To facilitate a truly global conversation, we ask Christian leaders from around the world to respond to the Global Conversation’s lead articles. These points of view do not necessarily represent the Lausanne Movement. They are designed to stimulate discussion from all points of the compass and from different segments of the Christian community. Please add your perspective by posting a comment so that we can learn and grow together in the unity of the Spirit.

A response to Phill Butlers articles: A Mongolian Story and A North African Story

Some general observations concerning favorable conditions for cross-cultural partnerships …

• Informal arrangement of the gathering helps to establish common and level ground for discussions
• Affirmation of each one’s value;  as people made in God’s Image and partners with something valuable to contribute.
• Practice God’s presence through prayer. Shows the underlying conviction that God is imminent and transcendent.
• Corporate prayer shows the common conviction that prayer has the ability to remove the obstacles hindering the fulfillment of the vision.
• Dependency on God leads to interdependence on one another
• Successful solving of the potential problem shows trust partners have in the facilitator, his/her abilities and in the process.
• Communion taken in a cross-cultural setting as described above reflects the willingness of partners, not only to work together, but to be yoked together in a covenant relationship.
• The case study underlined the utmost importance of having a culture-sensitive facilitator and the critical nature of his/her task.
• Every concern, minor or major, must be listened and attended to. Small concerns for one might be major concerns for others.
• Good preparation done in setting up the meeting important in bridging potential divides among partners.

Additional Thoughts… Four critical elements in cross-cultural partnerships

1. Common understanding of the current reality (The reason why the partnership exists)

Harvest Field Information (Needs Assessment)

• People
• Places
• Domains of Society

Harvest Force Information (Asset-based Resource Assessment)

• All possible Resources
• Critical Mass of potential partners

Values (Underlying Beliefs / Possible assumptions partners may have which will influence the process)

• Needs Assessment: Perceived Need, Most-felt Need, Revealed Need?
• Fatalism
• Ancestral Worship
• Tribalism / Racism
• Male Superiority
• Materialism
• Other

2. Common vision of a future reality (What the partnership wants to accomplish)

• God’s Intention /  Vision
• Start with the end in mind
• Expected Outcomes

Values (Underlying beliefs / Possible assumptions partners may have which will influence the process)

• Vision for Development/ Transformation
• Future / Time Concept
• Fatalism vs Change
• Other