the hearers in biblical times understood the message
(proper exegesis, decoding) and then translate (encode) that message for the audience in such a
way that they will see it applicable to their own situation.

The missionary’s own fan of perception harmfully influences his interpretation of both the Bible
culture and the respondent culture. This is something missionaries ignore and Bible scholars tend
to forget. The cross-cultural communicator is a prisoner of his own cultural encapsulation.

The Bible interpreter is constantly tempted to project the meanings of his own cultural
background into the exegetical process with the result that the original meaning is lost or
perverted.

Danger lurks on two sides. Firstly, the missionary may not understand the Bible correctly
because he or she is too much influenced by his or her own world-view and value system.
Secondly he or she may be presenting the message in such a way that too much of his or her own
culture is carried over to the audience. In a cross-culture situation, a missionary must actually
ascend above his or her own culture. He or she should become a person of two worlds.

4. CONFRONTATION OF CULTURE BY CHRIST. (cccc 115-129)

Church history demonstrates that one of the constant struggles of Christianity, both individually
and corporately, is with culture. Where should we stand? Inside the culture? Outside? Ignore it?
Isolate ourselves from it? Should we try to transform it?

The theologian Richard Niebuhr provided a classic study concerning these questions in his book
Christ and Culture. Even though his theology is not always evangelical, his paradigm is helpful.
It includes five views.

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4.1. He describes the "Christ against Culture" view.

This view encourages opposition, total separation, and hostility toward culture. It describes those
who choose to isolate themselves from the surrounding culture. To them Christ is the only
authority and culture is to be rejected. Tertullian, Tolstoy, Menno Simons, and Jacques Ellul are
exponents of this position.

4.2. The "Christ of Culture" perspective

This view is exactly the opposite of "Christ against Culture" because it attempts to bring culture
and Christianity together, regardless of their differences. In this view Christianity differs from
culture only in quality and the best culture should be selected to conform to Christ. Cultural
expressions as a whole are accepted uncritically and celebrated as a good thing. In theory, little
or no conflict is seen between culture and Christian truth. Liberation process and feminist
theologies are current examples.

4.3. The "Christ above Culture"

This position attempts to synthesize the issues of culture with the answer of Christian revelation
or "to correlate the fundamental questions of the culture with the answer of Christian
revelation."In this view they believe that the grace of God perfects and completes culture. It is a
medial position between the first two, regards cultural expressions as good, as far as they go.
However, they need to be augmented and perfected by Christian revelation and the work of the
church, with Christ supreme over both. Thomas Aquinas is the most prominent teacher of this
view.

4.4. The "Christ and Culture in Paradox"

This describes the "dualists" who stress that the Christian belongs to two realms (the spiritual
and temporal) and must live in the tension of fulfilling responsibilities to both. It sees human
culture as a good creation that has been tainted with sin. As a result, there is a tension in the
Christian’s relationship to culture, simultaneously embracing and rejecting certain aspects of it.

It refers to those who understand the tension between the Christian’s responsibility to both the
cultural and the spiritual realms. In this view the believer lives with the tension of obeying the
authority of Christ and the authority of culture. Luther adopted this view.

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4.5. The "Christ the Transformer of Culture"

This view recognizes human culture as initially good and subsequently corrupted by the fall.
This includes the "conversionists" who attempt "to convert the values and goals of secular
culture into the service of the kingdom of God."In this view they believe that in Christ, man is
redeemed and culture can be renewed to glorify God. They say that the Christian can and should
work to transform culture to the glory of God. Augustine, Calvin, John Wesley, and Jonathan
Edwards are the chief proponents of this last view.

With the understanding that we are utilizing a tool and not a perfected system, I believe that the
"Christ the Transformer of Culture" view aligns most closely with Scripture. We are to be
actively involved in the transformation of culture without giving that culture undue prominence.
As the social critic Herbert Schlossberg says, "The 'salt' of people changed by the gospel must
change the world." Admittedly, such a perspective calls for an alertness and sensitivity to subtle
dangers. But the effort is needed to follow the biblical pattern.

If we are to be transformers, we must also be "discerners," a very important word for

contemporary Christians. We are to apply "the faculty of discerning; discrimination; acuteness of
judgment and understanding."

Matthew 16:3 includes a penetrating question from Jesus to the Pharisees and Sadducees who
were testing Him by asking for a sign from heaven: "Do you know how to discern the
appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times?" It is obvious that Jesus was
disheartened by their lack of discernment. If they were alert, they could see that the Lord was
demonstrating and would demonstrate (in v. 4 He refers to impending resurrection) His claims.
Jesus' question is still relevant. We too must be alert and able to discern our times.

In order to transform the culture, we must continually recognize what is in need of

transformation and what is not. This is a difficult assignment. We cannot afford to approach the
responsibility without the guidance of God's Spirit, Word, wisdom, and power. As the theologian
John Baille has said, "In proportion as a society relaxes its hold upon the eternal, it ensures the
corruption of the temporal."May we live in our temporal setting with a firm grasp of God's
eternal claims while we transform the culture He has entrusted to us! Ongoing Relationships

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Given this background, what can we conclude is the ongoing relationship between any one
individual and the culture of which he or she is a part? Let’s consider ten proposed relationships:
From A. F. C. Wallace, Culture and Personality (New York: Random
House, 1961), 15-20.
1. All people are profoundly molded by their culture.
2. Some people transcend their culture. They expand, change, and mix elements of other
cultures into their own, due to cross-cultural exposure and personal incentive.
3. Some cultures offer little cultural room for self-expression, others allow for greater latitude
for personal freedom to deviate from cultural norms.
4. Wallace introduced the term “mazeway” to describe an individual’s conceptual map of the
world. Each individual has his or her own “mazeway,” that is, individual cultural
characteristics that, at points, may deviate from the cultural norms.
5. Cultures often spawn sub-cultural layers within the larger culture. Especially in extensive
cultures and urban conglomerates where new critical “masses” (that is, the number of people
necessary to sustain subcultures) are available to create new mixes of peoples, along with those
reactive to the majority cultural values, this energy may unintentionally or intentionally create
subcultures. However, the reference point from which deviation occurs is still in the majority
culture.
6. People who step outside of the culture are seen by the majority culture as deviants,
marginals, loners, outcasts, sociopaths, psychotics, or in some instances, religious folk doctors
or prophets. The culture usually has highly sophisticated means for isolating or controlling or
expelling these types.
7. Christianity, on occasion, builds its initiatives on the types of people just described
because they are responsive to the attentions not available to them from within their culture. The
example of Christ was one that reached out to a wide variety of marginalized peoples. Yet when
He built His leadership team out of the apostles, He chose people who were very deeply invested
within the Jewish culture—among them, a tax collector and four entrepreneurs who ran a fishing
business.
8. Christians, by definition, are supra-cultural— beyond culture—in their exposure to
biblical cultures and the culture of the “kingdom of God.”
Not that they are without culture, but that they see life through multiple lenses of culture.

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9. Cultural influences interplay with other systems and models of being human. Human
beings are also psychological, biological, physical, social, and spiritual beings and can be
examined from any of these perspectives. These systems are always interrelated.
10. It has been said that religious denominations function much like tribal societies or
subcultures. They have their own types of
• totems—centering objects of worship
• taboos—prohibited activity
• passages—moving from one stage in life to another
• language
• social networking
• roles and statuses
• life cycles
• kinship systems—family relationships and titles
To understand the concept of culture is to learn much about how Christians congregated into
church communities, and how we relate to, or are perceived by, the world.
How Should Christianity Make Us Supracultural?
To study the Bible is to enter into a cosmopolitan world of various cultures integrated together to
exhibit that which is beyond culture. The Bible is filled with influences and examples from a
variety of cultures:
• Semitic/Hebrew world and thought patterns found primarily within the Old Testament and the
Jewish narratives (Eastern).
• Greek thought world and thought patterns found primarily within the New Testament, which is
written in Greek language and conveys Greek
concepts such as “logos,” the “Word” of John 3 (Classic).
• Roman world and thought patterns, found in the institutions and political divisions referenced
in the New Testament (Western).
• Depending on English translations or paraphrases used, be it the 17th-century, Authorized King
James Version or modern forms such as The Message, there is considerable cross-cultural
recasting of these previous cultural images into more contemporary English cultural forms.

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When the vast diversity of cultures is reduced into collective cultures, there are perhaps only
about four broad classes of cultures—tribal, peasant, preindustrial, and contemporary. The Bible
operates within the first three prior major cultural clusters:
• The tribal cultures—the narratives of Genesis open up our understanding of the nature of tribal
cultures
• The peasant cultures—the narratives about the formation of the people of Israel introduce us to
the nature of peasant cultures
• The pre-industrial and urban cultures—are seen in the New Testament letters to major pre-
industrial communities such as Corinth and Ephesus.
However, beyond these, the Bible introduces us to the concept of the “kingdom of God,”
obviously a culture that transcends humanly formed cultures. From Scripture, we observe that
the kingdom of God is:
• a culture not of this world (John 18:36)
• a culture in formation (Matthew 6:14)
• a universal culture of the redeemed (Luke 17:21)
Therefore, through biblical exposure the Christian ought already to be multicultural, fully
sensitized to seeing others through multicultural eyes.

5. CROSS-CULTURAL IDENTIFICATION (cccc 176-179)

We have already said that 1) a missionary’s study of Bible culture helps him to know God, b) a
study of his own culture helps him to know himself and 3) a study of the respondent’s culture
helps him to know his audience. A very important word which we want to deal with is
identification. We find Paul demonstrating his willingness and ability to adjust to his audiences,
this he explains in 1 Corinthians 9: 20- 22.

Identification is more than adopting dress and customs. It is a result of a sequence of actions
based on attitudes. It is entering a culture with an open trusting and accepting outlook as the first
step. Responding to the inevitable cultural differences with humility as a learner is the second
step.
There are three dimensions to this work; first, we must come to a knowledge of all aspects of the
people’s culture. Secondly, we must participate with them in their lifestyle and finally we must
demonstrate genuine empathy. The major aspect of the missionary task is the search for a

33
connection or point of contact, this means that the ultimate goal of identification is not to see
how much like the other culture one can become, but how profoundly and effectively one can
learn to communicate with those of the other culture.
There are three identifications that a missionary needs for communicating Christ cross-culturally.
These are identification with God in Christ, identification with self and identification with the
respondent culture.
6. DIMENSIONS OF CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION

There are seven dimensions/grid/paradigm of the holistic process of cross-cultural communicator

through which all messages must pass through to be communicated to respondents in other
cultures.

6.1. WORLD VIEWS: WAYS OF PERCEIVING THE WORLD

The conceptual, intuitive, or concrete relational ways in which people think and know.
Worldviews – the way we see the world in relation to ourselves and ourselves in relation to the
world. Giesler has likened a worldview to the eyeglasses through which a person looks out upon
the world. It is made up of thousands of pieces of myths, stories and narrations which purport to
have logical and historical connections.

No one sees the world exactly as it is. Each one sees it through the tinted glasses of his own
world-view. If respondent are not disposed to exchange glasses in order to decode cross-cultural
messages correctly, sources must assume the responsibility of encoding messages with the
world-view of the respondents in mind.

6.2. COGNITIVE PROCESSES: WAYS OF THINKING

All normal people of all cultures have the ability to think, but they think differently. People in
different cultures tend to arrive at conclusions through differing thoughts processes.

6.3. LINGUISTIC FORMS: WAYS OF EXPRESSING IDEAS

This has to do with language. It is also important to know the importance of language. Language
constitutes veritable gold mines of information about the people and cultures that employ them.

No two words in different linguistic context mean exactly the same thing. And there are
languages that do not make a distinction between past, present and future or give respect to older
ones.

6.4. BEHAVIOURAL PATTERNS: WAYS OF ACTING

These are non- linguistic bodily (gestures, positioning, etc) and vocal elements e.g. volume to
transmit meaning.

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This has to do with the expectations of appropriate behavior e.g. receiving guests or being a
guest, public behavior vis-à-vis members of the opposite sex –all these and many more are
matters of cultural definition. They simply constitute ways in which people ought to act.

6.5. SOCIAL STRUCTURES: WAYS OF INTERACTING

These are ways of interacting with one another on the basis of social connections and
understanding where it is defined who talks with whom and in what way and what kind of
message is best.

Men and women not only have ways of acting according to accepted codes of conduct, they also
have ways of interacting on the basis of where they fit in the social structure. The conventions of
social structure dictate which channels of communication are open and which are closed, who
talks to whom, in what way and with what effects. A “map” of societal arrangements is also a
guide to communication. Missionaries should no more think of communicating Christ in a
society without a societal map than they would think of motoring through a country without a
road map.

6.6. MEDIA INFLUENCE: WAYS OF CHANNELLING THE MESSAGE

This has to do with means of transmitting messages. These ways affect the message in the
transmission of it and they in themselves constitute the messages-spoken or written.

6.7. MOTIVATIONAL RESOURCES: WAYS OF DECIDING

These are ways people make decisions (either by consensus or individualistic ones) that reflects
attitudes, allegiance and courses of action.

People of all cultures have to make many decisions, but again, the ways in which people of
various cultures think of decision making and the ways in which they arrive at decisions are very
diverse.

The respondent for example in culture Y understands a message from a source in culture X after
it has passed through a cultural screen consisting of the seven dimensions above (world-views,
cognitive processes and so forth) The intention of the culture Y or the respondents understanding
of culture X. We have to distinguish between “micro-culture” and “macro-culture” in the
diagram (to be shown). “Macro-culture” refers to the large groups in which people identify with
one another, e.g. by using the same language or having similar values. “Micro-culture” refers to
the various sub-cultural distinctions within these larger groups (e.g. youth, labor, family groups).

7. PRECONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATTION

No set of techniques for cross-cultural communication exist which will guarantee success under
all circumstances. It is a complicated process and our aim with the following suggestions is to
provide a few common principles:
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Not great, dramatic and quick results should be expected from a cross-cultural communication
process. People’s convictions are embedded in their value systems and these are not changed
easily by influences from outside. The communicator should thus take time for the process and
be sensitive to the receptors.

The communicator should try to know as completely as possible the culture of the receptor – the
language, the non-verbal forms of communication, the value system and worldview, the present
economic, social and political conditions, the prejudices, the extent of the acculturation process,
sub-cultures in the community and the way of handling conflicts.

The communicator should assume the responsibility of encoding messages with the worldview of
the respondent in mind.

In a cross-cultural situation it is even more important that the communicator should earn
credibility as a sympathetic human being in the receptor. This is not simply a physical, outward
conformity, but a full and sympathetic entering into the lives of others. A willingness to be
available to others and make time for them is an integral part of this identification.

The communicator is not communicating with a culture, but with persons within a culture.
Therefore it is important to remember that each person within the receptor’s culture has a certain
role ascribed to him or her (parent, chief, counselor) and this should be honored by the
communicator.

In a cross-cultural situation it is usually the intention of the communicator to motivate and

persuade the receptor to adapt certain aims. Thu it will be necessary to investigate what exactly
motivates the people of that culture (e.g. quest for status, property).

OIUYTREWQ unsure of oneself and identifies poorly within one’s own society, one will
not be able to give oneself in a cross-cultural situation and accept others as they are.

In cross-cultural communication, non-verbal ways of communication (which are also culturally

determined) are even more important than verbal communication. A communicator’s attitude
towards the receptor and his or her culture is carried over in numerous non-international ways.

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LESSON 4

WORLD VIEW AND MISSIONARY COMMUNICATION

At the end of this lesson participants will be able to:

Understand the concept of worldview

Understand one’s own cultural worldview.

Identify elements of a biblical worldview.

Know where one’s own biblical worldview clashes with your own cultural worldview.

4.1.WAYS OF PERCEIVING THE WORLD

The primary reference of the word “view” is of course; often of physical realities. But this word
as used here in the term worldview refers primarily not to physical realities but to mental and
spiritual realities of existence as understood by the various cultures in the world. There are as
many worldviews as there are cultures, some are similar just as cultures are also similar. The
culture is not within the worldview but the worldview is within the culture. Culture is the broader
term, but worldview is a very important part of any culture.

Charles Kraft (1979: 53) has expressed well the relationship between culture and word-view by
saying, “World-view lies at the very heart of culture, touching, interacting with and strongly
influencing every other aspect of the culture” (1)

It is important for us to know these different world-views into which we endeavor to

communicate Christ, because that knowledge will help us communicate Christ effectively.

4.2. INTRODUCTION TO WORLD-VIEWS

4.2.1.WHAT IS A WORLDVIEW?
A variety of definitions have been offered by numerous authors. Derived from the German term
“Weltanschauung”, the word “worldview” refers to the cluster of beliefs a person holds about the
most significant concepts of life such as God, the cosmos, knowledge, values, humanity and
history.2)
These beliefs (which may in reality be right or wrong or a combination thereof, not unlike the
visual clarity of distortion given by glasses) form a big picture, a general outlook, or a grand
perspective on life and the world.

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In a more technical term, “a worldview forms a mental structure that organizes one’s basic or
ultimate belief. This framework supplies a comprehensive view of what a person considers real,
true, rational, good, valuable and beautiful.
In this vein, philosopher Ronald Nash (1988: 24) defines worldview as “a conceptual scheme by
which we consciously or unconsciously place or fit everything we believe and by which we
interpret and judge reality.”(3)
Similarly, philosophers Norman Geisler and William Watkins (2003: 11-12) describe a
worldview as “an interpretive framework through which or by which one makes sense out of the
data of life and the world.”(4)
Palmer (1998:24) explains: “Through our worldview we determine priorities, explain our
relationship to God and fellow human beings, assess the meaning of events and justify our
actions.”(5)
A person’s worldview provides a general context for life, including a vision of what one
considers authentically real.
James Sire (1988:17) asserts that “a worldview is a set of presuppositions (or assumptions)
which we hold (consciously or unconsciously) about the basic make-up of our world.”(6)
Phillips and Brown (1991:29) state that” a worldview is, first of all, an explanation and
interpretation of the world and second, an application of this view in life.”(7)
Worldviews may be described as the principal way a given people define what is real in
everyday existence. This becomes the central system of reality where the society’s basic values
come from.
Hesselgrave (1991: 197) says, “A worldview is the way people see or perceive the world, the
way they “Know” it to be”.(8)
Robert Redfield’s definition of worldview as quoted by Hasselgrave, (1991:197, 198) “is the
way we see ourselves in relation to all else.”(9)
Michael Kearney as quoted by Hesselgrave (1991:198) says “The worldview of a people is their
way of looking at reality. It consists of basic assumptions and images that provide a more or less
coherent, though not necessarily accurate way of thinking about the world.” (10)
Paul Hiebert (1985: 45) describes worldview as, “The basic assumptions about reality which lies
behind the beliefs and behavior of a culture”(11)

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In its simpler terms, our worldview is a view of the
world or it can be defined as how one sees life and the world at large.
Walsh and Middleton (1984: 32) provide what we think is the most succinct and understandable
explanation: “A worldview provides a model of the world which guides its adherents in the
world.”(12)
THE NEED FOR A WORLD VIEW.
Worldviews act somewhat like eye glasses or contact lenses. That is, a worldview should provide
the correct prescription for making sense of the world just as wearing the correct prescription for
your eyes bring things into focus. It needs to be emphasized that an incorrect prescription can be
dangerous, even life-threatening. So it is important that we have or we give attention to the
formulation of the proper worldview.
Holmes (1983:5) states that the need for a worldview is fourfold:
1. The need to unify thought and life.
2. The need to define the good life and find hope and meaning in life.
3. The need to guide thought.
4. The need to guide action.(13)
There is yet another prominent need for the proper worldview which is to help us deal with an
increasingly diverse culture.
We are faced with a lot of worldviews, all which makes claim concerning truth. We are
challenged to sort through this mixture of worldviews, with wisdom. These needs are
experienced by all people either consciously or unconsciously. All of us have a worldview with
which we strive to meet such needs. The proper worldview helps us by orienting us to the
intellectual and philosophical terrain about us.
Worldviews are so much a part of our lives that we see and hear them daily, whether we
recognize them or not. For example, movies, television, music, magazines, newspapers,
government, education, science and all aspects of culture are affected by worldviews. If we
ignore their importance, we do so to our own detriment.
HOW IS A PERSON’S WORLDVIEW FORMED?
A person’s worldview is formed in many ways. Let me give you at least five of them:
1. Culture - The civilization that one lives in, his society, value system, customs, arts and his
heritage with all of its tradition /traits and ideals.

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This means any child reared in a given society is conditioned to interpret reality like other
members in that society.
2. Education – What one has been taught as truth?
Each society teaches its particular world view to its young, this happens early in life by imposing
traditions upon them. The whole structure of what a child ought to do and think is passed on to
him. You need to understand that you and I are products of what we read, watch and subject our
minds to.
3. Religious beliefs- What one has been taught as matters of faith
4. Emotions – How one feels about a matter can be so strong that it outweighs any other logic or
truth.
5. The Bible – Belief in God’s written Word and adherence to its teachings.
How you and I look at the world is largely shaped by the culture around us and our culture and
our culture is largely shaped by the worldview that is accepted by the majority of those you live
with.
For example, if you live in a society that is dominated by a media that is anti-God, the culture is
ordinarily shaped by the majority and you have to be careful that you do not let this anti-God
worldview shape or change your worldview.
Culture around us is made up of the sum of everything that is out there and it is not neutral. The
danger for us is that we can become so attached and so enamored with the culture around us that
we actually become captive to it. When that happens the first thing that we begin to question is
our worldview. We begin to question the absolutes of God and trust the theories of the world.
Worldviews tackle the big questions of life, as found within the following spheres of study:
1. Theology : Does God exists and if so, what is God like?
2. Ontology: What is ultimate reality?
3. Epistemology: How do we acquire knowledge?
4Axiology: Where is the basis of morality and value to be found?
5. Anthropology: Who are we as human beings?
The study of the different worldviews is crucial in understanding the beliefs of others, as all
people in the world subscribe, at least in general, to the belief system of one of the worldviews or
a combination of two worldviews.
4.3.CATEGORIZING WORLD-VIEWS

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Various scholars categorize the worldviews differently. A fair number of theologians and
apologists propose seven worldviews: theism, atheism, pantheism, deism, pantheism, finite
godism and polytheism. Others, however, maintain that there are really only three major
worldviews- theism, atheism and pantheism and that any other commonly proposed worldviews
are merely sub-categories of one of those three. Following are some examples of how various
apologists categorize the worldviews
Sire, in his excellent book, The Universe Next Door, Sire catalogs the most influential
worldviews of the past and present. These are Christian theism, deism, naturalism, nihilism,
existentialism, Eastern pantheistic monism, postmodernism. New age spirituality and Islamic
theism.(13)
However, Sire’s list contains some overlap. First, naturalism, nihilism, and the naturalistic
version of existentialism share atheism in general. Secondly, Eastern pantheistic monism and
new age spirituality share the pantheistic concept of God and as with the previous example,
demonstrate a significant degree of overlap as well. Thirdly, both Christian and Islamic theism
are monotheistic, despite being worlds apart doctrinally.
Noebel lists six worldviews; they are not quite extensive as Sire’s contains some overlap as well.
Noebel’s list is as follows: Christian theism, Islamic theism, secular humanism, Marxism, cosmic
humanism and postmodernism.
Apologists Sire, Noebel, Lewis, Geisler, Watkins and McFarland and many others have offered
similar worldview categories proposed by the above. Therefore these are the world’s
fundamental ideologies which are described by these basic worldviews.
Hesselgrave has identified the following worldviews: Naturalist, tribal, Hindu-Buddah., Chinese,
monotheistic, syncretistic, multreligious, and atheistic.
4.4. WORLDVIEW AND CONTEXTUALIZATION
It is important to note that any cross-cultural communicator must take seriously the culturally
determined world view of the people with whom he is trying to communicate because those
people take their worldview seriously. This means for a cross-cultural communicator who wants
to succeed must follow what Christ did. He adapted His message to the worldview of His
respondents.
Hesselgrave in emphasizing this about Christ says, “Though our Lord ministered within the
confines of the worldview of Judaism, He nevertheless adapted to interest, needs and points of

41
views within various contexts. He did not communicate with the rich younger ruler in terms of
new birth or with the woman of Samaria in terms of selling what she had and following Him or
with Nicodimus in terms of water of Life. All three approaches would have been valid as
concerns God’s eternal truth, but they would not have been valid as adaptations within the
respective context… Peter and Paul adapted their message to the World-view of their
respondents”. (Acts 2:14-36) Pentecost (Acts 10:34-43) House of Cornelius (Acts 13:16-41)
Synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia (Acts 17:22-31) Mars Hill in Athens. (14)

This helps us to see that it is important for cross-cultural communicators’ message in the light of
the respondent’s worldview then contextualize the message, encode it in such a way that it will
become meaningful to the respondents.
4.5. CONTEXTUALIZATION AND SYNCRETISM
The question we want to deal with is, “How can the gospel be effectively contextualized
within various world cultures without changing its core essence?”
Missionaries struggle with the interactive dynamic and tensions between effective
contextualization and essence- changing syncretism. The issues of contextualization and
syncretism are discussed within the context of real life field experiences. Missionaries are
concerned as the gospel is preached, molded by modern rationalism and the desire for relevance,
frequently truncates, abuses and loses the essence of the gospel.
Syncretism cannot be defined without an understanding of contextualization since the two
processes are interrelated. What can be considered as authentic contextualization by some may
be interpreted as syncretism by others.
4.5.1. CONTEXTUALIZATION
Moreau (2005:335) says, “Definition of contextualization differs depending on the emphasis
placed upon Scripture and the cultural setting.”(15)
According to Hesselgrave (1995: ) acceptable contextualization is a direct result of ascertaining
the meaning of the biblical text, consciously submitting to its authority and applying or
appropriating that meaning to a given situation.”(16)
Tienou (1982: 51) describes contextualization within the process of theology, he writes,
“Contextualization is the inner dynamic of the theologizing process. It is not a matter of
borrowing already existing forms of an established theology in order to fit them into various

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contexts. Rather contextualization is capturing the meaning of the gospel in such a way that a
given society communicate with God. Therein theology is born.”(17)
To Wan (1999: 13) contextualization is derived from the dynamic relationship between gospel
and culture, between cultural relevancy and theological coherence. Contextualization is the
efforts of formulating, presenting and practicing the Christian faith in such a way that it is
relevant to the cultural context of the target group in terms of conceptualization, expression and
application, yet maintaining theological coherence, biblical integrity and theoretical
consistency.”(18)
Hesselgrave and Rommen (1989: 200) define contextualization as “the attempt to communicate
the message of the person, works, and will of God in a way that is faithful to God’s revelation,
especially as put forth in the teaching of Holy Scripture and that is meaningful to respondents in
their respective cultural and existential contexts.”(19)
These writers are asserting that the authentic contextualization must be measured by its
faithfulness to the meanings of the Scriptures and its effectiveness or relevance in
communicating Christ within the recipient culture.
The communication of the truth of God’s Word in specific situations involves a contextualization
process. Contextualization is a process of making a message meaningful in a new culture. To do
this a message must be rebuilt, that is restated, inside the new culture in a manner that is both
faithful to the original intent of its source and understandable to the respondent in its new
environment.

This means we are to frame the Gospel message in language and communication forms
appropriate and meaningful to the local culture and to focus the message upon crucial issues in
the lives of people. This means we need to employ culturally appropriate methods of evangelism,
the process of discipline draws upon methods of instruction that are familiar and part of local
traditions of learning, structural and political aspects of leadership are adapted from patterns
inherent in national cultures rather than those imported.
4.5.2. SYNCRETISM
Syncretism occurs when missionaries accommodate, either consciously or unconsciously to the
prevailing plausibility structures or worldviews of their culture.

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Rheenen (1997: 173) says, “Syncretism is the conscious or unconscious reshaping of Christian
plausibility structures, beliefs and practices through cultural accommodation so that they reflect
those of the dominant culture or stated in other terms, syncretism is the blending of Christian
beliefs and practices with those of the dominant culture so that Christianity loses its
distinctiveness and speaks with a voice reflective of its culture.”(20)
Simply syncretism is the attempted reconciliation or union of different principles or beliefs to
dilute or compromise Christian beliefs. It is a fusion of elements of the Christian message with
elements of other religions.
4.6. COMMUNICATING TO PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT WORLDVIEWS
It is important to know that the centre of emphasis in cross-cultural communication is the
reaching out to people of different views with the claims of Christ. We need to understand that as
we endeavor to do this, we want to bring about a better mutual understanding of each other’s
religion. You need to be prepared to be engaged in dialogue with non-Christians. We should
confront people of other religions, with respect and understanding of their viewpoints with God’s
final answer to religiosity which is the cross of Christ.
To what kind of danger is the Church exposed if
(1)It resists contextualization? (2)It contextualizes too readily?

1) The church born in the mission field will fall into cultural and social isolation or be
affected by retrogressive acts such as return of pagan forms or syncretism.
2) It will turn into a chameleon which cannot keep the same color.
 It may easily become the slave of legalistic, political or syncretistic form and thus
lose its biblical witness
 It may cause apposition between different groups within the church.
Problems which we face as communicators
1. Clashes between church traditions and Scriptures.
2. Authority in interpretation leading to splinter movements in the church.
3. Doctrinal difference
Dialogue:- implies a willingness to listen to others and take them seriously even if
they express ideas different from our own.
4.7. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR DIALOGUE

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Dialogue should take place with respect for their viewpoints and with a willingness to learn from
them.
The ultimate aim of the (communicator) dialogue should always be to confront the adherents of
other religious with God’s final answer to religiosity, the cross of Jesus Christ.

4.8. GUIDELINES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUCH A DIALOGUE.

4.8.1.The dialogue must start with primary needs
It should start with what the adherents of these religions feel to be their greatest and primary
needs.
The demands of the gospel must be applicable to them.
They are interested in the safeguarding of their lives here on earth not in a happy afterlife.
- They want power, prosperity and healthy.
This means that their struggle against the evil forces which endanger their lives here on earth is
their biggest problem.
In Christ these have been dealt with.
So after doing this, the proclamation of the gospel must proceed towards the goal of making
adherents of ATR aware of their other religious needs such as the forgiveness of their sins.
They should be made aware that God is interested in their earthly existence and well-being. He
wants to give them total salvation of body and soul.
Make them aware that God is not just a liberator from unfavorable earthly circumstances, but He
is also concerned with the person’s relationship with God.

4.8.2.THE CENTRE OF THE PROCLAMATION MUST BE JESUS CHRIST

Christianity is focus on Jesus-God did not reveal Himself in a system, but in the person of Jesus.
Emphasize the importance of the incarnation, because this brought God near us. His nearness is a
sign of His love and mercy for sinners.
Emphasize that the God of the Bible is a God of History. He has revealed Himself during the
course of many centuries by way of His mighty acts.
He started this history with people by establishing a covenant, Jesus was the core and centre of
the new covenant and what happened in Jesus was God’s final plan for the salvation of the world

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4.8.3. THE FAR OFF SUPREME BEING MUST CHANGE INTO OUR FATHER IN
HEAVEN

In ATR. They see God as removed from ordinary life and not interested in our daily lives. They
put more stress on relationships with the spirits of the ancestors.
According to the Bible – God is not a remote God, but is near at hand and interested in our daily
lives. He revealed Himself as a person who has certain characteristics such as His love for
sinners.
Adherents of ATR must be shown how his new concept of God’s nearness can be integrated into
their worldview.

They need to understand that if God is given His rightful place in their lives and become a
personal God of the Bible, the ancestors will move into their proper place. There will be less
need for them as helpers and no need to fear of them.
The victory of Jesus will demote them from the status of semi gods to that of human origin and
veneration and even worship of them will end.

4.8.4. A MAGICAL WORLDVIEW MAKE WAY FOR A RELIGIOUS ONE

In magic, people try to bring about a desired result by the manipulation of powers-charms, secret
words or prayers.
Witchcraft, which is an attempt to use natural objects (tree bark, fat of small animals, roots) to
harm others can also be classified under the term magic.
REFERENCE BOOKS

Charles Kraft , Christianity in culture 1979, Pg.53

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