Cultural Differences

The challenge of the E-3 evangelist is to become one with an unintelligible tongue and foreign way before we can effectively

share with them the Good News. What initially seemed romantic, exciting and noble becomes strange and threatening. Can we

make this culture our own?

Concepts of Learning

• Each Culture has its own rules of relationships, role structure, pattern of behavior with acceptable variation which all must be learned!

• Learning the language is not the same as learning the culture, but it is the beginning of learning a culture

Eight message systems in every language (Edward Hall, 1973, p.38-59)

1. Temporality (Attitude toward time, routine, schedule)

2. Territoriality (space property)3. Exploration (methods of control, use and

sharing of resources)4. Association (family, kin, community)5. Bisexuality (differing models of speech, dress,

conduct)6. Learning (observation, modeling, instruction)7. Play (humor, games)8. Defense (health procedures, social conflicts,

beliefs)

Twelve Key Elements of a Model of Basic Values (Marvin Mayers, 1974)

Twelve Key Elements of a Model of Basic Values (Marvin Mayers, 1974)

1. Time: Time Oriented vs. Event Oriented2. Judgment: Dichotomist Thinking vs.

Holistic Thinking3. Handling Crisis: Crisis Orientation vs. No

crisis Orientation4. Goals: Task Orientation vs. Person

Orientation5. Self-Worth: Status Focus vs. Achievement

Focus6. Vulnerability: Concealment of Vulnerability

vs. Expose Vulnerability

1. Time-Oriented vs. Event

Time-Oriented• Concerned for punctuality

and time spent• Careful allocation of time

to achieve max within limits

• Tightly scheduled, goal-directed activities

• Reward offered as incentive for efficient use of time

• Emphasis on dates and times

Event• Concern for details of

events without regard to time

• Exhaustive consideration of problem until resolved

• Stress on completing the event as reward itself

• A “let come what may” outlook without precise schedule

• Emphasis on present experience, not past or future

2. Dichotomist versus Holistic

• Dichotomist• Judgments are black/white,

right/wrong• Security comes from feeling

right and fit into a certain role• Information and experiences

are fit into categories and systematically organized (scrabble, crossword puzzles, biblical word studies, sentences diagramming, and outlining

• Cannot feel secure unless their perceptions are seen as correct

• Holistic• Judgments are open-

minded with everything considered

• Security comes from consistent interaction with whole of society

• Information and experience are disorganized—details are independent points unrelated

3. Crisis Orientation vs. Non-Crisis Orientation

Crisis Orientation• Anticipates crisis• Emphasizes planning• Seeks resolution to avoid

ambiguity• Repeatedly follows a single

authoritative preplanned procedure

• Seeks expert advise• Be prepared in season and

out of season (1 Timothy 4:2)

Non-Crisis Orientation• Downplays crisis and are

uncomfortable with rigidly applied rules—resist being pinned down possibility (Hudson Taylor wanted missionary to consider Chinese expectation and total ministry

• Focus on actual experience• Avoids taking action, delays

decisions• Seeks solutions from multiple

options• Distrusts expert advise—fells

qualified• Optimistic—multiple ideas are

new …”with great patience” (2 Timothy 4:2)

4. Status Focus (ascribed prestige) vs. Achievement focus (Achieved)

Status Focus (ascribed prestige)

• Personal identity determined by formal credentials of birth or rank

• Amount of respect received is fixed—focus on high social status regardless of personal failure

• Major purpose of culture is to coerce individuals to live together in society = common set of rules

• Individual is expected to play his role and sacrifice to go higher rank

• People associate only in social equates (Luke 14:7-11—to seek self—aggrandizement will end in humiliation

Achievement focus (Achieved)

• Personal identity is determined by one’s achievements

• Amount of respect one receives varies with accomplishments and failures—focus is on personal performance

• Individuals extremely self-critical in order to accomplish greater goals

• People associate with people who have equal accomplishments regardless of background

5. Task Orientation vs. Person Orientation

Task Orientation• Focus on tasks and principles• Satisfaction in achieving goals• Seeks friends with similar goals• Accepts loneliness and social

deprivation for sake of personal goals

• Intolerant of those not as committed to task—1Thess 2:7-8; Mark 6:1-6—no task is more important than the people God has given to be served

• Luke 14:28-33—know limits• 2 Corinthians 12:7-10—

weaknesses—willingness to dependence on God

Person Orientation• Focus on person and

relationship• Satisfaction in interaction• Seeks friends who are group-

oriented• Deplores loneliness—sacrifices

personal achievement for group interaction

6. Concealment of Vulnerability vs. Expose Vulnerability

Concealment of Vulnerability

• Protect self-image at all cost: avoidance of error and failure

• Emphasis on quality of performance

• Reluctance to go beyond one’s recognized limits or to enter the unknown

• Denial of capability—withdraw to hide weaknesses or shortcomings

• Refusal to see alternative view, accept criticism

• Vagueness regarding personality

Expose Vulnerability• Relative unconcern about error

and failure• Emphasis on completion of event• Willingness to push beyond one’s

limits and enter the unknown• Ready admission of guilt and

weakness• Open to alternative• Talks freely