Due to the fact that I am still in school means I have to to certain projects for my classes. Recently I got to do a fun project that was very meaningful and impacting for me and needed to share it.
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| From: http://jonathandodson.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Missional.png |
I interviewed a Missional Pastor about his work in Paris France and on their experience of living in another culture. This Missional Pastors name I interviewed is
Tim Meier who part of the C&MA (the denomination I am a part of). Tim is a friend of mine going back to our days
together as youth pastors in the Metro District of the C&MA, in fact, I was working
alongside him at a district retreat when he told me of God’s call to go to
France, so I was excited to get the chance to interview him for this course and this blog.
Tim has
been in France for about 4 years now so he’s finally gotten the feeling of
getting his feet wet in the culture.
Taking the cues from the syllabus, I asked 9 pointed questions to see
what exactly his experience has been integrating into the culture and what his
approach was to such a different culture. The 9 questions I asked were: 1. What
has been your process of you and your family integrating into the French
culture? (simply acclimation) 2. What are the 3 hardest things presented by
French culture that has caused you some "culture shock"? 3. How are
you presenting the gospel in this culture? 4. How effective has this
presentation been so far? 5. What is the
biggest barrier to the Gospel in French culture? 6. What is the biggest asset
to the Gospel in French culture? 7. What
are some creative innovations that you've developed that would work in American
culture as well? 8. What is your overall
strategy of trying to present/share the gospel?
9. Who is the major focus of your ministry (Disillusioned Christians?
Non-Christians? Anyone in between?)
This
interview was really eye-opening for me because of some of the assumptions I
have made about French culture as well as my own handle on how to do
ministry to such a people group. More on that specific personal experience
later; because that’s an overall learning while I learned a lot from other
specific questions.
This will be a series of posts with the questions, answers and some commentary from myself on how I am personally wrestling, agreeing and working on things Tim brings up in his answers. We'll start with question and answer #1
1. What has been your process of you and your
family integrating into the French culture? (simply acclimation)
The number one most important element of
cultural acclimation is language learning. I appreciate the value of language
in the C&MA expectations which has helped a bunch. We spent the entire
first year learning language and culture. We were immersed in a non-English
speaking environment and were in church, running club, friendships etc. in French.
But, acclimation is also a choice. There are many people who learn the language
but refuse to be a part of the culture or really jump in. Our philosophy has
been that of a learner and we just sort of jumped off the deep end and went for
it. Our son is in French school, I run for a French club, we have many good
friends etc. It took about 2 years to feel completely comfortable and at home
but it has worked. This involves an all-out choice with media, newspapers etc.
In Paris there is clearly the option to stay in an English speaking ghetto but
we choose to in-culturate, otherwise, why even come? |
| From: http://memyselfandthem.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/jumping_in_the_air.jpg |
Looking at Tim’s first response to the process of integration I was inspired by his approach. He didn’t go half way, he jumped in. Tim said: “We were immersed in a non-English speaking environment and were in church, running club, friendships etc. in French” (Meier, 2012). They didn’t try to slowly creep into the culture or language but immersed themselves right away. By his own admission it wasn’t easy and he shares: “It took about 2 years to feel completely comfortable and at home but it has worked” (Meier, 2012). Full immersion quickly in such a culture is tough but it pays off in the long run of things. I think I agree fully with this approach because not only does it assist in you and your family understanding a new culture but it shows the culture and people around you that you truly care about them as people and aren't trying to bring your culture to them but are bringing yourself to their culture.
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