A Beginner's Guide to Crossing Cultures: Making Friends in a Multicultural World

by Lane, Patty

• ISBN13: 9780830823468
• ISBN10: 0830823468
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-05-01
• Publisher: Ivp Books

Summary

The global village has arrived.Recent census figures show that communities in the United States are more culturally and ethnically diverse than ever before. And you may be just one of many who find it challenging to build relationships with people from backgrounds unlike your own.How do you befriend an international student or a new coworker from a different country?What can you expect when your church building is shared with a congregation from another cultural group?Why are your words and actions sometimes misinterpreted by others?Crosscultural specialist Patty Lane answers these questions and more. She shows you how to develop hands-on relational skills that build crosscultural friendships. And she provides practical resources to help you navigate multicultural environments with sensitivity and savvy. Filled with vivid stories of real-life situations, her helpful guidebook explains frequently misunderstood aspects of culture, debunks stereotypes and suggests ways to resolve crosscultural conflicts. Above all, Lane demonstrates God's heart for building bridges across cultures and shows how you can reach out to people of every nation, culture and ethnicity.Whether you are actively ministering to people of different cultural backgrounds, traveling to other countries for your business or simply want to make friends across cultural lines, this engaging handbook is a perfect introduction to the journey.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments	9	(2)
Introduction	11	(4)
Part 1: Introducing Culture
What Is Our Cultural Landscape?	15	(17)
Do You Understand Your Own Culture?	32	(15)
Part 2: Six lenses for Understanding Cultural Differences
Where Are We? The Importance of Context	47	(14)
What Drives Us? The Value of Activity	61	(11)
Who's in Charge? The Influence of Authority	72	(14)
Who Am I? The Source of Identity	86	(12)
When Do We Start? Our Sense of Time	98	(7)
What's Really Real? Differences in Worldview	105	(12)
Part 3: Building Relationships in a Multicultural World
How Do You Resolve Conflict?	117	(18)
God's Heart for Crosscultural Relationships	135	(16)
Putting It All Together	151	(17)
Just the Beginning	168	(6)
Appendix A: Old Testament Scripture References: Stranger, Alien	174	(7)
Appendix B: Culture/Feature Chart	181	(1)
Appendix C: Preparing to Share Your Faith Across Cultures	182	(2)
Appendix D: Preparing to Minister Within a Diverse Community	184	(5)
Appendix E: How Does Culture Influence Your Values?	189	(3)
Appendix F: Building Intercultural Relationships	192	(4)
Appendix G: Checklist for Intercultural Church Relationships	196	(2)
Notes	198	(5)
Bibliography	203	(2)
Suggested Reading	205