19 Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV)
1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV)
Introduction
ISI has elected to learn the CQ model for enhancing our cross-cultural competencies. This model comes with an assessment so that we can look at ourselves, gather insights, review blind-spots, and select growth steps to increase our cultural intelligence. The CQ assessment measures our cultural values preferences, and helps us look at our CQ drive, knowledge, strategy and action. For a brief overview of CQ, start here. We are glad to share that two of the key leaders and authors of CQ, David Livermore and Soon Ang, are believers. (Much of David’s initial interest in this topic grew out of his days as a youth pastor when he would take his students on short-term mission trips.)
ISI has gathered an internal “CQ Team”: Valerie Althouse, Teddy Yesudasan, Kelly Quek, Andy Pearce and Erik Racz. These five staff have received their professional CQ certification in order to help our current and future staff understand and grow in their cross-cultural competencies! They will serve the ISI community as resources, coaches, and trainers.
Our work as messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ relies heavily on communication. We are quite clearly called to communicate with those from different cultural backgrounds than our own. If that is our vocation, then CQ is a tool that we can learn to enhance our ability to share that message with whomever God brings our way.
ISI has gathered an internal “CQ Team”: Valerie Althouse, Teddy Yesudasan, Kelly Quek, Andy Pearce and Erik Racz. These five staff have received their professional CQ certification in order to help our current and future staff understand and grow in their cross-cultural competencies! They will serve the ISI community as resources, coaches, and trainers.
Our work as messengers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ relies heavily on communication. We are quite clearly called to communicate with those from different cultural backgrounds than our own. If that is our vocation, then CQ is a tool that we can learn to enhance our ability to share that message with whomever God brings our way.
*Do We See CQ in the Bible?
• Every time we read the Bible, we are engaging in a cross-cultural experience. Our modern culture is very different from the plethora of cultures that the various books were written within. From Genesis to the Epistles, culture matters. In seminary, students are instructed to exegete from the passage by first discerning the culture the book was written within and the original intent of the author. From those insights, a principle is then derived that is applied to our modern-day life.
• In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan tells King David the story of how a wicked man stole a beloved lamb from his poor neighbor rather than killing one of his own. This parable was meant to connect with David’s heart and convict him of his own sin with Bathsheba. Was Nathan’s decision to use a story about sheep purely coincidental? No. While Nathan himself was not a shepherd, he knew that David was. His knowledge of King David’s past life and cultural formation was deep. There is no doubt that David spent years of his childhood loving small lambs. We can surmise that this story hit deep in David’s heart due to his own formation. This is an example of CQ. Additionally, Nathan’s approach in addressing David’s sin was delivered in a somewhat indirect way. While Western cultures prefer direct communication (“King David, you sinned!”), other cultures prefer a more indirect approach (“Let me tell you a story…”). Nathan gives us an example that while his approach was more indirect, it still brought the point home to King David in a powerful way.
• In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of The Good Samaritan to the experts in Jewish religious law. Why did Jesus choose a “Samaritan” to be the hero of the story? Many of us are familiar with the idea that Jews hated Samaritans. Jesus, being an ‘insider’ of this particular culture, knew this and used his knowledge in a powerful way. This story would likely not have pierced the hearts of his hearers to the same degree if he had selected an ethnic group that they did not hate. If Jesus came today and told this story, what group would he select in your cultural surroundings to bring his point home? The good Democrat or Republican? The good Homosexual? The good Palestinian or Israeli? The good Russian? Good CQ demonstrates an awareness of the culture, its viewpoints, and how to deliver truth that connects with our hearts and not just our heads.
• Acts 17 is a classic example of CQ demonstrated in the Apostle Paul’s preaching, and is referenced in many Christian cross-cultural training materials. This well known example is where Paul preached in a very different style than his usual methods. To explain Who Jesus was to his audience: he chose to follow the pattern of a Hellenistic discourse and philosophical lecture rather than his usual arguments from the Jewish Torah and Prophets. He bridged an idea from their local religion (altar to the unknown god) to the Creator of the Universe, the God of the Bible. He could do this because of his deep knowledge of the culture and religion of this area. His message was received by his hearers due to his high level of CQ.
• In 2 Samuel 12, the prophet Nathan tells King David the story of how a wicked man stole a beloved lamb from his poor neighbor rather than killing one of his own. This parable was meant to connect with David’s heart and convict him of his own sin with Bathsheba. Was Nathan’s decision to use a story about sheep purely coincidental? No. While Nathan himself was not a shepherd, he knew that David was. His knowledge of King David’s past life and cultural formation was deep. There is no doubt that David spent years of his childhood loving small lambs. We can surmise that this story hit deep in David’s heart due to his own formation. This is an example of CQ. Additionally, Nathan’s approach in addressing David’s sin was delivered in a somewhat indirect way. While Western cultures prefer direct communication (“King David, you sinned!”), other cultures prefer a more indirect approach (“Let me tell you a story…”). Nathan gives us an example that while his approach was more indirect, it still brought the point home to King David in a powerful way.
• In Luke 10, Jesus tells the story of The Good Samaritan to the experts in Jewish religious law. Why did Jesus choose a “Samaritan” to be the hero of the story? Many of us are familiar with the idea that Jews hated Samaritans. Jesus, being an ‘insider’ of this particular culture, knew this and used his knowledge in a powerful way. This story would likely not have pierced the hearts of his hearers to the same degree if he had selected an ethnic group that they did not hate. If Jesus came today and told this story, what group would he select in your cultural surroundings to bring his point home? The good Democrat or Republican? The good Homosexual? The good Palestinian or Israeli? The good Russian? Good CQ demonstrates an awareness of the culture, its viewpoints, and how to deliver truth that connects with our hearts and not just our heads.
• Acts 17 is a classic example of CQ demonstrated in the Apostle Paul’s preaching, and is referenced in many Christian cross-cultural training materials. This well known example is where Paul preached in a very different style than his usual methods. To explain Who Jesus was to his audience: he chose to follow the pattern of a Hellenistic discourse and philosophical lecture rather than his usual arguments from the Jewish Torah and Prophets. He bridged an idea from their local religion (altar to the unknown god) to the Creator of the Universe, the God of the Bible. He could do this because of his deep knowledge of the culture and religion of this area. His message was received by his hearers due to his high level of CQ.
How Does CQ Relate to Sharing Christ with Students?
• The epistle of I Peter was written to believers who were scattered and persecuted. Much of the Bible was written within an Honor/Shame worldview, and this is no exception. In a culture and time where honor was withheld from these outcasts who followed Jesus, Peter provided “an alternative way of calculating honor.”1 16 Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. (I Peter 4:16, ESV) While these verses are familiar to us, this would have been a radical redefinition of honor in the minds of the hearers of this epistle. Peter would have understood their shame, and thus offered them good news that gave them hope. Honor is not sought after to the same degree in the West as it is in many traditional cultures. To share Christ with high CQ, we can choose to incorporate words and ideas that will be powerful for our hearers, even if they don’t have as much power in our own experiences. Check out this video on Three Worldviews and the Gospel. Sharing the Gospel with the other person’s worldview and felt needs in mind is an example of using high CQ.
• The record of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 is an important example of the relevance of CQ for the message of the Gospel. In this passage we see the early church leaders wrestle with what is cultural (circumcision) and what is necessary for salvation (only belief in Jesus). What if they had decided to require something cultural, and thus, pervert the Gospel? This is an example of how discerning between what is cultural and the purity of the Gospel message is critical for our faith. It is no different today. One’s own culture can be understood as viewing the world through a pair of eyeglasses without realizing that they are on your face. As believers, it is critical that we “see our glasses” clearly so that we can take them off and communicate the Gospel in its purest form. One additional note from Acts 15 is the Jewish believers’ request that Gentile believers abstain from food sacrificed to idols (15:29) and Paul’s later instruction in I Corinthians 8 that Gentile believers be sensitive to those around them, not flaunting their freedom to eat whatever they wanted. This is an example of cultural accommodation (or cultural hospitality) where we make space for one another’s differences, show sensitivity, and adjust our behavior in areas that are matters of preference, not matters of morality. We do this out of love for one another.
• Stories matter. The stories we are told as we grow up form our view of ourselves and the world around us. Every culture and has its own stories, and these narratives form deep convictions and often guide our behavior and actions even as we often remain unaware of their influence. Take some time to watch the Peace Child story – the experience of Don and Carol Richardson and how they experienced a breakthrough in sharing Christ within a tribal environment. It wasn’t their love or language that brought this breakthrough – it was the Holy Spirit working through a new cultural insight that unlocked the message in the hearts of their hearers. As we become better students of our students’ cultures and stories – we seek the movement of the Holy Spirit to unlock His life-transforming power in those we want to reach.
1 Dr. Jin Hyon Lee, Dissertation: THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADAPTATION IN PREACHING IN THE CONTEXT OF PRINCETON, NJ, WITH THE EXAMPLE OF TIM KELLER, 2019.
• The record of the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15 is an important example of the relevance of CQ for the message of the Gospel. In this passage we see the early church leaders wrestle with what is cultural (circumcision) and what is necessary for salvation (only belief in Jesus). What if they had decided to require something cultural, and thus, pervert the Gospel? This is an example of how discerning between what is cultural and the purity of the Gospel message is critical for our faith. It is no different today. One’s own culture can be understood as viewing the world through a pair of eyeglasses without realizing that they are on your face. As believers, it is critical that we “see our glasses” clearly so that we can take them off and communicate the Gospel in its purest form. One additional note from Acts 15 is the Jewish believers’ request that Gentile believers abstain from food sacrificed to idols (15:29) and Paul’s later instruction in I Corinthians 8 that Gentile believers be sensitive to those around them, not flaunting their freedom to eat whatever they wanted. This is an example of cultural accommodation (or cultural hospitality) where we make space for one another’s differences, show sensitivity, and adjust our behavior in areas that are matters of preference, not matters of morality. We do this out of love for one another.
• Stories matter. The stories we are told as we grow up form our view of ourselves and the world around us. Every culture and has its own stories, and these narratives form deep convictions and often guide our behavior and actions even as we often remain unaware of their influence. Take some time to watch the Peace Child story – the experience of Don and Carol Richardson and how they experienced a breakthrough in sharing Christ within a tribal environment. It wasn’t their love or language that brought this breakthrough – it was the Holy Spirit working through a new cultural insight that unlocked the message in the hearts of their hearers. As we become better students of our students’ cultures and stories – we seek the movement of the Holy Spirit to unlock His life-transforming power in those we want to reach.
1 Dr. Jin Hyon Lee, Dissertation: THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURAL INTELLIGENCE AND ADAPTATION IN PREACHING IN THE CONTEXT OF PRINCETON, NJ, WITH THE EXAMPLE OF TIM KELLER, 2019.
Is CQ the same as CRT (Critical Race Theory)?
No. CQ is a model with frameworks to enable us to understand our own cultures and other cultures so that we can better relate across differences. The CQ model can certainly assist with racial tensions by providing a language and framework to discuss cultural differences, but it is not a set of beliefs or ideas that one is forced to accept. CQ will never ask anyone to violate their own values or convictions.
Are CQ assessment results reliable?
Yes. CQ is research backed. And multiple academic articles can be found here for your review.
**Further Reading on this Topic
From a Christian worldview:
More advanced Christian resources:
Secular Resources:
- Crossing Cultures with Jesus – Dr. Katie Rawson
- Cross-Cultural Connections – Duane Elmer
- Crossing Cultures in Scripture – Marvin Newell, Patrick Fung
- Building Cultural Intelligence in Church and Ministry – Osoba O. Otaigbe
- Biblical Multicultural Teams – Dr. Sheryl Takagi Silzer
- Perspectives on the World Christian Movement Reader – especially the Cultural Perspective section (Pages 297-528)
More advanced Christian resources:
- Ministering Cross-Culturally: A Model for Effective Interpersonal Relationships – Dr. Sherwood G. Lingenfelter
- Teaching Cross-Culturally: An Incarnational Model for Learning and Teaching – Drs. Sherwood and Judith Lingenfelter
- Leading Cross-Culturally: Covenant Relationships for Effective Christian Leadership – Dr. Sherwood Lingenfelter
- What Do They Hear? Bridging the Gap Between the Pulpit and Pew - Mark Powell
- Dr. Jin Hyo Lee’s PhD Dissertation on Preaching with Cultural Intelligence, includes about 40 pages of theological framework and support (chapter 2). You can read it here.
- Tapestry of Grace: Untangling the Cultural Complexities in Asian American Life and Ministry – Dr. Sheryl Takagi Silzer and Benjamin C Shin.
- Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes: Removing Cultural Blinders to Better Understand the Bible – Richards and O’Brien
Secular Resources:
- Recommended reading from the Cultural Intelligence Center is listed here.
- Cultural Intelligence: A Guide to Working with People from Other Cultures – Brooks Peterson
- Global Dexterity: How to Adopt Your Behavior Across Cultures Without Losing Yourself in the Process - Molinsky
- Academic resources by Soon Ang
- The Culture Map by Erin Meyers - a good summary and a book for team development
**ISI cannot state that it agrees affirms all content within each of these resources. It is up to the individual reader to discern and glean useful information from the materials to strengthen their CQ as a follower of Jesus.
Questions and concerns can be submitted to [email protected]
Questions and concerns can be submitted to [email protected]
Contact Us
Submit questions and concerns to Valerie at [email protected]
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