Introduction
The author has been a long term teacher and a cross-cultural missionary in several countries across the world. The cross-cultural servant-hood is a broad and divine topic that demands a conclusive discussion and analysis.1 While the material is available in print courtesy of the author, there is still need to augment and assimilate both knowledge and experience on this topic especially in regards to addressing stack cultural differences.
By far and large, the author has incorporated interviews and articles in building the key tenets of the book. Needless to say, such a book requires an in-depth analysis of the available facts alongside focusing on relational competency for the sake of driving the much-needed understanding to the readers.
From the outset and thesis of the book, the author discusses the tough but possible process of becoming a servant leader in a culturally-mixed environment. It is against this backdrop that this paper seeks to critically interact with the author’s thesis by examining both the strengths and weaknesses of this piece of literary work.
Brief summary
Evangelism work and the zeal for mission are espoused in the Cross-Cultural Servanthood book. The author begins by highlighting cultural differences in various settings. He describes a humble servanthood spirit portrayed by his wife while serving him. Elmer concurs that cross-cultural servanthood might not be an easy undertaking.
The latter heavily relies on the nature of the prevailing cultural landscape. Nonetheless, he notes that any form of servanthood should not deviate from the holy scriptures even if it is appealing to society. Daily events that are simple and of course not complicated can be used to reveal the real spirit of servanthood.
The complexity of servanthood is also evident when culture is brought into perspective. Being a servant obviously presents a number of challenges and unless an individual is fully willing to be a true servant, then it can be cumbersome to attain any desired goals. Elmer makes use of himself as an example in the book to illustrate servanthood in an environment punctuated by different cultures.
In fact, the author observes that he lacked cultural sensitivity during his early years as a missionary. He notes that he needed a proper servant attitude in order to serve all people regardless of their diverse cultures. Evangelism and missionary calls demand the spirit of servanthood.2 The author is emphatic that serving is all about creating a warm relationship with other people so that they can understand and feel the glory of God upon their lives.
Hence, people who are served well are in a vantage position to spiritually appreciate the love of God in their lives. If servanthood is anything to go by, then serving is all about connecting with others in a passionate way in order to be Christ-like models.
Critical interaction
Strengths and weaknesses
This book is specifically tailored towards assisting individuals who are keen in setting up ministries in regions that are not compatible with their own cultures. Elmer seeks to highlight both the pros and cons of being a servant in such a location.
However, the author does not attempt to create an impossibility to excel in culturally diverse locations. In many sections of this book, he points out the demanding duties or roles of a servanthood that can be swiftly accomplished through the divine guidance of the scriptures.3
First, it is vital to mention that the author revolves around the aspect of servanthood with respect to planting a missionary work or a church. Hence, the thesis is very clear to the readership of the book because it addresses the importance of servant leadership in any type of mission work.
However, the author does not exclude the input of culture in his discussions and analysis. From his background, the author has managed to pin-point the ups and downs of setting up missions in environments that are culturally unique and unfamiliar. Needless to say, the tone and style are major strengths of this piece of literary work.
Although the first section addresses major highlights of the book and thesis, the second part is definitely more detailed and informative than the previous section. The opening section of any literary work should contain the bulk of the much needed information because we may never be assured if a reader may be interested to explore the rest of the chapters. The author in this case has attached a lot of value of the book in the second section.
It is a major weakness in spite of the invaluable information documented in the literary material.4 As much as a church missionary team can aptly use this book as a practical guide of attaining the set objectives, the second part lays a lot of emphasis on cultural understanding as if it is the only important parameter to be considered by evangelists and other church workers when setting up and running ministries.
It is prudent to point out that services in any ministry set up play a major role in fortifying and pursing goals and objectives. In addition, the author fails to focus on the ministry of sharing good news or the word of God. As a matter of fact, ministers of the word of God and evangelists alike should strive to share the gospel in order to expand God’s kingdom.
Unless they understand the best way to do so or approach this important spiritual duty, it can be cumbersome to bridge the cultural gap that often impedes ministerial growth.5 Understanding cultural drowns should not necessarily overshadow the aspect of culture itself. At this point, the author should have injected the issue of diversity into his discussion.
When ministers of the word of God plan to reach out different cultures, the main objective should be to establish a strong foundation of the word of God instead of just leveraging on the aspect of cultural differences. God himself is the generator of diversity.
The third part of the book is equally informative and helpful to the reader because it captures numerous key pillars in ministry work. Unfortunately, this section seems to deviate from the core purpose of the book. Merging the two subject areas is evidently missing in the book prior to discussing the aspect of servanthood and servant leadership.
In other words, it would have been crucial for the author to develop an elaborate relationship between leadership and servanthood.6 From the book, it is apparent that a new leadership topic was introduced alongside the author’s opinion.
Local cultures can immensely benefit from the cross-cultural model proposed by the author of this book. In any case, evangelists and other Christian workers can make use of the same model proposed by the author. The model is an outstanding strength featured in the book.
The illustrations given by the author are evidently inadequate because they do not demonstrate any servant of God who has ever gone beyond the US borders in outreach programs that target multiple and mixed cultures. Examples give n in the book should be in tandem with the spirit and passion exemplified by the author in the introductory section of the book.
Overall evaluation of the book
To a large extent, the book addresses key benefits of servant-hood when establishing churches or other ministerial outreach programs in culturally diverse settings.
Although the author does not discuss elements such as poverty and service among Native Americans, it is vivid that the book offers major practical guidelines for men and women who called to serve the body of Christ with different gifts. Hence, the book offers principled and effective guidelines that can be viably applied during spiritual outreach missions.7
Conclusion
We may not refute the fact that Cross-Cultural Servanthood is a resourceful piece of literature for persons wishing to spread the word of God in unfamiliar jurisdictions or environments. Missionaries and other workers in the kingdom of God can benefit a lot by applying Elmer’s model. The broad tenets of cross-cultural servanthood analyzed in the book provide a real and viable platform for Great Commission as commanded by Jesus Christ to the disciples.
To a large extent, the book offers a firm foundation for understanding and applying the key tenets of gospel in multi-cultural contexts. In spite of the of the few limitations discussed above, readers have been furnished with invaluable insights into ministry work.
Bibliography
Carroll, Brian. Servant Leadership Theory Cross-Culturally: A Comparative Study Between India and the United States. New York: Regent University Press, 2013.
Chen, Chin-Yi, Chun-Hsi Vivian Chen, and Chun-I. Li. “The Influence of Leader’s Spiritual Values of Servant Leadership on Employee Motivational Autonomy and Eudaemonic Well-Being.” Journal of religion and health 52, no. 2 (November 2013): 418-438.
Elmer, Duane. Cross-cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2006.
Hill, Harriet. The Bible at cultural crossroads: From translation to communication. New York: Routledge, 2014.
Nolen, Steve. “Partnering with Latin American Churches to Complete the Great Commission.” Global Missiology English 1, no. 7 (August 2010): 1-5.
Sokoll, Shane. “The relationship between GLOBE’s future orientation cultural dimension and servant leadership endorsement.” Emerging Leadership Journeys 4, no. 1 (June 2011): 141-153.
Taylor, Iii. Equipping Laity for Servant Leadership: Modeling a Servant’s Heart, in the Rural Black Church: a Diaconate Training Resource. Boston: AuthorHouse, 2009.
Footnotes
1 Duane Elmer, Cross-cultural Servanthood: Serving the World in Christlike Humility (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2006), 77.
2 Iii Taylor, Equipping Laity for Servant Leadership: Modeling a Servant’s Heart, in the Rural Black Church: a Diaconate Training Resource (Boston: AuthorHouse, 2009), 39.
3Harriet Hill, The Bible at cultural crossroads: From translation to communication (New York: Routledge, 2014), 61.
4 Shane Sokoll, “The relationship between GLOBE’s future orientation cultural dimension and servant leadership endorsement,” Emerging Leadership Journeys 4, no. 1 (June 2011): 150.
5 Steve Nolen, “Partnering with Latin American Churches to Complete the Great Commission,” Global Missiology English 1, no. 7 (August 2010):4.
6 Chin-Yi Chen, Chun-Hsi Vivian Chen, and Chun-I. Li, “The Influence of Leader’s Spiritual Values of Servant Leadership on Employee Motivational Autonomy and Eudaemonic Well-Being,” Journal of religion and health 52, no. 2 (November 2013): 423.
7 Brian Carroll, Servant Leadership Theory Cross-Culturally: A Comparative Study Between India and the United States (New York: Regent University Press, 2013), 87.