Many people measure IQ (intelligence quotient), fewer measure EQ (emotional intelligence), but perhaps not enough people value their CQ (cultural intelligence).
Now that our family is on the cusp of a major change, we all can't help but reflect. For the past 14 years we've ministered to natural-born American, immigrant, and refugee families in the Twin Cities. We've seen the joys, trials, triumphs, and difficulties of shepherding a community that finds its true identity in Christ and seeks to make disciples of all nations. How difficult is it to encourage believers to make their God-given identity their primary and true identity (child of God, brother/sister in Christ, citizen of Heaven, etc.), and all other identifying factors secondary (age, race, tribe, tongue)? It's hard. How hard is it to wake up in the morning and see yourself that very same way? Oftentimes even harder. What does ministry look like when a clash of cultures both highlights the beautiful power of the Gospel as well as our sinful tendencies to only see the bad in all things different?
This is the first blog of many that will continue to explore the many nuances of cross-cultural and multi-cultural ministry by looking back and looking forward. Since 2005 I've served at the Filipino American Church in Mounds View, MN (www.faccmn.org), first as its Worship and Youth Pastor and then as its Lead Pastor. This fall our family will be moving to #Cebu City, #Philippines where I will begin serving as the next Field Director of the Children's Shelter of Cebu (cebushelter.org).
For now I'll leave you with the following video of a talk given by Soong-Chan Rah. This brother says much more eloquently using baseball what my fingers could possibly hope to type out using my keyboard. His message is on "multi-ethnicity," and it touches on the same topics future blogs will be about: cultural captivity, cultural competence. I'll also talk about the ideas of compensatory identity and identity in Christ in very theological and applicable terms.
“The problem is if that person with season tickets behind the third base line says, 'this is the only way to see the game ... this is the absolutely definitive way of seeing how the game is played out.'”
Prayer Request
We're about five months away from our big move and we're just now starting the process of determining what items to keep, what items to sell, and what items to give away. We're also prayerfully seeking guidance on what to do with our home (rent vs. sell). Please pray with us (#missonary #philippines #cebu).
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