Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

WHAT IS WORLDVIEW?

Worldview is the perception of reality based on

the central assumptions, concepts, and premises

shared by members of a culture or subculture.

Worldview assumptions are beyond doubt,

and yet at the same time beyond proof.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

A USEFUL MODEL

Worldview is the perception of reality based on

the largely implicit, yet culturally patterning

core themes that: give rise to the central

assumptions, allegiances, concepts, premises

and images shared by members of a culture or

subculture and made explicit by the motifs

observable throughout the cultural subsystems

at the surface level of the culture or subculture.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

Cultural Structure Model

MOTIFSMOTIFS

THEMESTHEMES

MEANINGSMEANINGS

FORMSFORMS

• Explicit• Observable – impact senses• Anything that can be seen, heard, felt, etc

• Implicit• Assumptions, Values, Beliefs• Ideas that give meaning

WORLDVIEWWORLDVIEW

STRUCTURESTRUCTURE

DEEPDEEP

SURFACESURFACE

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

PURPOSE OF WORLDVIEW

Evaluate / Validate

Explain

Prioritise

Reinforce

Interpret

Integrate

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

WEAKWEAK STRONGSTRONG

SCALE OF ALLEGIANCE

Place the following on the Strong/Weak Scale of Allegiance:

Commitment to: mother, father, wife, children, employer, newspaper boy, local policeman, prime minister, local councillor, church elder, church minister, local church, local cricket club, footie club, God, Christ, great aunt, neighbour.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

We want to understand the decision making process of a people because our aim in communicating the gospel is the conversion of a people to Jesus Christ.

Conversion involves a change of allegiance or paradigm shift at the worldview level, but not the change of the whole of an individuals or groups worldview. All this needs to be understood and taken into account in seeking to initiate the conversion process.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

We are seeking to get to grips with the people's life-style because when the church comes into existence within a culture they want to see a meaningful Christian life-style developed by the people. One that is faithful to God's word and is meaningful to the people in their culture.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

THE BOTTOM LINE

The honest dialogue of two people from

different cultures reveals an awareness of

their own worldview, and a sensitivity to one

another that is essential on any journey of

reconciliation.

Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Cross-Cultural Ministry: An Introduction – Session ThreeSession Three

PRAYER

God help us to change.

To change ourselves and to change our world.

To know the need for it.

To deal with the pain of it.

To feel the joy of it.

To undertake the journey

without understanding the destination.

The art of gentle revolution.

Amen Michael Leunig