Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally, Second Edition: An Introduction to Missionary Communication

I recently completed a reading critique of David J. Hesselgrave's Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally. Here are a few of my observations: 1. The author's main purpose in writing this book is to reconnect the message of Christ with the reality of the culture (Hesselgrave, 26). He recognizes that Christ followers have been entrusted with the mission of reaching out to the world, that they can reach out, that they must reach out, and that they will reach out. However, the issue rarely raised is how they will reach out and what the responses of the recipients will be (24). Any strategy ought to rely heavily upon an allegiance to Christ, include the truths of the bible, and embody one's very call to cross-cultural communication. 2. The author's instruction on the understanding of culture was helpful. He defines culture as methods of perception, emotion, and judgment. Mores are determined at birth and developed through childhood, held in common with others, incorporated into much of society, and morph over time (Hesselgrave, 100). Cultural categories include innovation, interaction, and ideas (101). One of the missionary's greatest challenges is discovering the "deeper levels of values, beliefs, and worldviews" (102). Another item of instruction that was appreciated was the teaching on Chinese perspectives which were influenced by Lao-Tzu's stress upon the Tao and nature while Confucius' teachings focus upon humanity and community (Hesselgrave, 259). They view the supernatural as "a variety of deities, devils, and spirits," nature as the result "of the Tao acting through the principles of Yin and Yang," and humanity "by nature good and kept that way by being in touch with the Tao and education" (263). 3. The most helpful part of the book was the instruction on assisting people on their search "for the pure spiritual milk, that by it [they] may grow up into salvation" (1 Peter 2:2, ESV). Every communicator has the responsibility to "speak that which must be heard, understood, and heeded" (Hesselgrave, 602). Each culture is looking for identity, leadership, purpose, and forgiveness (610). The ways in which given societies consistently and completely deal with each issue will vary greatly (604). 4. The quotation that seemed particularly important was the description of going into "the uttermost parts of the world [as taking] on cultural as well as geographical significance. Yet numerous missionaries have entered cultures without any attention whatsoever to the social structures, evidently assuming that the culture would be a carbon copy of their own or that differences would prove to be unimportant" (Hesselgrave, 454). Two main aspects of communication include one's cultural worldviews and societal expectations. For example, the West has often mistaken their role with creation being that of domination rather that of dominion. Likewise, personal liberties have been overstressed at a great cost to corporate wellbeing (456).