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Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church

Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church. www.interculturalchurch.org. Session 1:. The Dynamics of Transition. Understanding the Tensions. T E N S I O N S. What tensions surface as a church transitions towards an intercultural identity?

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Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church

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  1. Becoming an Intentionally Intercultural Church www.interculturalchurch.org

  2. Session 1: The Dynamics of Transition

  3. Understanding the Tensions T E N S I O N S • What tensions surface as a church transitions towards an intercultural identity? • How do we reconcile the ideal and the real?

  4. Issues Experienced T E N S I O N S • Cultural ignorance • Language barriers • Ethnically based stereotypes • Passive racism • Economic partiality

  5. Issues Experienced T E N S I O N S • Exclusion of minorities from leadership • Distinct differences in worldview and spiritual expectations • Social partition

  6. The Challenge T E N S I O N S The Four Poles

  7. Being intercultural: Coincides with the mission of the church Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 17:26-27 Corresponds to the nature of the Gospel 2 Corinthians 5:14-21; Galatians 3:28 Scriptural Ideals T E N S I O N S

  8. Being intercultural: Concurs with the nature of the Church Ephesians 2:11-22 Conveys a picture of multicultural worship Revelation 7:9-12 Scriptural Ideals T E N S I O N S

  9. The Ideal and the Real T E N S I O N S Acts 6 • The Ideal: Jewish and Greek widows should be treated with equal concern. • The Real: Greek deacons were appointed to ensure equal care.

  10. Doing and Defining T E N S I O N S Acts 15 • Do: Paul, Peter and others testified to the evidence of the Spirit in Gentile believers. • Define: After debate and discussion, the council of Jerusalem issued a clear statement explaining the definition of what this new intercultural church was to be.

  11. Resolve the Tensions T E N S I O N S • Dialogue between the “doers” and the “definers” when idealism meets realism. • Determine the non-negotiable values. • Prioritize the practical means to express those values.

  12. Questions for Discussion T E N S I O N S • What are the issues your leadership group is dealing with as a result of transitioning towards an intercultural church? How are they being addressed? • What are the non-negotiable values that are providing a foundation for your discussions? • Is there a healthy balance of idealism and realism in your decision making group?

  13. Learning Activity T E N S I O N S Identify an issue your church is facing as a result of transitioning towards being an intercultural church. Work through the questions on the Learning Activity worksheet.

  14. Conclusions T E N S I O N S • We must intentionally address the tensions being faced as cultures meet. • We must keep in mind the ideal as we struggle with the real and work to create definitions for what is experienced.

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