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Book Review: Ministering Cross-Culturally
The subject of this book is the tension and conflict that missionaries, pastors and laypeople experience when they attempt to work with people who come from different cultural and social backgrounds. The primary author is Sherwood Lingenfelter who draws many of his conclusions from his own extensive experience as a missionary in the Pacific islands.Missionaries and others who accept the challenge of cross-cultural ministries must become personally immersed with people who are very different. They must enter a culture as if they are children – helpless, dependent, and ignorant.
It does not matter how many buildings we build or how many reports we submit. If we are not meeting people and loving them through interaction, we have lost sight of the Great Commission and our activities lose significance. It is important to realize that, although we might be doing a work of love with our hands or heart or mind, unless we show people our love in a personal way by interacting with them as individuals, our work will mean nothing to them.
If some people think and respond in ways different from the way we do, we must learn their ways. Our goal must be to build up the unity and fellowship of the body of Christ. To achieve that goal, we must always consider others better than ourselves. Our position is to be that of a servant. At issue is the question of submission to God and his will. Are we willing to consider others better than ourselves and to yield to those to whom we minister.
Posted on May 10, 2008