In this course, you will learn how to communicate the gospel cross-culturally and how to interpret cultural clues to help you communicate effectively in the context in which you are ministering.
- This course will help you to understand the principles and processes of effective communication.
- You will learn that cultural differences have implications for effective communication.
- You will achieve a better understanding of the principle of incarnation, being able to apply Jesus’s example when taking the gospel across cultural barriers.
- You will realise that cross-cultural communication principles have implications for both lifestyle and ministry in whatever cultural situation you find yourself in.
This course has four modules, described below.
Module 1: Basics of Culture
This module covers aspects of culture that are important to help missionaries better understand cross-cultural communication.
As a missionary, you need to navigate between three cultures; your own culture, the host culture and the culture of the Bible. You will have to learn not to be ethnocentric – seeing your own culture as inherently superior to theirs.
One challenge as a missionary is to learn to adapt to your new culture’s values and habits without compromising the gospel message. You will also have to adapt the way you communicate to fit with what they prefer.
Module 2: Communication Theory
This module looks at how communication works in the context of culture. Communication is simple in your own culture and language, because people have the same language and cultural frame of reference. Communicating cross-culturally has huge challenges, with many possibilities of miss-communication. Understanding communication principles makes it easier to overcome these barriers and avoid the pitfalls.
The communication process in general includes the primary communicator, the message and the audience. In cross-cultural situations the meaning of the same message can change drastically because of the context, language barriers and different worldviews. Therefore, it is very important to remember that ultimately, the audience determines the meaning of the message.
Module 3: Communicating in Different Contexts
How people think and learn has a profound effect on how they communicate. We as missionaries need to adapt our way of teaching to the people’s way of learning. There are mainly three types of thinking: analytical, intuitive and concrete-relational. Each type requires its own unique approach and we as missionaries should adapt our teaching approach to fit their preferences.
75% of all people are oral learners. The best way to effectively communicate with them is through storytelling, music, dramas, questions and riddles.
Most Westerners are direct communicators and give direct feedback. Many other cultures prefer to give feedback indirectly through a third party which may cause offence.
Module 4: Christ’s Communicators
Missionaries should follow Jesus’s example. Just as He entered into another culture (earth) with a message, missionaries also cross cultures with a message. With the help of the Holy Spirit we should try to emulate Him – His humility, His obedience, His servant hood, and His love and compassion for people.
Learning the culture and language to ministry-level proficiency is the basis of effective communication. Research has found that ministering in the heart language of the people tends to result in good fruit. Communication can be verbal or non-verbal, with non-verbal often being more important than verbal. Communicating non-verbally includes gestures, facial expressions, how you dress and so on.
