Cross-cultural studies

Don Laing D.Min.

The challenge of the Chinese immigrant church (CIC) in America is the ongoing departure of its second-generation, American-born Chinese (ABC), now commonly called the “silent exodus.” The Overseas Born Chinese (OBC) leaders of these CICs need to champion a clear and compelling vision of reaching these ABCs that rises above retention. In addition, these OBC leaders will need to incorporate two more practices to reach their second-generation: (1) embrace a biblical culture above either culture of origin and (2) create processes that empowers the second-generation in leadership. This research project evaluated these three practices within three churches that were determined to be reaching their second-generation.
This dissertation was divided into three parts. It opened with a literature review that examined each of the three practices relating to vision, culture and leadership. The dissertation then continued with the construction of the research procedure, utilizing the case study approach. Three Chinese immigrant churches were chosen for this study: Houston Chinese Church, Mandarin Baptist Church of Los Angeles and West Houston Chinese Church. The qualitative research method was applied to handle the field research portion of this study including but not limited to site visits, interviews, and the follow-up questionnaire. The findings of this project were discussed and evaluated regarding the significance of them and the recommendations for future study. The case studies affirmed the significance of each of the three hypotheses.

Irwyn L. Ince Jr.

The Bible indicates that God intends for his church to represent humanity’s diversity. This representation is not expected simply in a global sense, but also as the church gathers in local diverse communities. This diversity benefits the church. Yet, American churches are overwhelmingly mono-ethnic. Since the church is so influential in forming its members’ identities, is the lack of diversity within most American churches detrimental to full identity formation in Christ? What are the benefits to identity formation when the church is healthy in diversity? The purpose of this study was to explore how people who experience belonging in a diverse church assess the impact the church has on their identity formation.

Pablito Lucas

The purpose of this project was to equip selected cross-cultural married couples of Philippine International Christian Fellowship, Lakeland, Florida, with marital conflict resolution skills. The project director researched the field of crosscultural marital conflict and identified essential marital communication skills that led to marital conflict resolution. The project director completed a self-guided sty of Leroy Ford's Design for Teaching and Training successfully. He developed and taught a curriculum in a seven-week workshop. The project director consulted a curriculum expert for feedback and recommendation on the finished crriculum prior to the workshop for any revision. The currciuculm equipped selected cross-cultural married couples of Philippine INternational Christian Fellowship, Lakeland, Florida, with marital conflict resolution skills.

Gary Lee Webber

"The Alien Church" explores the effectiveness of cross-cultural ministry as part of an overall discipleship process and seeks to determine if a successful balance can exist between homogenous and heterogeneous models of ministry. Furthermore, "The Alien Church" explores how established urban churches can be transformed by obedience to the Great Commission through actively engaging in ministry to the immigrants God brings within the shadow of their steeples. Such efforts not only expand God's kingdom, but also have the potential to profoundly impact the spiritual formation of His people.

Gerald S Burke

The purpose of this project was to equip selected members of the First Baptist Church, Greenville, Mississippi (FBCG), in cross-cultural mission skills. The project director researched pertinent skills needed for effective cross-cultural mission work in order to prepare FBCG members for efficient service. Furthermore, this project led to the development of a curriculum that will be used to train and equip select FBCG members in cross-cultural mission skills. The project director's equipping of members is key for stronger impact and success in FBCG short-term mission trips. In addition to equipping FBCG members, the project director sought to accomplish two professional goals. The first goal was to increase the project director's knowledge of cross-cultural mission skills. The attainment of this goal guided the director in equipping individuals for more efficient cross-cultural service. As a second goal, the project director sought to increase his skills in instructional theory and practice, which should lead to better communication skills and leadership abilities.

Edward A Jones

This thesis addressed the need to build multi-ethnic biblical unity in contemporary churches and to grow congregations multi-ethnically as the United States increases in diversity. It focuses on the content, form and delivery of sermons that communicate cross-culturally diverse stories and preaching methodologies. The theological foundations for multi-ethnic congregations are presented. The complexities and strategies for preaching to multi-ethnic congregations are discussed. A manual utilizing this information on biblical unity and meeting its challenges is offered as a seminar tool for those wishing to train ministers to communicate effectively in order to build multi-ethnicity in their churches. This entails biblical exposition that incorporates content, form, and delivery to create a preaching event that helps congregants encounter and answer God's call to unity.

Carol A Mack

Becoming neighbors in biblical perspective is the believer's task, which encompasses the life-long cultivation of Christian virtues that touch humanity and exemplify Kingdom character. With the assumption that knowledge and understanding of another's experiences generally diminishes negative feelings and prejudices, this project employed the Scale of Ethnocultural Empathy (SEE) created by Dr. Yu-Wei Wang as a pre- and post-test. Tests measured participants' attitudes toward people of different ethnic origin and cultures than their own. After engaging participants in a six-week series on global people movements and cross-cultural engagement with refugees, t-tests results showed an overall increase in ethnocultural empathy.

Wing Kay Chan

The author researched the structure and process of nurturing Chinese cross-cultural missionaries, in order to upgrade their quality before they can be sent out. He emphasized the biblical and theological basis, practical sending network, and pre-field education and training as three proper environments for missionary-sending. He also stressed the preparation and practice in spiritual formation, spiritual warfare, and spiritual traditions as three vital characteristics of Chinese cross-cultural missionaries. As conclusion, he proposed to apply holistic hands-on training, to implement dynamic interdisciplinary strategies, to formulate contextualized evangelical missiology, and carry out concerted regional trainings for all Chinese cross-cultural missionaries.

Timothy P Evans

The problem this paper sought to answer was, "How can we better use the STM experience for Brazilians as an effective tool in a training program that produces healthy long-term missionaries?" The process approach to Grounded Theory revealed six influential factors in the candidates life and training process. These, however, all could be summed up in the relationships--the candidate with others and others to him or her.

Tiffany D Smith

The purpose of the project was to equip a selected group of Baptist leaders in Texas with a teaching module to train youth for cross-cultural ministry. First, the project director researched critical mission issues and skills for cross-cultural ministry in order to develop a tool to train youth for ministering cross-culturally overseas. Second, the director developed a teaching module for selected Southern baptist leaders in Texas to use to train youth for ministry in cross-cultural setting. Last, the director equipped selected Southern baptist leaders in Texas with the teaching module to train youth in ministering cross-culturally. These selected leaders along with the youth participants provided assessment and evaluation regarding the effectiveness and usefulness of the training module. In addition to the ministry goals, the project director pursued two professional goals. The first professional goal was to increase knowledge in cross-cultural ministry for the purpose of developing a tool for training youth. The second professional goal was to strengthen the project director's skill in curriculum development.