Opening (5 mins):
- Icebreaker question: What is your cultural background? Where were you born and raised?
- Question: Why did you want to join a mission as mixed and multicultural as Youth With A Mission?
Youth With A Mission Value #8: We are international and interdenominational in scope and constituency.
“After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language…” Revelation 7:9
The Cultures in Our Mission (10 mins):
- Question: Have you worked with people from other cultures before? What was that like for you?
- Share numbers that show how many ethnicities and nations are part of our mission around the world.
- Question: What good could come from having teams with different cultural backgrounds and ways of seeing things?
Youth With A Mission Value #2: We are called to make God known throughout the whole world.
“Go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:19
How Culture Shapes Our Decisions (15 mins):
- Talk about how our cultural background shapes the way we make decisions. For example:
- Individualistic cultures may prefer individual decision-making
- Collectivistic cultures may emphasize group consensus
- Question: In your culture, do people tend to make decisions more on their own or together as a group?
- Question: How important is it to follow the advice of elders or leaders, or defer to them, when making decisions in your culture?
Youth With A Mission Value #9: We have a biblical Christian worldview to guide our lives and ministry.
“I will listen…for you have taught me.” Psalm 119:171
Break (5 mins)
Making Room for Everyone (15 mins):
- Cultures can have different habits around things like:
- Time (sticking closely to the schedule, or being more flexible)
- What to wear in different settings
- Greetings (handshakes, bows, hugs, etc.)
- Question: What habits around time, dress, greetings and so on might we notice or need to watch for on our multicultural team?
- Talk about what keeps people from feeling included, like bias, stereotypes and thinking your own culture is the right one, and how to get past it:
- Cultural humility: staying a learner
- Really listening and holding off on judging
- Question: How can we avoid accidentally offending someone or making them feel disrespected because of cultural differences?
Youth With A Mission Value #14: We value the individual and believe in justice for all people.
“There is neither…slave nor free…for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Galatians 3:28
Closing (10 mins):
- Question: How can having many cultures in our mission make us stronger and more fruitful around the world?
- Question: What’s one personal commitment you can make to help your team be open and welcoming?
- Go over the main points: respect cultural differences, listen to different views, and work for unity.
Youth With A Mission Value #13: We are dedicated to being relationship-oriented.
“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Romans 12:10