Cultural Bridges: AIO Ministries

How might we build relationships with people; what activities, interests, or opinions do they have that we could use to get to know them?

Cultural bridges are those characteristics that could be used to build relationships with people in the community.  Various activities, interests, or opinions (AIO) represented among the consumer behavior characteristics in the community offer ways for believers to build relationships with people and through that relationship impact them for Christ.

Cultural Barriers:  VAB Ministries

What values, attitudes or behaviors might be a barrier to establishing relationships with these kind of people? What might be a barrier to their understanding or acceptance of Christ?

Cultural barriers are those values, attitudes or behaviors (VAB) of people in the community that might be a barrier to Christians establishing a relationship with them.  Some cultural barriers tend to become a barrier to people's understanding or acceptance of Christ.  In addition, characteristics of the people in the church or programming of the church may become a cultural barrier to reaching people as well.

Cultural Themes:  Contextual Messages

What "themes" or topics arise out of the cultures in the community that we could use in our presentation of the gospel that would help them to understand it better?

Cultural themes are themes or topics that arise out of the culture of a group that could be used to more effectively present the gospel and the biblical message of discipleship.  Cultural themes enable the message to become “relevant” to the hearers.

Shared Places: Social Space

What places or events do these people frequent where we could interact meaningfully with them and develop relationships with them for the sake of the gospel?

Shared places are those places or events frequented by people in the community where Christians could interact meaningfully with them and develop relationships with them for the sake of the gospel.

Shared Projects: Common Causes

What are the social or community projects in which people are involved that we could join in with them as a means of develop relationships while "serving with them"?

Shared projects are those social or community projects in which people from the community are involved that Christians could join in with them as a means of developing relationships while "serving with them."

Indigenous Communication Issues

What communication issues about people in the community can we discern that may impact the way in which an indigenous congregation would communicate?

Indigenous communication issues stem from cultural characteristics of people that Christians can discern that may impact the way in which the gospel is shared and disciplemaking is conducted.