THE LORD’S PRAYER: A GUIDE TO FORMING OUR PRAYERS TO THE FATHER by David Wylie

FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

THE LORD’S PRAYER:

A GUIDE TO FORMING OUR PRAYERS TO THE FATHER

PRESENTED TO DR. JAMES BRADLEY Ph. D

FOR SP500 SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS AND PRACTICES

BY

DAVID MICHAEL WYLIE

PASADENA, CA

 

Introduction

The Lord’s Prayer is the most significant prayer for Jesus’ followers both in Jesus’ time and today because Jesus Himself established this prayer.  The Lord’s Prayer has become an established prayer in high-church traditions but has been often underused in protestant circles.  Augustine’s Enchiridion addresses many of the great theological significances of the Lord’s Prayer.  We can regain some of the significance in the Lord’s Prayer from Augustine in light of both scripture and our modern context.

This essay will attempt to discuss the Lord’s Prayer in the Gospels, the Didache, and Augustine’s Enchiridion which is only a small glimpse of the historical usage of this prayer and will mainly focus on the early churches usage of this prayer according to Augustine’s Enchiridion.  This paper will also attempt to better understand how this ancient practice can inform our spirituality in the 21^st century.

 

Method

 

By examining the use of the Lord’s Prayer and also attempting to provide some brief analysis of the lack of use of the prayer in our time, this essay will explore the richness of meaning in the Lord’s Prayer for the author/s of the Didache and also Augustine of Hippo, who have advocated and practiced the prayer in more of a prescribed and daily use.  The purpose of this analysis is an attempt to better inform the relevancy of the Lord’s Prayer for the 21^st century.  This essay will only briefly discuss the theological implications and Jesus’ intention on the exact prescription of the prayer and instead will examine how it has been used in the Didache Augustine of Hippo’s Enchiridion.  This historical examination will begin with Jesus’ context and attempt to very briefly describe the context of the subsequent generations beginning with the Didache.  Then briefly touching on the usage and instruction of Saint Augustine’s Enchiridion.

The Lord’s Prayer in the Gospels

 

  On two separate occasions Mathew 6:9 and Luke 11:1-4 Jesus teaches the disciples to pray.  In Mathew the prayer is taught to the disciples in context of other teachings at the Sermon on the Mount.  In Luke 11:1-4 Jesus “was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Lord, teach us to pray… (Luke 11:1).  Though the prayer is slightly shortened in Luke both contexts begin with a direct address to the “Father”.  Both versions of the Lord’s Prayer also refer to the Father’s Kingdom; both address forgiveness, and plead for deterrence from trial.

Interestingly Jesus himself prays using other words and prayers throughout the gospels.  A few of these other prayers are Matthew 11:25-26, Luke 10:21, John 11:41-42, John 12:27-28, John 17.[1]  All of these prayers mentioned above are prayers from Jesus directed toward the Father, a theme in Jesus’ prayers.[2]  This intimate relational prayer to the Father has great significance in our very own intimate relationship to the Father.  As children in these prayers, especially in the Lord’s Prayer we are brought into the reciprocating relationship of Father and child through Jesus the Son.     

The Lord’s Prayer contains a hope of very deep theological meaning.  Jesus brings hope in word and truth by praying to the Father in his mother tongue Abwoon d’bwashmaya Our Father (Mat 6:9, Luke 11us how the relationship the example and prays A hope in these serene words addressed to a originate from Jesus’ own lips of which many believers throughout history have not left unnoticed.  The Lord’s Prayer still has very profound significance for the 21^st Century.  Jesus’ prayer is simply “how you should pray”(Mat 6:9).  Jesus’ prescription of the Lord’s Prayer in the context of, and in contrast with pretentious (Mat. 6:5) and verbose (6:7) prayer comes adjacent with other teachings about not being pretentious in almsgiving.

The Lord’s Prayer in light of the Gospels reveals that although Jesus taught “‘Pray then in this way” (Mat 6:9) Jesus himself prays using other words in other prayers.  However as explained above all but one of the prayers that Jesus prays in the Gospels begin with and contain a direct address to the Father.  Another interesting point to make concerning the other prayers that Jesus prays is that none of the prayers contradicts the Lord’s Prayer, a point that will be addressed further toward the conclusion of this analysis.

The Didache on the Lord’s Prayer

 

The Didache is important to the discussion on the Lord’s Prayer due to the fact that the Didache is a very early document on catechesis in the early church and may be the earliest extra-biblical reference to the Lord’s Prayer.[3] The Didache advises the prayer should be prayed three times daily (Didache, ch. 8) The Didache discusses the prayer in context of its prescribed fast days.  After the charge to not “…let not your fasts be with the hypocrites, for they fast on the second and fifth day of the week. Rather, fast on the fourth day and the Preparation (Friday) (ch. 8)”, the Didache discusses the Lord Prayer stating, Do not pray like the hypocrites, but rather as the Lord commanded in His Gospel” then quotes Mathew’s gospel’s version of the prayer.  By stating that the prayer be done three times daily shows that this was not the only way to pray because these Christians were praying more than three times a day.  We can see in the Didache that the prayer was never thought of as the only way to pray.

Saint Augustine of Hippo’s Enchiridion:

On Faith, Hope, and Love and the Lord’s Prayer

For Augustine of Hippo the Lord’s Prayer is, along with the apostles creed, “those three graces exemplified: faith believes, hope and love pray” (Augustine ch. 7).  It is alongside the Apostles Creed that Augustine sees the practice of the Lord’s Prayer as containing the catechesis of faith, hope, and love.  Right away in the Enchiridion Augustine elevates the practice as an important tool in the Christian life.  The Enchiridion does not however give specific instruction on how often one should pray the Lord’s Prayer, as the Didache did but certainly discusses the importance of the prayer in the life of the believer.

The Lord’s Prayer is not addressed specifically again until chapter 114 where the Lord’s Prayer is considered to contain “good hope of believers” (Augustine ch. 114) and it is here that Augustine brings up some nuances to the Prayer as a practice.  Augustine writes, “But of these matters, all of which are true objects of faith, those only pertain to hope which are embraced in the Lord’s Prayer” (ch.14) Augustine realizes the hope found in this prayer.  He sees this prayer along with the Apostles Creed as something worthy of practice and also worthy of study and spiritual apprehension.

Augustine also indirectly discusses how the prayer places its hope in the Father and not in human hope or hope in ourselves and our good works when he writes,

For, “Cursed is the man that trusteth in man” is the testimony of holy writ; and, consequently, this curse attaches also to the man who trusteth in himself. Therefore, except from God the Lord we ought to ask for nothing either that we hope to do well, or hope to obtain as a reward of our good works. (Ch. 114)

Here we can see several theological points.  One of which is the hope found in the Lord’s Prayer.  For Augustine in the Enchiridion the hope that is in the Lord’s Prayer is connected with trusting in God and not ourselves and our good works, a point that is debated by the reformers and is misunderstood by many in the debate about the usefulness of our works.

For Augustine the Lord’s Prayer also contains truth about what we should be asking for in our lives concerning our good works and what reward we seek.  By having this discussion here it seems as though Augustine is entering into the debate about works based salvation and grace based salvation but this is very much earlier than the debate in the Protestant reformation, as the Enchiridion is dated in the early fifth century.  When Augustine writes, “except from God the Lord we ought to ask for nothing either that we hope to do well, or hope to obtain as a reward of our good works.”  To make his point clearer it seems he could add Jesus’ teaching, “strive first for the kingdom of God^* and his^* righteousness (Mat. 6:33).

In chapter 115 of Augustine’s Enchiridion Augustine addresses seven points of the Lord’s Prayer.  He writes,

Accordingly, in the Gospel according to Matthew the Lord’s Prayer seems to embrace seven petitions three of which ask for eternal blessings, and the remaining four for temporal; these latter, however, being necessary antecedents to the attainment of the eternal. (Ch. 115)

In this chapter (ch. 115) Augustine is discussing the theological motif of the prayer as it pertains to the already/not yet nature of the Father’s Kingdom.  Here Augustine sees the prayer as having both spiritual and physical dimensions and facets.  Writing in platonic context he discusses both the physical and spiritual and the already and the “not yet” facets of the prayer.  Because the prayer addresses the Father in heaven and also says “on earth as it is in heaven” in Mathews version of the prayer Augustine addresses them as well.  Augustine’s view is that the prayer is divided into the eternal and temporal for the sake of better understanding the prayer.

When Augustine writes, “In that eternal life, where we hope to live for ever, the hallowing of God’s name, and His kingdom, and His will in our spirit and body, shall be brought to perfection, and shall endure to everlasting (ch. 115).  Augustine still seems to have a slight platonic split between the spiritual and the physical which may be incongruent with the Lord’s Pray when Jesus says, “on Earth as it is in heaven” which seems to desire that the temporal be one with the eternal perfection.[4]

In chapter 116 Augustine discusses the Gospel of Luke’s variation on Mathew’s version of the prayer.  In this chapter, the final chapter that addresses the Lord’s Prayer directly, Augustine seems to suggest that Luke’s version is more concise when he writes, “not, of course, that there is any discrepancy between the two evangelists, but that Luke indicates by his very brevity the mode in which the seven petitions of Matthew are to be understood (ch. 116).  He makes his case that parts of the prayer are can actually be summarized in other parts of the prayer.  For example Augustine writes,

Luke, therefore, intending to show that the third petition is a sort of repetition of the first two, has chosen to indicate that by omitting the third altogether. (4) Then he adds three others: one for daily bread, another for pardon of sin, another for immunity from temptation. And what Matthew puts as the last petition, “but deliver us from evil,” Luke has omitted,(4) to show us that it is embraced in the previous petition about temptation. Matthew, indeed, himself says, “but deliver,” not “anti deliver,” as if to show that the petitions are virtually one: do not this, but this; so that every man is to understand that he is delivered from evil in the very fact of his not being led into temptation.

The fact that Luke’s version is shorter seems to suggest that the rigidity of the wording is not what is important but the ideas themselves.  If God’s Kingdom comes then the will of God will be done automatically regardless if we pray the prayer exactly this way.

Conclusion

 

This analysis has shown how the prayer was used by Jesus as a tool for instructing the disciples on how to pray.  The essay has also examined other wording that Jesus used for prayer and how those prayers are certainly not contradictory but rather fall into the same categories of meaning as the Lord’s Prayer.  Augustine has addressed some very good points about the use of the prayer and the hope found for those who make this prayer a practice.  We have also seen how Luke and Mathews version of the prayer are slightly different but not in content.  All of this makes the case that the prayer while very beautiful in its prescribed form is actually both a prescribed prayer and also somewhat of an outline for other prayers.  This essay attempts to show that the prayer while useful in its exact forms in Mathew and in Luke is actually a guide to forming our prayer life.  Due to the fact that ritual is making a comeback in the 21^st century it would never be a waste of time to pray the prayer verbatim as it is in Mathew and Luke but the Lord’s Prayer can also serve as a guide to forming other prayers.  None of our prayers should contradict the Lord’s Prayer.

Works Cited

Augustine, and Thomas S. Hibbs. 1996. The enchiridion on faith, hope and love. Washington, D.C. Lanham, MD: Regnery Pub. ; Distributed to the trade by National Book Network.

Milavec, Aaron. 2004. The Didache : text, translation, analysis, and commentary. Collegeville Minn: Liturgical Press.

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[1] These are only a few of the prayers of Jesus throughout the gospels.

[2] The only recorded prayer where Jesus does not address God as Father is while on the cross where he cries out “My God My God”. (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34, Luke 23:34,46.)

[3] The Didache will only be very briefly discussed due to the nature of the assignment.

[4] I can not say with certainty that Augustine is guilty of the platonic split between the physical and spiritual in his writing about the Lord’s Prayer in ch. 115 but I can say that we are all in danger of making this dichotomy.  I do feel he could have done more to make certain that he was not making this dichotomy.  There is certainly scripture that seems to suggest the dichotomy for the purpose theological reasoning and to discuss future perfection.

THE PROBLEM OF THE DIVISION MEAL AND THE SOLUTION IN 1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-34

THE PROBLEM OF THE DIVISION MEAL AND THE SOLUTION IN 1 CORINTHIANS 11:17-34

Introduction

 

The divisive nature of humans is evident throughout the world and can be found in every level of society it seems.  Communities of faith should be the last place that one should find divisions.  For the apostle Paul this divisive nature shows contempt in the house of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:22).  Preventable contempt is something that communities of faith who claim Christ as Lord should make every effort to avoid.  This is the reason why Paul’s solution to the divisions in the Corinthian church around the meal is the most important message in the 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.

Interpretation, exegetical method, and homiletic uses of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 too often exclude Paul’s most important message in this passage.  Too much of the interpretive work of this passage has focused on self-examination before Eucharist.  Is self-examination and examining our sin the main message in this text? Yes!  So since this is true we need to make every effort to understand what is Paul communicating when he tells his Corinthian friends that they run the risk of contempt and that they need to wait on one another or to tarry for one another – which Paul offers as the solution to the division problem (v.33).  Why is the exhortation aspect of First Corinthians 11:17-34 under represented, and in many cases neglected?  Why do Christians too often exclude the poor and divide the church based on class as the Corinthian church had done (1 Corinthians 11:22)?

The research presented here will attempt to answer these above questions for the purpose of better understanding the main theme of this passage.  This paper will argue that the main theme of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is Paul’s charge to the Corinthian church to “wait for one another”, or as Witherington translates it “welcome one another” (Witherington 1995, :252), when they “come together and eat” the Lord’s supper (v.33), and that the self examination that is called for by Paul in v. 28 is written to the entire Corinthian Church, not individuals, and that this is specifically concerning this waiting for one another and having bias for the poor and those in need. David DeSilva points out that while 1 Corinthians 1:26 tells us that, “not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” this doesn’t mean that there were not social stratifications in the church and that some people enjoyed their “privileged status” (DeSilva 2004, :562).

The method for proving that waiting is the main theme will be to look at this pericope, the primary source, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, briefly exegeting the main components that are relevant to the argument that the main theme is for the church to “wait for one another” when they “come together and eat” (v.33).  Secondly, several relevant secondary sources will be examined when they state this case in a particularly memorable and succinct way and examine if others are interpreting this passage as having the main theme to “wait for one another” when they “come together and eat” (v.33).  Throughout this use of secondary sources I will provide some commentary on these relevant secondary sources.  Then, I will conclude by providing analysis on the research presented throughout this paper and briefly discuss the implications for church behavior for the 21^st century.

Essential Questions that Arise in Interpreting this Passage

 

Several questions arise then and need to be examined when interpreting this pericope.  For instance, does this passage parallel Jesus’ teachings about table fellowship and Jesus’ overall message about the Lord’s Supper?   What is the cause for the divisions that Paul is discussing?  Is this text simply about factions or is the cause for the divisions more important, as the text suggests, that some are eating and others are not and that this is the central theme?  Does the message “examine yourselves” (v.28) mean for individuals to examine themselves or was this a message for the church of Corinth collectively?  What is the significance of eating at home if you are hungry?    As, opposed to eating when they gather?  Does this mean that they are not eating meals together? The socio-historical setting of the text is that Paul was writing this from Ephesus and wrote it around 50C.E. What was the cultural norm for Corinthians about excluding those who do not have much and who are going hungry?  Was this just a problem in the church and what was the mood of the surrounding culture?  Were some in the church complaining about this?  In 1 Corinthians 7:1 we see that Paul is answering questions that the church had inquired about.  Was this included in that?  Were those in power asking him his opinion on these matters or is this separate advice.  What is Paul’s tone in the text?  Was Paul very angry or was he calmly discussing these problems with them as brother and sisters in Christ?  He definitely seems to appeal in love but was this tough love?  This research will attempt to answer these questions throughout.[1]

Examining, Waiting, and the Meal in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

 

The main point of Paul’s charge in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is that the Corinthian church needs to “wait for one another” when they “come together and eat” (v.33).  Paul’s concern about the divisions among them, or what Alexandra R. Brown calls the “disruption of koinonia” (Brown 1995, :138) is written about throughout the whole letter.  Paul’s desire for unity in the body is evident in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, and in Paul’s mention of the divisions described in 1 Corinthians chapters 14 and 15.

The fact that Paul’s main concern is for this waiting for “one another” (v.33) is revealed in the words that seem to culminate in Paul’s charge, with “So then” (v.33).   So, if verse thirty-three reveals the theme of this text then the importance of waiting for one another is the main theme of this passage.  Further evidence is in the fact that this is the solution that Paul is offering to the problem of division.  While it is good to think critically about how churches are not acting right, it is probably more important to offer the correct alternative action, or what Glen Stassen calls the “transforming initiative,” (Stassen 2006, :64) and in fact is more important than offering condemnation and unguided critic.  While more of the text deals with the problem itself it is more important to change the behavior and to offer and act upon correct behavior- and that is exactly what Paul does in verse 33.  Paul is exhorting the Corinthian church to wait, tarry, expect, and welcome one another despite class differences.

ἐκδέχεσθε

The Greek word ἐκδέχεσθε is translated in the NRSV as wait.  The KJV however translates ἐκδέχεσθε as tarry.  Does waiting have the same meaning as tarrying?  Do both carry the same weight of the message that Paul is trying to get across?  This word ἐκδέχεσθε only shows up in the NT eight times.  This is the only place that the KJV translates ἐκδέχεσθε as tarry –in this verse (v.33).   Is this different than ἐπιμενῶ?  The Zondervan Greek and English Interlinear New Testament translates ἐκδέχεσθε as “to receive”, “to expect”, and “to look for” (Mounce and Mounce 2008, :1087).  This same word appears in 1 Corinthians 16:11 and refers to Paul’s expectation of Timothy’s arrival (1 Corinthians 16:11).   A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and other Early Christian Literature also translates ἐκδέχεσθε as “expect” and “wait” (Bauer 1957, :237).

Cotext

The ideas that are in the surrounding text also assist in understanding the main theme of this text.  The general purpose of the letter was to edify the church at Corinth with warnings and instructions – especially ecclesial instructions.  Paul has already dealt with some factions among them (v. 1:10-4:21) and instruction for partaking of the Lord’s table (10:21).  Then following this passage we see the body politics of 12:12-30.

Secondary Sources:

Commentary and Interpretations of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

 

As mentioned before a lot of the interpretive work that deals with this passage too often under represents the class struggle between those who have and those who do not have.  Much of the interpretation of this text focuses on the divisions and the problems that Paul is presenting, and too often neglects the reason for the division and the reason for the need to discerning the body.  This section of the research will look at a few commentaries that under represent this motif and message of Paul and then will look at some that place better emphasis on the reason for the problem and division and that also emphasize the solution.

The New interpreters Bible: A Commentary in twelve volumes states,

‘Discerning the body’ is a densely packed phrase that the Corinthians probably had been prepared to understand and that we may unpack in stages. ‘Discerning’ is a figuring out, a reckoning that a person does or is capable of doing.  The body that must be discerned cannot be separated from the just mentioned ‘body of the Lord, ‘ which was identified with the bread that is eaten in the supper (Wall, Wright, and Sampley 2002, :936).

The New Interpreters Commentary then goes on to discuss this critical evaluation of the body as “how well one is related to Christ” (:936).  Then the commentary very briefly mentions that when Paul refers to the body of Christ he is including the members of the church as the body as well (:936).  Then the commentary elaborates somewhat on this idea calling this discussion of discerning the body as Paul’s “shorthand way of talking about an individual assessment of two distinguishable but inseparable matters: how well one’s life relates to Christ and how well one’s to others, who though many are one body of Christ” (:936).

Reflection on the New Interpreters Bible Commentary

         It is my opinion that while the New Interpreters Commentary has many great things to say about the passage, it misses the mark on adequately addressing what I believe is the main theme and most needed interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.  This commentary seems to presuppose that the main theme of the passage is to “discern the Body”.  While this is certainly one of the main points that Paul is making in this passage, the idea of discerning the body is too much of an abstract idea and can leave the reader wondering what this might mean.  As already stated the Paul’s practical application of discerning the body in this passage is to “wait” or “tarry” for one another (1 Cor. 11:33).

Some commentaries get it right

There are many commentaries that not only address the issue of waiting or tarrying but there are many commentaries that see this issue of not waiting and not tarrying as a central if not as the main theme of the pericope.  One example of a commentary that recognizes and emphasizes this theme is the New International Commentary on the New Testament (Fee 1987).  Not only does the New International Commentary on the New Testament address the problem of the “abuse of the Lord’s supper” (Fee 1987, :531), but it also has an entire section that sees the “problem” of 1 Corinthians 11:17-22 as “The Problem—Abuse of the Poor” (Fee 1987, :534).  This section addresses the theme of the abuse of the poor and states,

As they [the Corinthian Church] assemble together to eat the Lord’s Supper, instead of being ‘together’ they are being sundered apart by the activities of some who are going ahead with their own private meals, thus despising the church by shamming those who have nothing.  The perspective is clearly ‘from below,’ taking the side of the ‘have-nots’ (Fee 1987, :535-6).

 

Gordon Fee has done well to draw out this theme from the passage.  While many commentators focus on the division and the need for unity, this research and Gordon Fee agree that there is a deeper and clear reason for the division and that there is a clear solution for this disunity.

Ben Witherington III is another commentator that draws out the theme of marginalization in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34.  He also sees this as an abuse of worship (Witherington 1995, :241).  Witherington writes, “Paul is concerned with two social facets of the problem, namely, the disorderliness and inequality of the proceedings” (Witherington 1995, :241).  Witherington then describes in detail the cultural norms of Corinth and how meals were often a means in which people used the occasion to show off and show social status.  So this problem was not uncommon in Corinth.  Witherington is pointing out that Paul is addressing a common social stratification within Corinth and that these divisions were between rich and poor-an often over looked and under represented understanding of this passage (Witherington 1995, :244).

While many commentaries and interpretive approaches to 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 over look and under represent the marginalized motif of the passage, there are many academic and reputable commentators that recognize the significance and central theme of the passage in Paul’s solution to the problem of division.

Conclusion

This paper has examined the idea that the most important point in 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 is the solution that Paul offers in verse 33 to wait on one another when gathering as the body for the meal.  As Gordon Fee has correctly asserted Paul is taking the side of the “have nots” (Fee 1987, :535-6). Communities wishing to reflect the Lord’s body should emphasize this message and bias for the poor in this text when administering the bread and wine.  We should never separate this theme or diminish its importance.

Instead this passage is often used as mere introspection and could use a serious reevaluation and the ideal “reader communities” should not be leaving out the central theme of eating together in equality and in waiting, tarrying, expecting, and welcoming one another–especially those who are most in need.  It is clear that the text is calling the reader and those who claim Christ as Lord to examine and discern the body and make sure we are not excluding or marginalizing the poor and those in our communities who are most in need.  This is not a stretch when considering that Jesus himself had a bias in favor of the poor and for those who were most marginalized.

Works Cited

Bauer, Walter. 1957. A Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament, and other early Christian literature : a translation and adaptation of Walter Bauer’s Griechisch-deutsches Wörterbuch zu den Schriften des Neuen Testaments und der übringen urchristlichen Literatur, 4th rev. and augm. ed., 1952. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Brown, Alexandra R. 1995. The cross and human transformation : Paul’s apocalyptic word in 1 Corinthians. Minneapolis: Fortress Press.

DeSilva, David Arthur. 2004. An introduction to the New Testament : contexts, methods & ministry formation. Downers Grove, Ill. Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press ; Apollos.

Fee, Gordon D. 1987. The First Epistle to the Corinthians of New international commentary on the New Testament. [v. 46]. Grand Rapids, Mich.: W.B. Eerdmans Pub. Co.

Mounce, William D., and Robert H. Mounce. 2008. The Zondervan Greek and English interlinear New Testament (TNIV/NLT). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan.

Stassen, Glen Harold. 2006. Living the Sermon on the mount : a practical hope for grace and deliverance. 1st ed. ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Wall, Robert W., N. T. Wright, and J. Paul Sampley. 2002. The New interpreter’s Bible. the Acts of the Apostles, introduction to epistolary literature, the letter to the Romans, the first letter to the Corinthians of The New Interpreter’s Bible ; v. 10. Nashville, Tenn.: Abingdon.

Witherington, Ben. 1995. Conflict and community in Corinth : a socio-rhetorical commentary on 1 and 2 Corinthians. Grand Rapids, Mich.

Carlisle: W.B. Eerdmans ;

Paternoster Press.

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[1] This paper will not answer all of these questions explicitly but many of these questions will be implicitly answered as they arise.

Review of Joel B. Green, Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture

David Wylie’s Review of Joel B. Green, Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1997)

Joel B. Green, the Associate Dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies and professor of New Testament Interpretation at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California, has contributed widely to theological and biblical studies, which Green believes “have drifted apart” (63).  In this book Green has written an outstanding appeal for 21^st century readers of the Bible to read the Bible as Scripture, and to be seized by the truth of God’s purpose in scripture and “revealed history” (168) and Scripture’s potential for overall human formation.

A major contribution of his thought is the emphasis on reading the Bible as scripture– a process that, for Green involves the reader/interpreter who is then changed and seized by the truth of the divine purpose– revealed in the scripture.  Green’s Seized by Truth: Reading the Bible as Scripture not only presents a case for reading the Bible as scripture but also presents a fascinating case for allowing oneself to be transformed by scripture.  This book will be helpful for anyone who reads the Bible.  This book can also inspire and revive those who find themselves falling into the trap of reading the text as merely an academic exercise (24).

Green begins the book by noting the difference between reading the Bible and reading the Bible as Scripture.  Green writes, “reading the Bible is not necessarily the same thing as reading scripture” (3).  Green shows that, “however helpful and well intentioned” the process of reading the Bible as you would any other book, “cannot on its own promote a reading the bible as Scripture” (2).  Green points out that many people read the Bible and walk away “unchanged, uninspired, and uncertain” (3).  Green notes that all the skills and critical methods, and promising techniques” that have developed “do not ensure that God’s word will be any more near, or that it will be any more reverenced or observed” (4).  Green goes on to point out that understanding or to “stand under” (103) the Bible as Scripture is “first and foremost a theological statement” because it “draws attention to the origin, role, and aim of these texts in God’s self communication (5).  Green then discusses how the procedures and protocols in interpreting the Bible are necessary but insufficient in reading the Bible as Scripture. Green examines how too much of the current interpretative work has over emphasized the differences between the people that are discussed in the Bible, the authors, and the differences to our own 21^st century context.  Concerning this approach and “divide” Green reminds the reader that, “exploring differences is important work” (12).  Here green again emphasizes the insufficiency of methodology and the objectification of the text–but does not want to set this type of interpretive work aside.  Green concludes this first chapter by stating that “The practices of interpretation that have risen since the late 1700s are not thereby cast aside, but they are dethroned” (24).  Green emphasizes the aim in reading the Bible as scripture and how this type of interpretation “directs our attention to the origin role and aim of these texts in God’ self- communication” (25).

In Chapter two Green examines questions that arise in the hermeneutical task of reading the Bible as Scripture such as “What aims and assumptions promote and guide our reading of the Bible as Scripture?” (27).  Green begins to answer this question by considering “those gathered at Pentecost” and refers to what he calls “charismatic hermeneutics” (28). Discussing the role of the Spirit in reading the Bible as Scripture

Green examines the narrative of Acts 2 and the intertextualality of Peter’s “interpretive citation”(29) of Joel 2:28-32.   Green derives the aim of reading the Bible as Scripture from the ways in which Peter discusses the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and how the entire Lukan narrative reveals the continuation of the divine purpose throughout both testaments (27-49). Green writes,

For those of us engaged with Luke’s narrative as Christian Scripture, conversion is the consequence of embracing this story of our own, and seeing the plotline of our lives as continuous with an ongoing extension of the narrative that, for Luke, begins with the promise to Abraham, celebrates new Exodus in the advent of Christ, continues on in the expansion of the mission to all people, and leads forward to the eschaton.  Both us – God’s people then and God’s people now—are the church constituted by the Scriptures open to their formative influence and direction (50)

In this chapter green looks at the interpretive work done by Peter in the Lukan narrative and shows how this opens up the role of the Model Reader (60) a reading in which the reader allows the text to “critique, to encourage, to motivate, to instruct, to redirect—that is to shape us” (60-1).

In the third chapter Green shows his desire for everyone to read the Bible as scripture by beginning to bridge the gap between scholarship, theology, and today’s churches.  Green writes, “reading the Bible as Scripture has its own inherently theological presumptions, protocols, and resources” (66). Green notes four theological presumptions, protocols, and resources the first being that “reading Scripture must be ecclesially located” (66).  Here Green is making the case that “the best interpreters are those actively engaged in communities of biblical interpretation” (66).  Next, Green writes, “reading Scripture must be theologically fashioned” (79).  Here Green puts forth the important idea for the resources that are important to reading the Bible as Scripture that it must be “firmly situated within the grand narrative of God’s purpose”(79) Next, Green writes “reading scripture must be critically engaged” (89).  Here Green notes that a plethora of readings and interpretations add to the interpretation.  Green writes, “To read the Bible as Scripture is to leave open at every turn, the possibility that our interpretive traditions are erroneous and in need of reformation” (90).  Green then discusses more in detail the nature of a “critically engaged conversation” (92-3).  Finally, Green writes, “reading scripture must be Spirit-imbued”(94).  Green then discusses the role of the Holy Spirit in our reading the Bible as Scripture and being seized by truth (94-100).  In conclusion to this chapter on the resources in reading the Bible as Scripture Green writes,

“Rather than recruiting, hiring and training people to “build bridges” from biblical scholarship to communities of Christ followers, we would set ourselves to the work of imagining what would happen were biblical studies to be located purposely and self-consciously within the church, just as the church is deliberate in its reflecting on the character of its Scripture-shaped identity and mission for the sake of the world (100-1).

In the forth chapter of Seized by Truth Green discusses the role of methodology of interpretation.  For Green “method’ has to do with any range of interpretive strategies with which one might engage a text” (104). Green then reminds the reader that “no particular method can be identified as the correct on, nor can any method ensure a faithful reading of the Bible as Scripture” (125).  Green then discusses the importance of reading the Bible in context (126-136).  Then he does well to remind the reader that, “biblical texts are never complete on their own but invite readers to actualize their meeting…” (140).  He reminds the reader that tools are good and the more tools the better but that tools alone are never good enough (141).

In the fifth and final chapter Green discusses the authority of Scripture.  Green correctly asserts that “we must not promote approaches to Bible reading that have more to do with our mastering its data than with our being mastered by its message” (157) For Green the problems that have come about in biblical interpretation are the result of modernity.  Green writes, “Modernity has nurtured practices of biblical interpretation oriented toward pinning down the meaning of a biblical text, deciphering it once and for all, mastering and controlling it” (161).  Green then discusses how we can renew biblical authority and the need to recover the freedom to “engage with ancient texts as our texts”(161).  He urges the reader to come to the text “not so much to retrieve facts or gain information, but to be formed” (173).  For Green the authority of the Bible “rests, ultimately, in its disclosure” of the “divine purpose” (173).

This book examines a key to hermeneutic for 21^st century renewal- both a renewal of our relationship to God but also a renewal for finding our part in the divine plan.  By finding our selves and our communities as part of the divine purpose these texts come alive for the 21^st century and can inspire renewal for our declining churches.  Another important implication of this book is in ability to synthesize rather than discard the tools that have developed in theology and biblical scholarship.  In Seized by Truth Green inspires clergy and laity alike to read the Bible as Scripture and not just as Scripture, but also as our Scripture by which we are transformed by finding our role in the divine plan.

REVIEW OF: The Study of Evangelism: Exploring a Missional Practice of the Church

 

 

Thinking Missiologically (MI510) – Book Review

Paul W. Chilcote and Laceye C. Warner

2008   The Study of Evangelism: Exploring a Missional Practice of the Church

 Grand Rapids Wm. Eerdmanns Publishing Company

by David Wylie

 

                 

This volume offers some new approaches to the study of evangelism as a church practice that are theologically and missiologically insightful.  Drawing together thirty essays this book offers fresh perspectives to the study of evangelism proving a “impetus for scholars and practitioners to search out connections across traditional academic and ecclesial boundaries with integrity and authenticity” and “contributes to the rediscovery of evangelism’s essential place within the theological curriculum” (:xx)  The other important thing that this volume offers is that is draws from so many perspectives and ecumenical voices and provides a provocative catalyst for rethinking mission as practice for the church in the twenty-first century.

   The importance for this volume in thinking missiologically is that this collection provokes the readers to think deeply about the theological and missiological roots of evangelism and offers new insight into the ecumenical movement of God’s mission.  The reader is left with a great deal of theological understanding and depth that is unlike others. The variety of perspectives and voices in the evangelism conversation is so helpful for thinking missiologically.  The authors wrestle with theories deeply revealing the various nuances that are involved in the challenges of effective evangelism.  The most important lesson that this book offers to those who desire to think more deeply about missiology and God’s mission is that it reminds the reader that we do have a deeply formed theology of mission that is relevant to the twenty-first century. 

Due to its ecumenical content this book is hard to generalize much about.  However the insights that are contained in this volume are indespicable and will be greatly appreciated by the reader.  In my opionion the greatest asset that this book has is in its ecumenical diversity and its wide range of theological voices offering a multifaceted and thick description of evangelism. 

 

Artist Profile of Sicily

Originally Published in S.O.U.L. Mag Issue #18

by David Wylie 

If you ask her about music she will tell you about her heart for God.  Samantha Bernardo a.k.a Sicily is a woman of God whose art is a pure expression of love and passion for Jesus Christ, worship, and submission to His will.  Born in Brooklyn, NY she now lives in Tampa Florida as an urban missionary.  Sicily’s devotion to the Lord has her casting aside pride and vanity for the purposes of worship and devotion to God. She brings an unmatched power and authority to the microphone.  Sicily creates in such a way that demands attention and points to the Most High God in ways that people listen and respond.  Many people will tell you that they found salvation in Jesus inspired by Sicily’s music.  Her abilities go beyond her power and wisdom on the mic. Sicily is also a producer and has been making music since she was about eighteen years old.  Sicily produces, mixes, records and writes all her own lyrics.  Sicily has been doing her thing for the Lord with her many musical gifts for over seven years.

If you have not heard her freestyle skills you are missing out.  When you ask Sicily about her many talents she always reminds us of who she does this for, setting aside her pride and giving back to the creator- as we listen in we are taken to a place of serious respect and attention to God.

Sicily has her own up and coming record label called ShakeTha Ground Studios.  If you have not heard some of her producing abilities there is plenty to get your hands on. Sicily has three mix tapes as free downloads.   These productions have more heart than a lot of the stuff out there and you can hear the time and effort she puts in.

Her first mix tape is titled The Show is Over.  The Show is Over reveals Sicily’s desire to distance herself from performance and the show and to instead give glory to God.  Her second mix tape is called Welcome to the Funeral and Sicily takes it even further with the theme of dying to self and living for Christ.  In the latest mix tape Son Struck, Sicily raises the question; why are we too often star struck instead of Son struck by the Son of God?

Sicily’s first album is titled Sicily the God Daughter. Deep calls to deep in this album as Sicily deliverers the gospel message relevantly to the listener’s ear.  She knows pain and the reality of life’s struggle without God.  Her lyrics relate to those who have been abused and afflicted by sin’s destructive force.  Her empathy for those struggling without the Lord comes through strong and with authority as she reminds you of the healing power of Jesus Christ.

Look out for Sicily’s new album NO MATTER WHAT

LIke her on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/SICILYMusic

Originally published in S.O.U.L. Mag issue #18

DJ Dash by David Wylie

Dash is back at Crossover after some time in Miami.  While in Miami Dash was DJing at 88.3 FM FNF, Miami’s Christian radio station. Now we have heard of cutting it up and chops in music lingo but Dash got all that and some.  Brandon Dashiel Brinkley, DJ Dash is a second generation DJ who has been officially spinnin’ since he was about ten years old.  Because his father was a disk jockey since way back, Dash learned the ropes of DJing with his Dad’s vinyl collection at a very early age.  He and his dad would tag team weddings, church events, and other gigs.  Dash’s DJing career really took off at a local skating rink called the Palace in Saint Louis.

The Palace had some serious DJs come through and Dash was there as a little tike takin’ in the skills that God would soon consume for His glory and soon propel Dash into what he is today- a very skilled and God honoring DJ.  Dash’s first radio experience was at Southeastern’s college radio station WSEU in Lakeland Florida from 2004 – 2008 where he landed his own radio show called the Lab.  Dash first came to Crossover in 2004, which he heard about while at Southeastern.  He soon realized that he was now representing something bigger than himself.  He realized that he was now representing his school, his church, and that the music that he chose to play would reflect his walk and the kingdom of God.

Dash’s blog bio reads, “I was promoting a lifestyle that wasn’t pleasing to God, promoting the artist that wasn’t living for God, and I was promoting my reputation that was not representing God to the fullest like I should. My music library was horrendous, 1-half Christian and the other half was all secular, but the clean and edited version, like that was any better! Even then I never had alot of Christian music that coming from what I was listening too there was no way of relating, if that makes since.”

Eventually God started taking away the desire and the taste for the junk that destroys and corrupts.  So Dash gradually deleted his sin-filled music.  First he got rid of the R rated stuff, then went the PG-13 stuff, etc. and soon completely gave over his talents to the Lord. While at Crossover and Southeastern he started getting called out as a DJ as his skills continued to grow.

I sat down and asked Dash what his accomplishments were in Djing.  He told me about Miami FM radio, WSEU, Crossover Church, concerts, b-boy jams, his appearances on various Christian artist CDs and other amazing accomplishments.  I then asked Dash what he thought was his greatest accomplishment as a DJ?  With all these accomplishments and radio spots and all, Dash answered that his greatest accomplishment is not radio, or all the spot light, or the invites from national acts to go on tour-no he replied that his greatest accomplishments were the outreaches and the juvenile detention centers with Crossover.  Dashes response makes us realize that he is not into DJing for the show and the attention.  As Dash continues to develop his talents as a photographer videographer, and drummer this guy will always be known as DJ Dash along with all his other talents.  This is a gifted dude and he gives these gifts right back to the Lord and his purpose.  Keep posted with Dash at his website http://www.dashimaging.com

American Dream by Dominic Balli

Album Review Originally Published in S.O.U.L. Mag Issue 18 2011/2012

Look up America Dominic Balli is bringing it real and points toward the redemption of this land in his new album American Dream.  The song American Dream makes me think of 2 chronicles 7:14 which says “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”  Then to top it off, Sonny Sandoval from P.O.D. gets a say on that track and wakes us up from the vain nightmare of ego, greed, lust, and the love of money-those type of sins that are getting this country caught up. The rest of the album is just as tight-literally tight from the perspective of the organist, drummer and other musicians. All of these tracks could be a single release.  All of them were very well produced-well above average quality. One thing that sticks out to me about this album is Dominic’s real empathy for the oppressed and outcast.  Tracks like American Dream, Favela (a Favela is a Brazilian shanty town) featuring Nengo Vieira and Vieira’s Portuguese verse; draw you in, discuss the realities of poverty and helps us to See What we Have Become; pointing to real hope. The album debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard Reggae chart, No. 3 on Billboard’s Current Contemporary Christian Albums chart. and No. 147 on Billboard’s Top 200 chart.  American Dream is a great work of art.  Get this album and feel the refreshing reggae breeze of a real hope and a real patriotism that is not blind to the problems of this great land. ~Dj Inchant (now Dj Missional)

Relational Leadership: Effective and Biblical by David Wylie

It has become more and more evident in my ministry context that Edgar Elliston’s words are proven true and his message is an essential teaching for congregational familial and biblical leadership.  Edgar Elliston writes, “Most simply defined, leadership is the process of influence.  The process always includes a number of key components: leaders, followers, a situation in which they interact; means for influence which emerge from the leader and from the community; values; time for the interactions to occur, the goals which the leader(s) and followers seek to achieve.  Leadership is a complex influence process in which leaders and followers interact in a context or a series of contexts over time” (Elliston 1992, :21).  When we look at giftedness and leadership in scripture we cannot ignore the catalyst and paradigmatic life of Jesus Christ, his relationship with his friends and most importantly his relationship with his Father.  It is in this familial relationship that Christians can most effectively lead.  Christian leadership is not hierarchical but it is familial.  As Christians we are all children of God and part of a big happy family.  We are friends.  It is through familial and friendship bonds that we can most effectively lead and love one another and it is by this love that they will know we are Christians.

Thesis

            The thesis of the research presented here is that leadership is most effective when there is a strong relationship between the leader or leaders and the followers and that this type of relationship is best modeled in the leadership of Jesus.  Relational leadership as exemplified in Jesus Christ is paradigmatic in terms of his effectiveness with the apostles and with two millennia of a growing following. Leaders should always be ready to listen and build healthy relationships with those who have empowered them to lead.  In order to be effective relational leaders must build trust and exemplify the benefits and ethical implications found in value based leadership theories.  This includes ethics, morals, and values and servant leadership principals.  However relational leadership should not build relationships in order to gain followers and relationships must be real.  This is relevant in my ministry in an urban church.  I have developed some solid relationship with the people that I serve/lead.  The relationships are genuine and not based on a false motive of trying to gain followers.  Effective relational leadership must be real especially in urban contexts where the phrase “real recognize real” is a dominant meme and standard.

Method

This analysis of relational leadership will examine a variety of leadership theorist and theories and will trace the development of relational styles and the integration of popular leadership style with that of the leadership of Jesus Christ in the gospels in order to determine and examine twenty-first century and locally specific contexts. This paper will explore principals and practices of relational leadership.   I (David) will be switching from academic research on leadership to the ministry implications of that research to my specific ministry context.

Effective Leadership Is Relational

            As many theologians point out and science is in many ways backing up the theory, humans were created for relationships.  In a book titled The Reciprocating Self: Human Development in Theological Perspective Jack and Judy Balswick and Pamela King make the case for human purpose.  They believe that humans made in the image of God, are created for reciprocating relationships.  They make the case for this from a developmental teleological perspective.  The reciprocating self theory is “a theological understanding of the goal of development” (Balswick, King, and Reimer 2005, :28).  The idea of reciprocating self is that we are ideally to be living as unique selves in relationships with others and God, relationships that are characterized by reciprocity.  According to this theory, when we are said to be made in the image of God in Genesis 1:26-27 we must include the understanding of trinity, and a triune God.  They go onto discuss that this is a “relationship of mutual giving and receiving”, in which we “live with and for one another” (Balswick, King, and Reimer 2005, :31).  They believe that we were created for this purpose and that when we are in relationships “we become most fully ourselves” (Balswick, King, and Reimer 2005, :39) This has many implications for leadership.  If we are created to be in relationship and the bible is our model for proper love then this will inevitably carry into our leadership positions and roles.

Leadership is most effective when there is a strong relationship between the leader or leaders and the followers.  This type of relationship is best modeled in the leadership of Jesus.  Relational leadership as exemplified in Jesus Christ is paradigmatic in terms of his effectiveness with the apostles and with two millennia of a growing following.  Jesus told the disciples “I do not call you servants^* any longer, because the servant^* does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father (John 15:15).

This in effect took the relationship between Jesus and His disciples into a level in which the relationship became real and took shape based on Christ’s love and affection for his friends.  He had just finished telling them that “¹³No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:13-14).  This was very significant in that this was God himself incarnating and becoming a servant for them and we know later that he lived out this teaching when he laid down his life for them.  In fact Jesus’ model for relational leadership is directly tied to his servant leadership.

Looking at three metaphors that are common to biblical metaphor for Christian leadership, servant, sheppard, and steward, Dr. Edgar J. Elliston outlines servant leadership and expounds on the biblical significance of this metaphor and its practical implications.  Elliston writes, “The spiritual leader is one who voluntarily or willingly submits to the sovereign authority (lordship) of Jesus Christ to obey Him as directed for His benefit.  The leaders capacity (giftedness), role, status, placement, and tenure are all under the sovereign authority of Jesus Christ and overseen by the Holy Spirit.  The benefits of the serving are for His pleasure which results in the good of the church and the ultimate good of the servant.

Scripture also revels that “godly effective Christian leadership has never been easy” (Dyrness and Kärkkäinen 2008, :484).  J. Overstreet writes in the Global Dictionary of Theology that “while numerous examples of failed leadership negatively impacting the church are available throughout Scripture and currently the hope resulting from good leadership is equally available” (Dyrness and Kärkkäinen 2008, :484).

There are several types of leadership positions in the Bible.  Overstreet writes,

We find that God called judges, prophets, kings, priests, and later apostles, disciples, elders, deacons, and teachers to provide aspects of leadership for his people time to time.  And though much could be made of comparisons of those structures, arguably only one common trait is required by God for leaders to be “successful” from his perspective; That timeless quality is obedience (Dyrness and Kärkkäinen 2008)

Overstreet then makes a very significant statement as it relates to obedience and effective biblical Christian leadership. Overstreet writes, “obedience assumes several qualities or skills of a leader, all of which spring from relationship with God”(Dyrness and Kärkkäinen 2008, :484).

When we consider the Johari Window and its contribution to leadership development there are lessons that reveal that relational leadership is the most effective and critical aspect of leadership.  In the Johari Window the goal is to “to determine if there is any discrepancy between self perception and the perception of others…the Johari window is used in consulting…This known to self area includes their knowledge of the way they are coming across—the impact they are having on the people they are trying to influence (Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson 2001, :269).

In my current ministry context there is a strong need for understanding how I am being perceived.  If I am in my own world and do not care what others think of me and do not have a healthy criticism of myself or think that I have somehow arrived at being a perfect leader then people will see right through this.  In this culture this will be taken as arrogant.  My current ministry culture has a deep need for people to lead not in arrogance but in having a humble, teachable, attitude as a leader.  If I do maintain this level of humility I will be doing a disservice to those who have put trust in me to take initiative and lead.  I must always ask if how I perceive myself is how people are perceiving me and in my context I do not know how this could be done without having healthy flat relationships with people in my congregation.

In order to build healthy reciprocating relationships with those who have put trust in me and empowered me to lead I must always listen and be alert to the ways in which people are perceiving me and in order to do this I must have a healthy relationship with them.  In other words relational leadership is the only effective means by which I can get proper feedback in order to effectively lead and the vice versa is also true that in order to get proper honest feedback I must have at least attempted to build healthy relationships with those who are under my leadership-as flat as a model of leadership style as it may be it is my opinion that in my situation and context this is the only effective way to lead.

Paul Hershey, Kenneth H. Blanchard, and Dewey E. Johnson go onto write something that gets us closer to the thesis of this paper.  They write, “At the same time, part of the leader’s personality is unknown to self; that is, in some areas leaders are unaware of how they are coming across to others.  It may be that their followers have not given them feedback, or it may be that a leader has not been alert enough to pick up on some verbal or nonverbal feedback” (Hersey, Blanchard, and Johnson 2001, :269).

This revels the importance of having healthy relationships with those who are under leaders.  If there is a healthy relationship between the leader and the followers there will be healthy and productive feedback and this will make for more efficient and effective leadership and the goal/s that are set forth by the group can more easily and run smooth and proper feedback will occur.

Max Dupree dispels a common myth that relates to effective relational leadership.  When it comes to leadership there is a misconception that there are times when leaders must hold and maintain power over others in order to be the most effective leader.  This is a misuse of power and will eventually fail but of it in it self is failure.  Dupree writes, “There is a great misconception in organizations: that a manager must either be in control or not in control.  The legitimate alternative is the practice of equity.  This is surely a reasonable component in anyone’s philosophy in management.  While equity should certainly guide the apportioning of resources, it is far more important in our human relationships” (De Pree 1992, :11).

John C. Maxwell contributes to this discussion with his “Seven Questions For a Successful Team Orientation” The very first question is (1) Do I add value to others?  Here you can see the importance for building friendship relationships because this will naturally occur when you are adding value to others.  Earlier in Maxwell’s book Developing People Around You (Maxwell 2003)Maxwell notes the most important need for emerging leaders which he encourages for all leaders to develop with in those who are followers under a leader, “Believe in them, encourage them, share with them, trust them” (Maxwell 2003, :61).

These are the exact type of things that people will use to refer to friendships.  People need to believe in our friends.  People need to encourage and be encouraged by our friends.  People wish to share with their friends.  People definitely want to develop reciprocating trust with their friends.  Maxwell then goes on to say that “People are more productive when nurtured.  Even more important, nurturing creates a strong emotional and professional foundation within workers who have leadership potential” (Maxwell 2003, :62).

Throughout Maxwell’s leadership literature there is a strong understanding of relational leadership.  In Maxwell’s book Becoming a Person of Influence: How to Positively Impact the Lives of Others (Maxwell and Dornan 1997) Maxwell and Doran write, “Leadership (which is a specific application of influence) is at its lowest level when it is based on position only.  It grows and goes into a higher level as you develop relationships with others” (Maxwell and Dornan 1997, :5).  To make this point further Maxwell and Dornan write,

“For most people, if they perceive that you are positive and trustworthy and have admirable qualities, then they will see k you as an influencer in their lives, And the better they know get to know you the greater your credibility will be and the higher your influence will become…when you meet people who you don’t know you, at first you have no influence with them at all” (Maxwell and Dornan 1997).

Leadership and influence come and go together.  In order to have genuine biblical Christian influence there needs to be a trust and a built relationship.  When there is strong healthy relationship credibility and trust will come naturally.

Another component that Maxwell and Dornan observe is that there is a deep sense in everyone that they wish to belong.  They write, “Belonging is one of the most basic needs.  When people feel isolated and excluded from a sense of communion with others they suffer…Positive influencers understand this need for a sense of belonging and do things to make people feel included” (Maxwell and Dornan 1997, :50).

This is another important aspect of relational leadership.  When we have healthy relationships with those who we influence and we make them feel like they belong there is transformation.

In my context there are many people who have been rejected and neglected in many ways.  Many do not feel that they belong at church either due to their feeling judged or other reasons they feel that they do not belong at church.  In my leadership context in urban ministry I constantly hear people tell me that I accepted them when no one else would and that they feel at home here because they felt loved and accepted.  While I may not agree with everything they are doing in their lives I am their friend regardless.  This has given me influence in their lives in ways that would not have other wise been present had I made them feel as though they were not good enough and if I did not accept them with grace.

Continuing to look at relational leadership as the only truly effective means for effective leadership Maxwell continues to contribute to the discussion on relational leadership.  In his book The Winning Attitude (Maxwell 2000) Maxwell lays out biblical relational leadership components.  Maxwell writes, “…the bridge between the gospel remedy and people’s needs is leadership based on relationship.  John 10:3-5 gives a view of relational leadership. 1. Relationship to the point of instant recognition (He calls His own sheep by name); 2. Established relationship built on trust (His sheep hear His voice and come to Him); 3. Modeled leadership (He walks ahead of them and they follow Him)” (Maxwell 2000, :30).  Maxwell goes onto discuss the importance of having a good positive attitude and that this comes naturally when a relationship is being established among the leaders and those being lead.

Ted W. Engstrom in his book The making of a Christian Leader: How to Develop Management and Human Relations Skills while in my opinion not emphasizing the importance of relational leadership enough never-the-less does recognize the significance of relationships in effective leadership.  Engstrom writes, “Excellence in leadership requires meaningful relationships with people” (Engstrom 1976, :195).

Table Fellowship as an image for relational leadership Another image in relational leadership is that of table fellowship.  Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez in their book Churches, Cultures, and Leadership: A Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities write about the biblical and cultural significance of table fellowship in leadership.  They write, “The word koine means common…One tributary of this image of koinonia is table fellowship” (Branson and Martínez 2011, :255).  Under the subheading “the work of leaders” Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez write,

Relational leadership concerns all the human connections—families and friends, groups and networks…the relationships in U.S. culture have been shaped in ways that are different than in many other cultures.  There are two primary influences on how the

majority culture understands relationships, both embedded in modernity: instrumental relationally and expressive individualism.  Instrumental rationality, arising from scientific rationalism, focuses on causality and influences a society’s pursuits of resources and security.  Expressive individualism is rooted in romanticism, which sought to restore elements of human emotions, sensuality and relationally to Enlightenment rationalism but has sometimes resulted in rather thin understandings concerning the bonds of human beings (Branson and Martínez 2011, :218).

Here we can see that often throughout our understanding of leadership there has been a disconnect in our understanding of the bonds of humans.

Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez then go on to discuss biblical narratives and instructions.  They write, “Attention to biblical narratives and instructions concerning relationships can bring rich and generative resources into a faith community concerning our own relationships” (Branson and Martínez 2011, :218).  They reveal that relationships in leadership with those who are being influenced is something that cuts across culture.  The details may be different culture to culture but as we learned with the Reciprocating self-theory relationships are human and are part of every culture.  Exactly how relationships and understandings of leadership details will vary culture to culture there is something to be said for the basic human interaction and relationships that are at the heart of all human life itself.  If we were created for reciprocating relationships and we try to hold power over others as opposed to Godly power with and come together in more flat relations we are doing a disservice to God and to one another.

Concluding Thoughts

For proper relational leadership to be established and effective, the relationships built cannot be the type of relationship that is a means to an end.  In other words the motive for building relationships cannot be in order that we can gain followers.  The relationships must be the goal as an end in them selves.  Then followership and trust can be truly developed.

Leadership is most effective when there is a strong relationship between the leader or leaders and the followers and that this type of relationship is best modeled in the leadership of Jesus.  Relational leadership as exemplified in Jesus Christ is paradigmatic in terms of his effectiveness with the apostles and with two millennia of a growing following it is time tested. Leaders should always be ready to listen and build healthy relationships with those who have empowered them to lead.  In order to be effective relational leaders must build trust and exemplify the benefits and ethical implications found in value based leadership theories.  This includes ethics, morals, and values and servant leadership principals.  However relational leadership should not build relationships in order to gain followers and relationship must be real.  This is especially important in an urban church setting that I am currently involved and I have developed some solid relationship with the people that I serve/lead.  The relationships are genuine and not based on a false motive of trying to gain followers.  Effective relational leadership must be genuine especially in urban contexts where the phrase “real recognize real” is a dominant meme and standard.  I pray that I can be a servant who builds friendships and familial like ties that might lead to the privilege of serving others through leadership.

Balswick, Jack O., Pamela Ebstyne King, and Kevin S. Reimer. 2005. The reciprocating self : human development in theological perspective. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

Barna, George. 1997. Leaders on leadership : wisdom, advice, and encouragement on the art of leading God’s people of The leading edge series. Ventura, Calif., U.S.A.: Regal Books.

Branson, Mark Lau, and Juan Francisco Martínez. 2011. Churches, cultures, and leadership : a practical theology of congregations and ethnicities. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic.

Clinton, J. Robert. 1988. The making of a leader. Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.

De Pree, Max. 1992. Leadership jazz. 1st ed. New York: Currency Doubleday.

Dyrness, William A., and Veli-Matti Kärkkäinen. 2008. Global dictionary of theology : a resource for the worldwide church. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic.

Elliston, Edgar J. 1992. Home grown leaders. Pasadena, Calif.: W. Carey Library.

Engstrom, Ted W. 1976. The making of a Christian leader. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Pub. House.

Hersey, Paul, Kenneth H. Blanchard, and Dewey E. Johnson. 2001. Management of organizational behavior : leading human resources. 8th ed. ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall.

Maxwell, John C. 2000. The winning attitude ; Developing the leaders around you ; Becoming a person of influence. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson.

———. 2003. Developing the leaders around you workbook : how to help others reach their full potential. Nashville: T. Nelson.

Maxwell, John C., and Jim Dornan. 1997. Becoming a person of influence : how to positively impact the lives of others. Nashville, Tenn.: T. Nelson Publishers.

Global and Intercultural Implications of Crossover Community Church’s pupose: Assests Challenges and oppurtunities for global awareness

FULLER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

Global and Cross-cultural Implications of Crossover Community Church’s pupose: Assests Challenges and oppurtunities for global awareness

PRESENTED TO Dr. Donna Downes

IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS

FOR ML584: Intercultural Dynamics of Global Leadership

THE SCHOOL OF INTERCULTURAL STUDIES

PASADENA, CA

December 9 2011

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introductory Comments……………………………….…….……………..…………2

Thesis….……………………………………………….………………………..……….3

Purpose……………………………………………………………………….…..……..3

Method….………………………………………………………………………..……..4

Crossover’s Purpose and Multicultural

 Global Hip Hop Context…………………….………………………………..…….5

Crossover’s mission statement……………….………………………………..…….5

Crossover’s Diversity…………………………………………………….……………6

Relevant Congregational and Leadership Resources………………..……..…6

Branson and Martinez…………………………………………………………………6

The Biblical narrative………………………………………….………………….…..7

Table Fellowship as Biblical Principal for leadership across cultures……….8

James E. Plueddemann…………………………………….…………………………9

Suggestions for Crossover Church………………………………………………..…..…10

My Nomination of Sewa of Benin………………………………………..…..……12

Model of Basic Values theory………………………………………………………13

Geert Hofstede’s 5 5D Model……………………………………………………..14

Bolman and Deal Frameworks……………………………………………………..16

Elmer and Cross-cultural Conflict…………………………………………………..18

Conclusion………………………………………………………….……….…..……..19

 

Introductory Comments

Phillip Jenkins writes in his book The Next Christendom that, “Over the past century, however, the center of gravity in the Christian world has shifted southward, to Africa, Asia, and Latin America.  Already today, the largest Christian communities on the planet are found in Africa and Latin America” (Jenkins 2007, :115).  If we want to visualize a “typical” contemporary Christian, we should think of a family living in Nigeria or in a Brazilian favela (shantytown).  As Kenyan Scholar John Mbiti points out ‘the center of the church is no longer London, Geneva, Rome, New York, but rather Kinshasa, Buenos Aires, Addis Ababa and Manilla’. Whatever Europeans or North Americans may believe, Christianity is doing very well indeed in the global South-not just surviving but expanding.  This trend will continue to grow in coming years” (:115).

Africa is sending missionaries throughout the world.  Nigerians are sending missionaries to Israel, China, America, etc. Guatemalans are sending missionaries to places like Afghanistan, the United Kingdom, and Thailand etc.  This has important implications when considering areas that Crossover Church need improvement in accomplishing the task of becoming better in the area of multicultural leadership and global mindedness.

Crossover Community Church in Tampa Florida is a congregation whose purpose is to “relevantly introduce the truth of Christ to the urban and hip hop culture” as they “develop worship, purpose, and unity in their lives”. I chose this organization for my research because 1) God is using Crossover in amazing ways to reach the multicultural, multiethnic urban context of Tampa 2) Crossover is a multiethnic, yet in large part it is monocultural in many ways because Crossover’s purpose and leadership is focused on hip hop culture. Crossover’s diversity dynamics and its emphasis on leadership among the congregation make it an ideal context for an analysis.

Thesis

            The thesis of the research presented here is that Crossover Community Church in Tampa, Florida has many congregational and leadership assets that can be utilized for cross-cultural communication and witness of the gospel but there are some areas that could use improvement in Crossover’s organizational culture, values, and global mindedness.  Additionally this research ultimately suggests that Crossover Church begin to seek out an employee that is from another culture and specifically suggests an ideal candidate from Benin Africa named Sewa Udhes.

Purpose

The purpose of the research presented here is to asses Crossover Church’s cross-cultural sensitivity, organizational culture and values, Crossover’s diversity dynamics, leadership styles and structures and to suggest steps for change and improvement, so that the organization can grow in its global-mindedness and ability to appreciate and optimize Crossover’s power of diversity toward accomplishing the vision and goals of Crossover Church.

This analysis will attempt to explore ways in which Crossover’s leadership can minister more effectively in their multicultural multiethnic Tampa Florida context and to also examine ways in which Crossover’s leadership, as well as the church, can become more globally minded in their understanding of God’s mission in the world and at home.

Method

The research presented here will be both a cross-cultural analysis of Crossover Community Church and its multicultural assets for cross-cultural communication of the gospel.  Analysis of the potential benefits for Crossover in continuing to connect deeper with God’s global mission will be examined.  The research presented here will record my gleanings of current practical academic congregational and leadership literature that can inform Crossover’s missiological imagination.  Through academic research, cultural analysis, participant observation, interviews, cultural autobiographies, and other miscellaneous phenomena I (David) was able to assess our capacity for growing deeper into God’s mission and the challenges for congregational awareness of Crossover’s role in God’s global mission. I will be drawing from current multiethnic and multicultural works related to ministry and multicultural church leadership, as well as missional church resources, in order to examine and to better access the missional imagination of Crossover Church and its implications globally.

Crossover’s Purpose and Multicultural Global Hip Hop Context

Will Mancini in his book Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture, and Create Movement calls for every church to find its unique place in God’s mission(Mancini and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.) 2008). It has been said that “Clarity concerning our covenant life as a community or communities, the societal forces that shape us, and the cultural realities of our context and the church can help make intercultural life a visible and tangible expression of the gospel.” (Branson and Martínez 2011, :94).  Diverse North American churches often have an underestimated potential for cross-cultural communication of the gospel both locally and globally.

Crossover’s mission statement is “To relevantly introduce the truth of Christ to those influenced by urban / hip-hop culture; as we develop worship, purpose, unity, and leadership in their lives.”  Due to the fact that Hip Hop itself has gone global and God’s mission is certainly global (Isaiah 49:6; Mat. 28:16-20) Crossover has a unique role in the mission of God both locally and globally through the medium of hip-hop culture.

Twenty-first century America, and urban cities around the world are hubs of intercultural interaction and Hip Hop.  Some of it is a melting pot and sometimes it is more like the metaphorical salad, where everyone more or less maintains their cultural identity but comes together like a Goa Gai Horiatiki Ensaladsa, salad.  Then toss in some Crossover Tampa Bay, “813”,“Flowda”(Florida) love, some Latin and urban hip hop beats, each with all their own diversity, and you have a people of God that inspires both local and transnational evangelism even from right where they are.

Crossover Church in Tampa Florida is a very diverse church.  Crossover is diverse ethnically, racially, diverse in nationality, and socio-economic status.  In November of 2005 USA Today in an article title Shouting Hip Hop’s Holy Praises noted Crossover’s diversity within hip-hop, “Welcome to hip-hop church — a multiracial, multi-ethnic, mega-decibel, authentically biblical worship service where urban street sound and style take a holy spin” (Grossman 2005).

Relevant Congregational and Leadership Resources

The thesis of Mark Lau Branson & Jaun Martinez’s book Churches Cultures and Leadership: A Practical Theology of Congregations and Ethnicities (Branson and Martínez 2011) is that leadership of a church can create an environment in which the hearts and minds and imagination of the church come more fully into God’s love for the world…” The authors ask, “What does it take to lead multicultural churches?” Branson and Martinez inspire churches to have a “missional imagination” in their discussion of missional ecclesiology and church context (Branson and Martínez 2011, :70).

Branson and Martinez develop this thesis by first providing an understanding of theology and context, looking at the practical theology and multicultural initiatives (:33-58), missional ecclesiology and church context (:59-77), and socio-cultural structures, and ethnicity and churches (:78-96). In part two Branson and Martinez examine the role of sociocultural perspectives in better understanding worldviews, reality, and assumptions (:97-113), language, gestures, and Power, (114-131), self perception and individuality (154-169), and perception and thinking (170-188).  In the last part of the book Branson and Martinez provide implications for Leadership, Communication, and Change, looking at intercultural communication, leading change, and practices for the calling.  They also provide several theological resources, bible study material, personal reflection and group exercises.

Branson and Martinez offer great insight into leading in multicultural settings and a practical theology of that opportunity.  In Crossover Church’s context in attempting to think about our intercultural assets we can better find our role for the nations in God’s mission.  Crossover could gather several cultural and ethnic autobiographies and utilize the personal Reflection/Group exercise: Writing an ethnic autobiography question prompts(Branson and Martínez 2011, :24).  Branson and Martinez inspire churches to have a “missional imagination” in their discussion of missional ecclesiology and church context (Branson and Martínez 2011, :70).  This is my heart for my “Church family.

In considering Crossover’s continuing search for our role to the nations proper biblical exegesis should be the starting point.  The Biblical narrative offers principals that will assist Crossover in developing multicultural and deeper global mindsets.  In order for Crossover to effectively develop multicultural and globally minded leadership teams, Crossover should develop their biblical understanding of God’s desire for multicultural and globally minded ministries.

Table Fellowship as Biblical Principal for leadership across cultures. Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez discuss the biblical and cultural significance of table fellowship in leadership.  They write, “The word koine means common…One tributary of this image of koinonia is table fellowship” (Branson and Martínez 2011, :255).  Under the subheading “the work of leaders” Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez write,

Relational leadership concerns all the human connections—families and friends, groups and networks…the relationships in U.S. culture have been shaped in ways that are different than in many other cultures.  There are two primary influences on how the majority culture understands relationships, both embedded in modernity: instrumental relationally and expressive individualism.  Instrumental rationality, arising from scientific rationalism, focuses on causality and influences a society’s pursuits of resources and security.  Expressive individualism is rooted in romanticism, which sought to restore elements of human emotions, sensuality and relationally to Enlightenment rationalism but has sometimes resulted in rather thin understandings concerning the bonds of human beings (Branson and Martínez 2011, :218).

Mark Lau Branson and Juan Martinez then go on to discuss biblical narratives and instructions.  They write, “Attention to biblical narratives and instructions concerning relationships can bring rich and generative resources into a faith community concerning our own relationships” (Branson and Martínez 2011, :218).  They reveal that relationships in leadership with those who are being influenced is something that cuts across culture.   Exactly how relationships and understandings of leadership details will vary culture to culture but biblical principals of leadership are important to explore along with people from other cultures.

James E. Plueddemann. According to James E. Plueddemann, a professor and chair of the Mission and Evangelism Department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, in his work Leading Across Cultures: Effective Ministry and Mission in the Global Church,

“We all need a deep sense of humility when it comes to propounding biblical principals of leadership for other cultures. The biblical text is inspired by God and without error, but my interpretation is not. Biblical principles of leadership are always hypotheses rather than inerrant truth. We will always see biblical principals of scripture through the eyeglasses of our culture” (Plueddemann 2009, :67)

This observation serves Crossover well but only in that Plueddemann offers some remaining potential for healthy interactions and healthy intercultural interpretations of biblical leadership.  Plueddemann’s desire in this statement is to deconstruct cross-cultural arrogance in understandings of leadership, and specifically our understandings of the lessons from biblical leadership. On the next page Plueddemann reconstructs the potential for cross-cultural biblical leadership principles when he writes, “As we study the biblical narrative theology we discover principles of leadership that are applicable across cultures”(:68). The lines between biblical interpretation and biblical principles that are universally applicable needs to be further explored in order to understand leadership behavior and universal biblical and theological interpretations of leadership. In my own experience the universal principle that is human throughout the Biblical narrative is the leadership principal of love. In my limited experience, although nuances exist across cultural contexts in the ways that love is expressed; biblical love is something that every culture can appreciate.

Generally speaking Crossover’s interactions of time, communication style, authority leadership style, conflict resolution style, and goals lean toward a high context leadership culture.

When the lines between high context and low context leadership become blurry at Crossover in communication styles communication is in a direct way but yet as in the high context communication styles such as the tone of voice and other nonverbal forms of communication.  I think that these lines are blurring with Crossover generally because it is a very multicultural context and there are so many variables depending on the situation.

As far as beliefs and behavior of authority at Crossover, the authority is earned by individual effort.  The other way in which Crossover is more low context is that formal credentials do not seem to be as important as performance.  As far as conflict resolution style there is an idiom used my urban culture that says, “shoot straight” this means that resolution is most often dealt with in direct confrontation.  On the other hand the way that goals are handled and thought of as secondary to interpersonal relationships, again breaking the clear lines between high and low context.

Suggestions for Crossover Church

The next section of this paper will offer ways in which Crossover can become more globally minded and develop in multicultural awareness and ability. This section will examine possibilities including international student ministry at nearby University of South Florida (USF), which is just over a mile away from Crossover’s building.  Next this section will look into the potential for leadership development of a particular international student who has been coming to Crossover since he came to the United States to study at USF.

Crossover church is the perfect place to do an international student outreach.  It is close to the USF campus and offers a great place to worship God in an exciting way.  When international students come to the U.S they want to experience American culture.  Hip Hop, while itself has gone global, is an American phenomenon.  This is one of many reasons why crossover church is perfect for this type of ministry.  Another cross-cultural asset is that Crossover’s own demographics which also represent America’s hip-hop history are conducive to cross-cultural communication of the gospel. This intercultural interaction can be a two way street.  I think we will learn a lot about God’s mission and its global reach and we will be reaching, serving, and worshiping with people from several nations with their own much needed biblical, theological, and missiological perspectives.

There are 750,000 international students in the U.S. right now.  Thanks to American believers who are committed to this ministry “thousands of international students are exposed to the Gospel for the first time each year.  International student’s lives are being changed as they make life-changing commitments to Jesus Christ.

Hundreds of international students are being trained and are building solid foundations in their relationship with Jesus Christ.  There is a huge potential for developing these international students as leaders in congregations that are located near Universities.  Crossover is poised and ready for international student ministry at USF.

            International students return home taking their learning, leadership experience and commitment to Jesus Christ, and are having an impact for the Gospel, in their home countries in churches, universities, the workplace, missions and governments.  Twenty-five percent of the world’s future leaders are studying here right now, according to the U.S. State Department” (Intervarsity 2011) Crossover has a potential to develop international student leaders to reach the nations with the love of Christ thereby connecting with God’s global mission and becoming more globally minded and multi-cultural.

My Nomination of Sewa of Benin

            Sewa (Say-Wha) of Benin Africa arrived in America in May 2011.  Sewa’s name means “sent from the Spirit” and that is exactly how I feel about him. Sewa came to the United States to study.  Christianity the largest and fastest growing religion is becoming increasingly ‘from everywhere to everywhere’. Sewa is a proud African Christian and follows the Great Commission, which means that Sewa is part of God’s missional efforts here in Tampa.  While Sewa did not come here to be a “missionary” never the less God is using him in an organic way that comes naturally from Sewa’s story.  I believe that God is using Sewa to witness and tell the good news to the people of Tampa Florida.  One of the benefits of having Sewa here worshiping and serving with us is that he reminds us that Jesus’ reign and glory is global.  Other benefits include the fact that we need missionaries here too and Sewa has a servant-leader’s heart.  When you see his smile and hear his testimony you will see that God is using him as a missionary to the U.S.

Sewa has all those qualities we aspire to improve in our lives; love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. As we take on the task of telling the good news of Jesus Christ let us not underestimate and under appreciate the role of nonwestern missionaries to the U.S. I believe that Crossover would benefit from developing Sewa’s role and leadership in the church.

If Crossover desires to become more cross-culturally sensitive, and have our leadership team and organizational culture and values line up with biblical leadership and have the body of Christ represented more fully among the leadership, so that Crossover and its leadership can grow in its global-mindedness and ability to optimize the assets of diversity toward accomplishing the vision and goals of Crossover Church we should begin to take seriously the opportunity to do what it takes to develop Sewa’s leadership gifts.

A Model of Basic Values theory. First proposed by Marvin Mayers (Mayers 1974) a Model of Basic Values theory is a useful tool for determining many intercultural variables in order to better understand how Crossover can discover the variety of cross cultural value differences between Sewa’s culture and our North American Culture.  Sherwood Lingenfelter writes in his work Ministering Cross-Culturally that this assessment tool can “…help you to get a better grasp of how insights from the model may be applied to your own life and ministry” (Lingenfelter and Mayers 1986). Because different cultures place a variety of levels of value on the various thinking, orientations, foci, and behavior concerning time, event, status and other cultural nuances that affect intercultural leadership, leaders think and act differently in cultural contexts based on cultural differences in preference, priority, and purpose in daily activity and behavior.  These intercultural variables have critical implications for leadership, awareness, adaptability, and effectiveness when serving in leadership roles in multicultural settings.

It is critical to understand that in multicultural settings there are a variety of differences in the understanding of time and event orientation, personal task and person orientation, dichotomistic and holistic thinking, status and achievement focus, crisis and noncrisis orientation, concealment or willingness to share vulnerability, It is important for Crossover to be aware of these intercultural variables, which have critical implications for leadership, adaptability, and effectiveness when developing and including Sewa as a leader. One the additional challenges that may be faced by Sewa as a leader and missionary in preparing for cross-cultural ministries is understanding western mindsets and being able to communicate in ways that do not compromise his own values but that are effective in settings where the western culture is dominant. These challenges can be better addressed by having roundtable discussions that address these differences with Sewa and the leadership and staff of Crossover Church.

Geert Hofstede’s 5 5D Model. Geert Hofstead reveals in his work Cultures and Organizations: Software of the Mind (Hofstede 1997) that we need to give attention to power distance in a given culture and that power distance varies culture to culture.  Another contribution that Hofstead makes is the variable of uncertainty avoidance or avoidance of ambiguity.  Some want answers while other are more comfortable with ambiguity.  For instance some cultures leave more room for an ambiguity of time.  While other cultures may not prefer any ambiguity in relation to time.  Crossover diversity presents challenges when using this model. This could be because of the largely immigrant population from Latin American countries and Island cultures.

Many of the differences and similarities between the leadership culture in Benin and the leadership culture of the United States are in large part differences in power distance or equality and individualism.  Benin charts with very low on the individualism scale, while American culture rates very high on individualistic behavior and thinking in Geert Hofstede’s 5D model of Cultural Dimensions. This Model scores Power Distance index (PDI), Individualism (IDV), Masculinity (MAS) Uncertainty Avoidance Index (UAI) Long Term orientation (LTO).

Geert Hofstede’s 5 5D Model reveals Benini cultural dimensions where I compared Crossover’s American culture with cultural differences of Benin.  The limitation of this analysis is that it is difficult to make this generalization about crossover culture because it is a multicultural church despite its Hip Hop influence.  In the power distance index (PDI) Benin rated nearly twice as high on Hofstede’s chart while individualism rated almost twice as high in the U.S. The masculinity ratings were very similar but with the U.S rating slightly higher.  Uncertainty avoidance was also very similar with Benin rating only slightly higher.

The other differences in the Cultural Dimensions profiles of Benin and the U.S. were in Long Term Orientation differences. “Long Term Orientation represents the fostering of virtues oriented towards future rewards, in particular perseverance and thrift. It’s opposite pole, Short Term Orientation, represents the fostering of virtues related to the past and present, in particular, respect for tradition, preservation of ‘face’ and fulfilling social obligations.”(2001:359).  These differences have implications and there is a much needed awareness when working cross-culturally between the U.S. and Benin.  Hofstede’s model can assist Crossover in understanding cultural differences that have the potential to cause conflict and misunderstanding between Sewa’s leadership style and behavioral understanding and that of the western team members.  These types of differences have many implications for leading in ministry between these two cultures and cannot be overlooked in building the multicultural global leadership team at Crossover.

Bolman and Deal Frameworks. Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal offer great insights that are relevant to understanding Crossover’s quest to identify possible conflicts and opportunities in working with Sewa in their book Reframing Organizations: Artistry Choice and Leadership (Bolman and Deal 2008)  This section of the paper will look into these frameworks in order to , identify which “management frame(s)” fits Crossover best and what the implications are for Crossover’s ability to “capture the power of diversity” through its current management frame. They offer four management frameworks that represent differences in organizational behavior that will provide insight in organizational leadership and problem solving.  The first category that Bolman and Deal offer is what they call the structural framework.  In the structural framework the organization exist to achieve established goals and objects.  In this framework rationality is the main response to challenges and pressures.  When problems arise the structural framework seeks to change or improve the structure. The second management approach is the human resource approach.  This organization seeks to meet the needs of its people like a family.  Organizational approaches in this framework need to feel appreciated.  The third approach is the political framework.  Bolman and Deal use the analogy of a corporate jungle where resources are scarce and people are vying for power and influence.  This is the one that best describes the general organizational behavior or framework in Sewa Benini context.  The next and final management approach Bolman and Deal call the symbolic framework.  This framework focuses on a mission and purposeful.  This type of organization emphasizes corporate purpose.  This is the type that Crossover’s organization behavior fits best.  In this framework problems can exist when change from the normal behavior is attempted.  Crossover’s purpose as stated before is to reach the urban and hip-hop culture with the truth of Christ.  Crossover has a limited calling and purpose, which can present problems if someone wishes to depart from this task.

All of these frameworks have important lessons for dealing with the possible differences in leadership and organizational approaches between Sewa and Crossover.  While Sewa’s culture is more political the dominant framework that can present conflict is that Crossover’s limited calling to the Hip Hop culture.  Some in the organization may not see Sewa as hip hop enough based on North American ideas of what hip hop culture is.  Since Hip Hop is now global Crossover will need to discover the nuances and evolution of hip hop culture as hip hop goes through globalization itself.  Another issue that may come up in the differences in the political framework is the differences in ways that Crossover may reward Sewa for his work.  Sewa may not feel appreciated at times as recognition looks different between the North American context and the Benini context.  Recognizing these framework variables in working with Sewa will be important to navigate along with Sewa as we proceed in incorporating him into the leadership team.

Cross-cultural Conflict.  Duane Elmer in his work Cross-cultural Conflict: Building Relationships for Effective Ministry (Elmer 1993) offers great insight to the potential for Cross-cultural conflict in the event that Sewa is included in the leadership team.  Elmer revels that it is important “to clarify issues in intercultural and interracial conflict, to provide insights on the different ways people of various cultures handle conflict, to evaluate these according to Scripture and to provide practical guidelines for (1) helping us to live more harmoniously with our cultural differences, (2) developing a positive strategy for dealing with conflict and (3) communicating the gospel of Jesus Christ more effectively and ministering and nurturing the grace of God” (:22).  It is important for both Crossover and Sewa or any other cross-cultural leaders to consider the cultural differences in handling conflict.

Conclusion

The research presented here has contained a brief cross-cultural analysis of Crossover Community Church and its multicultural assets for cross-cultural communication of the gospel as well as a brief analysis of the potential benefits for Crossover in continuing to connect deeper with God’s global mission using several leadership and organizational models which factor in various cultural nuances.  The research presented here has gleaned from current practical academic congregational and leadership literature that can inform Crossover’s missiological imagination.  This research has suggested that crossover begin to look further into cross-cultural cultural analysis, administer and collect several cultural and ethnic autobiographies from the leadership and lay people of Crossover to be shared in groups with others in order to assess our capacity for growing deeper into God’s mission and the challenges for congregational awareness of Crossover’s role in God’s global mission. Finally this presentation has suggested developing Sewa’s and other international students leadership skills and to begin to utilize Christian international students at nearby USF in order to minister more effectively in their multicultural multiethnic Tampa Florida context and to also examine ways in which Crossover’s leadership, as well as the church, can become more globally minded in their understanding of God’s mission in the world and at home and to continue to seek ways to participate in God’s global mission.

Works Cited

(Lingenfelter 1998)

Bolman, Lee G., and Terrence E. Deal. 2008. Reframing organizations : artistry, choice, and leadership. 4th ed. ed of The Jossey-Bass business & management series. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Branson, Mark Lau, and Juan Francisco Martínez. 2011. Churches, cultures, and leadership : a practical theology of congregations and ethnicities. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic.

Elmer, Duane. 1993. Cross-cultural conflict : building relationships for effective ministry. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

Grossman, Cathy Lynn. 2005. Shouting Hip Hop’s Praises. USA Today.

Hofstede, Geert H. 1997. Cultures and organizations : software of the mind. [Rev. ed.] ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Intervarsity. 2011. ISM 2011 [cited 15 August 2011 2011]. Available from http://www.intervarsity.org/ism/page.php?id=42.

Jenkins, Philip. 2007. The next christendom : the coming of global Christianity. Rev. and expanded ed. ed. Oxford ; New York: Oxford University Press.

Lingenfelter, Sherwood G. 1998. Transforming culture : a challenge for Christian mission. 2nd ed. ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books.

Lingenfelter, Sherwood G., and Marvin Keene Mayers. 1986. Ministering cross-culturally : an incarnational model for personal relationships. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House.

Mancini, Will, and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.). 2008. Church unique : how missional leaders cast vision, capture culture, and create movement. 1st ed. ed. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Mayers, Marvin Keene. 1974. Christianity confronts culture : a strategy for cross-cultural evangelism of Contemporary evangelical perspectives. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House.

Plueddemann, Jim. 2009. Leading across cultures : effective ministry and mission in the global church. Downers Grove, Ill.: IVP Academic.

LEARNING REFLECTION  URBAN EVANGELISM

This quarter I have learned a great deal about effective evangelistic thinking.  I have thought about evangelism in theological, biblical, and sociological ways.   When thinking biblically about the nature of evangelism I have learned a great deal about how we must consider the entire biblical narrative and God’s mission therein.  I have learned how many people will think of the “Great Commission”(Mathew 28:16-20; Mark 16:15-18; Luke 24:45-49; John 24:21-23 as the most foundational and inspiring biblical text which commands evangelism.  But I have learned that as George R. Hunsberger notes that the first problem with an approach oriented to command and obedience, aimed as it is at motivating evangelistic action by a sense of duty, is that this approach mitigates the sense that somehow evangelism ought to be a spontaneous expression, produced by the Spirit and born of the overflowing of what comes from knowing the good news (Chilcote and Warner 2008, :61) Hunsberger prefers Newbigin’s understanding of evangelism in his exegesis of Acts 1:8 with Jesus’ statement “you shall be my witnesses”(Acts 1:8) not as command but as a promise, “a promise linked with that of the coming spirit (Chilcote and Warner 2008, :60)

Sociologically, I have learned more about how we  the church should think of the role of the church extending beyond the soul salvation but must also think and act in ways that impact the whole of society with the good news of salvation or as Orlando writes “To bring the good news of salvation is to interpret Christ’s saving work in the light of the struggles of mankind(Chilcote and Warner 2008, :39).  We must also imagine the future and hope that is in our city as it relates to the good news.

I have also learned that we must find the rhythm of our city that God has placed us in.  One of the most important things I have learned in this class is that An effective urban evangelism has to have a theological foundation that is contextualized in urban sociology reflected in an ecclesiological praxis.  This class has got me thinking.