It is important to move from a monocultural to an intercultural mindset. These resources help one go deeper in cultural understanding of self and others.
SONYA LUNA
Coordinator of Latinx Ministries
My husband loves nature shows and sometimes I watch them with him. I enjoy the shows that explore the ocean. It is so fascinating to see all the life that lies under the sea and to know that humans have not even discovered all that is living in its depths.
I am part of the Enneagram Journey cohort that started this month. I understand the process is going to be a deep dive into my personality to help me understand why I do the things I do. I am excited about this journey and ready to learn more about myself. I am also excited to learn more about the diverse range of personalities and have a better understanding of others.
The Enneagram Journey process also made me think about the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI). While the Enneagram Journey relates to personality, the IDI relates to culture, so, the IDI helps you to understand why you do the things you do and why others do the things they do in relation to culture.
The IDI leads you to explore your culture and the cultures of other people. As an IDI administer, I encourage people to learn more about their culture, not just what is above the surface, but to really explore what is under the surface. Culture that you can see, hear, touch, and smell is above the surface culture. Culture that creates norms, values, behaviors, and systems is below the surface. Basically, to really understand your culture you must dive deep below the surface. Why do you shake hands when you meet people? Why do you arrive on time for meetings? Why does your culture have the saying “time is money”? Why do you put an end time on your party invitations? These questions might seem frivolous to answer, but if you are working with people from diverse cultures then it is fruitful to know these things about yourself and other cultures so that you can have a greater working relationship, smoother interactions, and communication.
It is important work for church leaders to increase their cultural competency. It is important for the church’s ministry and mission. It is important work to meet the commandment of “loving your neighbor as you love yourselves.” The IDI can be a valuable resource for ministry and help us to prepare as we learn together. The process moves us from having a monocultural mindset to an intercultural/global mindset. In our current ministry setting, it is a resource that we should use as we welcome refugees, migrants, immigrants, and asylum seekers to Michigan. It is a resource that we can use as we navigate all different ministry settings.
There are different ways to explore under the surface culture. One of the ways that I learn about other cultures, and I recommend it to other people, is to read books by authors of different cultures. I enjoy young adult books. Justice for Our Neighbors- Michigan (a nonprofit that provides free immigration legal services) has a book club that you can join and learn more about the lives of immigrants in the United States. More information about the next book club can be found below. Justice for Our Neighbors-Michigan is also doing a series of presentations on Pop culture and Immigration. These are different learning opportunities that are available.
My hope is that you become eager to jump from the edge of the shore and explore the below-the-surface culture. My hope, as you start or continue your deep dive journey, is that you can show up for ministry with others with a whole new understanding and compassion and that you are able to adapt to differences. Blessings on your journey.
Additional Information:
Justice for Our Neighbors-Michigan Book Club
Did you know that Grand Rapids was one of the first American communities to accept Vietnamese refugees? Our upcoming Immigration Book Club selection is STEALING BUDDHA’S DINNER, by Bich Minh Nguyen, and is set in our own Grand Rapids, MI. Please join us on Zoom at 10:00 AM ET on Saturday, February 5th. Click here.
JFON Pop Culture and Immigration Series
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Justice for our Neighbors Michigan presents Visas and Valentines: Media Representations of Marriage Fraud. Join us on Thursday, Feb. 10th at 5:00 pm for a new Pop Culture and Immigration virtual series as we consider what we can learn about immigration from the movie, The Proposal, and the reality series, 90 Day Fiancé.
The Intercultural Development Inventory
For more information contact the Rev. Brittney Stephens [email protected].
Last Updated on October 31, 2023