Cross-Cultural Servanthood In Duane Elmer's Cross-Cultural Servanthood

1606 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Five relevance of intercultural communication

Introduction
Duane Elmer is the author of “Cross Cultural Servanthood” as well as a notable writer with articles published in various journals who holds a Ph.D., from Michigan State University and he is also over the Ph.D. educational studies program where he holds the title director, in addition, he is the G.W. Aldeen Chair of International Studies in Deerfield, Illinois at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Mr. Elmer travels extensively teaching; thus far he has been in over 75 countries. Some of the organizations he has delivered cross-cultural training are; Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, churches, relief and development agencies, and mission organizations. Elmer has steered numerous peace and reconciliation efforts in various countries to include a faculty development workshop which spanned over 25 European and Middle Eastern Schools themed Teaching for Transformation. He has also had the privilege to teach at Durban Bible College located in Durban, South Africa, and Wheaton College and Graduate School.
Summary
The author starts his book expounding on “Servanthood” where he discusses its burden and challenge, by sharing a story which involved he and his wife while on their honeymoon; she had prepared a breakfast of his preference, undoubtedly excited over cooking and serving their first meal as his wife, only to be offended and hurt with her husband’s response to the meal due to not understanding one another’s cultural history. Elmer uses this story to demonstrate the simplicity and difficulty of cross-cultural servanthood (p. 11-12). According to Elmer, there are numerous people...

... middle of paper ...

...ite familiar with Jesus Servanthood, but what I got from this book is that Jesus spent 30 years on earth learning before He even started His ministry. This fact alone speaks volume to me. Lingenfeller sums it up this way “Jesus did not only come to serve but He was a learner; he learned the language, he learned the trade of carpentry in addition to His study of scriptures and He worshipped, and Jesus was found in the temple, listening and asking questions as recorded in Luke 2:46. In fact, Jesus took time to study the language, culture and lifestyles of his people for thirty years before he began his ministry.” And this is what Elmer is trying to drive home; take time to learn. Paul instructs us on what to do when dealing with other cultures “We should have the same attitude as Jesus” (Philippians 2:5). And I basically hear this author echo this as well.

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Mary Cowhey's Black Ants And Buddhists

    1338 Words  | 3 Pages

    Cowhey’s uses a quote from the Dalai Lama that perfectly explains the difference between wanting a classroom with a Multicultural Education and actually having one. “Its not enough to be compassionate. You must act”. This book showed me that it takes more than understanding what Multicultural Education looks like, but how persistent you must be to achieve this type of education. Cowhey’s book is relevant to educators and the general public because it can inspire individuals from all walks of life to teach children how to be compassionate, empathetic, activists, critical thinkers, and so much more than what is usually expected of them. This book is relevant to my teaching practices because it made me realize how much more teaching is. Teaching is more than creating and implementing lessons, but so much more in

    Read More

  • Developing Literacy Skills in ELLs

    1632 Words  | 4 Pages

    3. Delpit, Lisa D. Other People's Children: Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York: New, 1995. Print.

    Read More

  • The Pastoralization Of Housework By Jeanne Boydston

    798 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The Pastoralization of Housework” by Jeanne Boydston is a publication that demonstrates women’s roles during the antebellum period. Women during this period began to embrace housework and believed their responsibilities were to maintain the home, and produce contented and healthy families. As things progressed, housework no longer held monetary value, and as a result, womanhood slowly shifted from worker to nurturer. The roles that women once held in the household were slowly diminishing as the economy became more industrialized. Despite the discomfort of men, when women realized they could find decent employment, still maintain their household and have extra income, women began exploring their option.

    Read More

  • Cereus Blooms At Night

    1618 Words  | 4 Pages

    Due to the colonial ideas of heteronormativity and traditional family roles, Caribbean people, much like Chandin, forced themselves to embody these ideals (Rosenthal 3/20/17). “But evenings, sitting quietly in the living room with his new family, he had a very definite place. The Reverend had a chair that he alone sat in, as did Mrs. Thoroughly, and Lavinia invariably lay on her back or stomach on the very same portion of rug… near her mother. Chandin found that… [his] chair became an antidote to the chaos of his uprootedness” (Mootoo 31). With this depiction of the family member’s place in their living room, Mootoo suggests that European family’s heteronormativity places family members in ridged and fixed locations in the family hierarchy. As Chandin feels that he is integrated into this family system, he feels more accepted into the European way of life. Because of this acceptance, he further distances himself from the society in which he formerly belonged. With the acknowledgement of the changes caused by the heteronormative family roles, one sees that the family roles reinforce European images of how society should look (Rosenthal 3/20/17). This reconfiguration of the home makes it a more disputed and contentious place for those that do not parallel with the roles of heteronormative families (Rosenthal 3/22/17). Because the home becomes a disputed place, it

    Read More

  • Christianity and Popular Culture

    2621 Words  | 6 Pages

    In his classic work Christ and Culture, H. Richard Niebuhr asserts that the relationship between earnest followers of Jesus Christ and human culture has been an "enduring problem."1 How should believers who are "disciplining themselves for the purpose of godliness" (1 Tim. 4:7) relate to a world whose culture is dominated by "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life" (1 John 2: 16)? Culture is God's gift and task for human beings created in His image and likeness. At creation humanity received a "cultural mandate" from the sovereign Creator to have dominion over the earth and to cultivate and keep it (Gen. 1:26, 28; 2:15). But sin's effects are total, and culture—whether high, popular, or folk—has been corrupted thoroughly by rebellion, idolatry, and immorality. How, then, should Christians, who have been redeemed, "not with perishable things like gold or silver . . . but with precious blood, as of a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ" (1 Pet. 1:18-19) live in relation to culture? According to Jesus in His high priestly prayer, believers are to be in the world but not of it (John 17:11-16). But in what way? How do believers act in and interact with the "crooked and perverse generation" (Phil. 2:15) that surrounds them and of which they are a part?

    Read More

  • Negotiating Fine Lines between Women’s Work and Women’s Worth

    2507 Words  | 6 Pages

    McBride, Kari Boyd. “A Boarding House is not a Home: Women’s Work and Woman’s Worth on the Margins of Domesticity.” The University Book second edition. 472-487.

    Read More

  • Reservation Blues

    1707 Words  | 4 Pages

    Marriage is the union of two people, traditionally husband and wife. Traditional also are the roles that women play when confined in a marriage. When a woman has had the opportunity to educate herself pass tradition and has been use to a fast-paced modern lifestyle, this role of the wife might prove to be quite onerous to mold to. Usually a time of joy, celebration, and adulation, marriage may also bring along emotional and physical pain as well as awkward situations, as the woman must alter herself to conform the traditional role of what a wife should be. Bessie Head depicts two modernized, educated women in her short stories of “Life” and “Snapshots of a Wedding”. These women are forced to change from the only lives they knew as single women to the new roles they must live up to as wives.

    Read More

  • The History and Identity of Christianity

    1892 Words  | 4 Pages

    Tennent, Timothy C. 2010. Invitation To World Missions. 1st ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications.

    Read More

  • A Critique of Culture Shift by David W. Henderson

    1358 Words  | 3 Pages

    The church has a problem. The eternally relevant message with which she has been entrusted no longer readily finds a willing ear. According to Henderson, the solution lies in first understanding how our world thinks and then, beginning where people are at, bring them to see "the functional relevance for their lives of the actual relevance of our message". In high school speech classes, we were taught to "know your audience." As a careless high schooler, I didn't really care what she meant, but it eventually made sense (once I actually decided to think about it). You wouldn't use sock puppets to explain math to accountants; you wouldn't use in-depth power-point presentations to explain math to first graders. With this in mind, why do many Americans still try to talk about Jesus using the methods used thirty years ago? Why do we use Christian "jargon" to explain Christianity to those outside the faith? Henderson contends that modern American Christians must change their approach to sharing the faith in order to fit modern America. The pattern of Henderson's book is straightforward: he examines a particular aspect/mindset/value of modern Americans; he then gives ideas about how a Christian might share Words of Eternal Life with such an American. Henderson's writing is both straightforward and enjoyable. He gets right to the heart of the American mindset, then illustrates it with descriptions from scenes from popular movies, personal anecdotes, jokes, etc. In all, Henderson does the modern Christian a great service in writing "Culture Shift." Jesus told Christians to tell others about him ("Go, therefore, and baptize all nations...") and Henderson can help us along the way through this book

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Mere Discipleship

    1190 Words  | 3 Pages

    After reading through this book, I feel that my thoughts on what Christian discipleship should be have been reinforced and somehow cleared up. Discipleship is central to Christian faith and practice because it is how the Christian message is shared with the world. Christian discipleship is not just about spreading the Word of God; it is also showing the world what being a Christian really is. Discipleship-focused faith should demonstrate how God’s Word is for everyone and knows no boundaries whether they are race, language, country, size, gender, etc. Jesus died on the cross for the sins of the world, therefore, His sacrifice it to be shared with the world through our actions, as always, actions speak louder than words.

    Read More

  • Nickel And Dimed By Barbara Ehrenreich Analysis

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    She appreciates the running water in her shower, “I have paid for it, in fact, I have earned it. I have gotten through a week at The Maids without mishap, injury, or insurrection” (402). The stories from the employees at “The Maids” show strategies on how to get by in our society, but they also show that living as a low wage worker in corporate America means greed, sacrifice, and lack of

    Read More

  • A Jury of Her Peers, by Susan Glaspell

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    Mrs. Hale feels a natural responsibility to defend and protect Minnie Foster Wright through her connection as a fellow woman and housewife. Upon her introduction to Minnie through her home, Mrs. Hale finds an immediate connection. She understands Minnie’s life as a homemaker and a farmer’s wife and is quick to defend her when her skills as a wife and woman come into question. When the men recognize Minnie’s lackluster cleaning of kitchen towels Mrs. Hale retorts “[m]en’s hands aren’t as clean as they might be” (Glaspell 160). She asserts her loyalty to Minnie and notes that men are not always perfect or without blame, without “clean hands”. As a woman, Mrs. Hale easily sees herself in Minnie’s place and comes to her defense as if she were defending herself. It is easier to share her loyalty with a woman so much like her than it is to be loyal to men that act superior and do not understand the challenges of being a housewife. The men find a woman’s chores as petty, nothing but “trifles” (Glaspell 160).Scholar Karen Stein argues that it is these commonalities that create the responsibility of everywoman to defend one another (Ortiz 165). Mrs. Hale sees herself in every...

    Read More

  • Ideal Family: Defining the Ideal Family Throughout American History

    1446 Words  | 3 Pages

    Working class families were different in some ways from middle class families. Often in a marriage, the man’s wages were not enough...

    Read More

  • Social Psychology Reflection Paper

    1035 Words  | 3 Pages

    Culture is a powerful influence plays a big role in our interactions. Culture may also impact parenting style and a developing child. Having a strong sense of their own cultural history and the traditions associated with it helps children build a positive cultural identity for themselves. This also supports children’s sense of belonging and, by extension, their mental health and wellbeing. This class is crucial in understanding and working well parents, staff, and children. An effective educator understands how students’ cultures affect their perceptions, self-esteem, values, classroom behavior, and learning. As director, I need to use that understanding to help my students and staff feel welcomed, affirmed, respected, and valued. One way that I can do this is by using multicultural literature, especially children’s literature, to honor students’ culture and foster cross-cultural understanding. If cultural differences are not understood by teachers and management, it can lead to miscommunication and misunderstandings on both sides. It will be my job to do all I can to overcome both language and cultural differences to ensure a positive learning environment for

    Read More

  • Theme Of Women In David Copperfield

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Within these marriages, readers get a sense of how education plays an important role in a successful marriage, as this fulfills both of their dreams of personal identity. Although women in the nineteenth century were viewed to be superior wives and mothers, manage the household, and perform domestic tasks, it was important for women to become educated as “an education was supposed to enable these girls to become successful women in society” (Leigh 117). Women were not meant to be “trained” in some way to become good wives, but needed to be formally educated in order to be a successful wife and

    Read More

More about Cross-Cultural Servanthood In Duane Elmer's Cross-Cultural Servanthood

Open Document