Cross-Cultural Partnerships

Cross-Cultural PartnershipsUnprecedented numbers of Christian missions agencies, churches, organizations, and individuals are seeking to broaden and deepen their work through partnerships with non-Western nationals. Cross-cultural partnerships have many advantages but they can give rise to a perplexing number of challenges.  While definitely not a new trend, this emphasis on multicultural teamwork is a rapidly growing one, and there is sufficient history to demonstrate some of the challenges in these cross-cultural partnerships.  One of the greatest areas of conflict revolves around finances.  In this book, Mary Lederleitner, a cross-cultural consultant at Wycliffe, tackles some of the common issues regarding finances in partnerships.

Money is a key element of mission work.  Without funding, missions agencies would cease to exist.  The proper use of money (and the sometimes laborious accounting for that money) is essential in stewardship and compliance.  The author discusses many aspects involving money and how each of them are perceived in different cultures.  For instance, she addresses the differences that Western and non-Western partners have in relation to ideas about collectivism, lending, and hoarding.

The author speaks to some of the negative attitudes that Westerners can bring to partnership, such as negative attribution of motives, quick judgments, and paternalism.  She mentions how distance, lack of contact, and cultural nuances can cause us to assume the worst in the other person.  She presents proactive ways to change these attitudes

Accountability is key in handling ministry funds to prevent fraud, to ensure proper allocation of donor restricted funds, and to enable proper record keeping.  Too often, the financial reports from non-Western partners are inadequate or absent.  Additionally, the constant requests for reports from western colleagues can damage relationships as it undermines trust, which is key in any partnership.  The author gives examples of ways to contextualize accountability and fraud prevention to work together to ensure proper use of funds without damaging the relationship.

This book would be beneficial to missionaries, managers at multi-national missions organizations, financial staff supporting national partners, and church leaders or others seeking to fund the work of nationals.  Many readers with missions experience will resonate with the examples given as they think of their own similar experiences.  For a broader view of cross cultural issues, read Cross-Cultural Connections by Duane Elmer.

Cross-Cultural Partnerships by Mary T. Lederleitner

Cross-Cultural Ministry Training

Do you train your short term missions trip participants for cross-cultural ministry?  You should, to help them understand the cultural difference they will encounter and how to deal with them.  It is key that they understand that their actions have the ability to either help or hinder the long term missionary efforts on the field they serve.  Often the difference comes back to cross-cultural preparedness.  Here are some resources to help you lead a basic one-hour class on preparing for cross-cultural ministry.

1 Corinthians 13 – A Guide to Culture

If I speak with the tongue of a national, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

If I wear the national dress and understand the culture and all forms of etiquette, and if I copy all mannerisms so that I could pass for a national but have not love, I am nothing.

If I give all I possess to the poor, and if I spend my energy without reserve, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love endures long hours of language study, and is kind to those who mock his accent; love does not envy those who stayed home; love does not exalt his home culture, is not proud of his national superiority,

Does not boast about the way we do it back home, does not seek his own ways, is not easily provoked into telling about the beauty of his home country, does not think evil about this culture;

Love bears all criticism about his home culture, believes all good things about this new culture, confidently anticipates being at home in this place, endures all inconveniences.

Love never fails: but where there is cultural anthropology, it will fail; where there is contextualization it will lead to syncretism; where there is linguistics, it will change.

For we know only part of the culture and we minister to only part.

But when Christ is reproduced in this culture, then our inadequacies will be insignificant.

When I was in America I spoke as an American, I understood as an American, I thought as an American; but when I left America I put way American things.

Now we adapt to this culture awkwardly; but He will live in it intimately: now I speak with a strange accent, but he will speak to the heart.

And now these three remain: cultural adaptation, language study, and love.

But the greatest of these is love.