Cross-cultural living and ministry creates unique stresses on the individual missionary and family in a variety of ways. We will address those issues and seek to prepare you to successfully navigate those critical areas. We will address the practical and theoretical tools needed for ministry in a cross-cultural context. The basic presupposition of this strategy is that the structure and organization necessary for ministry already exists in the target culture. Your job is to discover what they are and to adapt your plans to the existing system of relationships and process. We will:

• Explore the unique stresses of moving overseas and provide tools to help in the transition.
• Identify how expectations play a role in cross-cultural adjustment.
• Identify the special stresses affecting missionary marriages and ways to maintain and improve a healthy marriage.
• Discover the unique needs of Third Culture Kids (TCK’s) and learn how to help them develop into normal, healthy, productive adults.
• Analyze the special needs of single missionaries and find ways to help singles and married couples relate well together.
• Identify and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the various educational options for families and their children.
• Explore how functional vs. dysfunctional families will manage in cross-cultural living. Traits of a healthy family will be addressed.
• Clarify the unique roles and needs of both men and women on the field with special emphasis on helping women find fulfillment and a sense of purpose.
• Explore the phenomenon of culture shock, its causes, its effects on relationships, and ways to cope with the effects.
• Give specific help to the missionary on the practical mechanics of getting to the field.
• Suggest strategies for coping with various crises families may encounter.
• Develop the awareness, importance and skills of good nutrition/diet/exercise, basic sickness prevention and diagnoses, clean water and filtration, basic first aid kits, and immunization awareness.
• Introduce the basic theoretical perspectives and research tools for cross-cultural study.
• Learn skills in applying principles and data of social organization to formulating mission strategy.

This intensive will mobilize (and require) the student to research their target country and develop the tools necessary to help them not only understand that culture, but also how that culture will affect them and their family. (A program for children is also available.)

**Please note: students attending this module should bring any resources they have on their country/people group for research purposes.

Instructors: Dr. Diane Collard (GEM), Dr. George Schultz (CIT),
Tim Wagner (CrossWorld)