Culture

All Nations Leadership Institute

Leading in a Diverse Church, Fall 2011Image from www.faithclipart.com

Here from all the nations, all tongues and all peoples

Countless the crowd and majestic their voices are one;

Vast is the sight and majestic their singing‒

“God has the victor; He reigns from the throne.”

(Idle, C., in Cultural change and your church).

From http://123rf.com

CULTURE: What is culture?

Culture reflects multiple elementsEach influences and impacts the other.

Culture echoes complexity Each element of culture works in tandem with the other.

The result of the mixing of these elements is a mosaic of different facets that create a portrait of an individual.

Culture creates a mosaic The result of the mixing of these elements is a mosaic of different facets that create a portrait of an individual.

Values/Beliefs

Arts

Food

Customs

Clothing

Family

Social/Political

Elements

of

Culture

(Law, E.,1993)

CULTURE: What comprises culture?

There are two components to culture ‒ external & internal.

Visualize an iceberg. The part above water signifies external culture → Below represents internal.

Elements of CultureThe elements of external culture are those things you see, hear and touch, as opposed to internal that are not.

By Culbertson, H. Southern Nazarene University, Adapted from Weaver, G (1998). "Understanding and coping with cross-cultural adjustment stress." Simon & Schuster. retrieved September 26, 2011, from http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/iceberg.htm

Cultural Iceberg

By Culbertson, H. Southern Nazarene University, Adapted from Weaver, G (1998). "Understanding and coping with cross-cultural adjustment stress." Simon & Schuster. retrieved September 26, 2011, from http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/iceberg.htm

Characteristics of Culture

EXTERNAL INTERNAL

Explicitly learned Implicitly learned

Connections Unconscious

Easily changed Difficult to change

Objective knowledge

Subjective knowledge

By Culbertson, H. Southern Nazarene University, Adapted from Weaver, G (1998). "Understanding and coping with cross-cultural adjustment stress." Simon & Schuster. retrieved September 26, 2011, from http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/iceberg.htm

Elements of Culture

EXTERNAL INTERNAL

See Beliefs

Hear Values

Touch Thought patterns

Myths

CULTURE: How does worldview relate

to culture?

Worldview definition: “Culturally structured assumptions, values and commitments/allegiances underlying a people’s perception of reality and their responses to those perceptions” (Kraft, C, 1989, p. 20).

Worldview indicatesthe deepest level of one’s presuppositions that charts a person’s life.

Worldview reflects the internal component of culture, as influenced by external culture.

Worldview charts life course according to an individual’s patterns that collectively form a map of reality. Whole groups (society) chart a map as well.

Worldview:Worldview is one’s map of reality that charts life.

Assumptions

Beliefs/Values

Commitments

(Kraft, 2001)

Worldview does not stand alone from culture…Worldview does not stand alone from culture, but interacts with and structures it.

Worldview organizes other aspects of culture such as external and internal factors.

It directly links to the internal components of culture that make up the reality map, which in turn, drives focus and response.

Worldview:Worldview also interacts with internal and external personal cultures, directly linking to internal culture.

External Culture

Internal Culture

Worldview

Worldview and internal culture link to

each other

Worldview:Together, worldview and internal culture drive one’s focus and response to visible external culture.

External Culture

Internal Culture

Worldview

Worldview and internal culture drive focus and

response in external culture

Worldview:External culture, then, informs the below areas.

Social relationships Economics

(Kraft, C., 2001)

REVIEW:Culture reflects multiple elements. Each influences and impacts the other.

Culture

Elements

Worldview

Focus & Response

Internal External

Culture reflects multiple elements

1. Culture reflects multiple elements. Each influences and impacts the other.

2. Culture includes the elements of “beliefs, arts, food, customs, clothing, family and social organizations and government in a given period” (Law, E. p. 4. Wolf Shall Dwell with the Lamb).

Culture reflects multiple elements (Continued)

4. The elements can be separated into internal and external cultures. The internal are those things not visible to the eye, while the external is what you can see, hear or feel.

5. Worldview links to internal culture.

6. Worldview and internal culture drive focus and response by informing social relationships, religion, economics and material.

When you understand culture, it helps you realize another’s perspective.

Think about it. Talk about it…

Without being able to see through the eyes of another, you might function in an ethnocentric state that limits the scope of your reality map boundaries. In turn, this hinders your ability to lead in a multiethnic, diverse church.

Ethnocentrism is “when a person brought up in one culture, having never seen or experienced a different culture, believes that his or her culture’s way of doing things is the right way” (Law, 1993, p.4).

“But talk does not mean idle chatter.

It means meaningful, productive dialogue to raise consciousness and lead to effective action and social change” (Tatum, B, 2006).

Think about it. Talk about it.

“This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel” (Eph 3:6 ESV).

All Nations Leadership Institute

“Bridging the Gap for Multiethnic, Diverse Church leadership”

4501 West 127th StreetAlsip, IL 60803

http://allnationsleadershipinstitute.org

References

Kraft, C. (2001). Culture, communication and Christianity. Pasadena, CA: William Carey Library.

Law, E. (1993).The wolf shall dwell with the lamb. St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press.

Pocock, M. & Henriques, J. (2002). Cultural change and your church. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Weaver, G (1998). "Understanding and coping with cross-cultural adjustment stress." Simon & Schuster. retrieved September 26, 2011, from http://home.snu.edu/~hculbert/iceberg.htm