Cultural differences create barriers in missions

Cultural differences, including language, food, beliefs and values, can create big challenges when trying to minister in other countries, a consultant with the International Mission Board said.

And Americans, especially those who have not traveled outside their own country, can be way off the mark when attempting to understand, relate and witness to people in other countries, said Bron Holcomb, who works for the volunteers in missions department of the Richmond, Va. –based Southern Baptist entity.

Holcomb led a conference on “Confronting Cultural Differences” during the recent National Creative Arts Festival in Nashville, which was sponsored by the LifeWay Church Resources Division of LifeWay Christian Resources.

For example, Holcomb said, if only 100 people lived on earth, seven of those people would possess 59 percent of the world’s wealth.

“And all seven of them would be Americans.”

The fact that most of the world’s wealth is possessed by U.S. citizens makes it difficult for Americans to understand the hardships people in other countries experience.

Different worldview

“Our worldview is not in line with the reality of the world’s situation today,” Holcomb said. “And that makes it difficult to minister effectively in the world.”

Sticking with his 100 people example, Holcomb said 70 of the 100 are people of color, while 30 are white.

Holcomb said 80 out of the 100 live in substandard housing; 70 cannot read; 60 suffer from malnutrition; and 50 have never made or received a phone call. One has a college education and one owns a computer.

And an alarming 90 of 100 are not Christians, meaning only 10 are, he added. The opportunity is there, but the cultural understanding is not, he said.

Differences in beliefs, values and worldviews contribute significantly to the cultural quagmire, he said.

“When something is different and we don’t understand it, we can stereotype or categorize it to protect ourselves. Worldviews can sometime be very confined and very small.

“And, I think Americans might be the worst,” he said.

Worldviews often come from parents, spouses, friends, churches, work and areas of the country in which we live, according to Holcomb.

“The most important worldvie3w is how Christ views the world- how Jesus would see the world. ‘What Would Jesus Do?’ is a good way to see the world,” he said.

(BP)