ICC was great experience full of memories and relationships I never want to forget. Everyone learned so much about maintaining spiritual vitality, types of world views, and other cultures. We are all life long learners; knowledge is in exhaustible and once you stop allowing yourself you learn you will remain stagnant.
Maintaining your relationship with God was the main focal point of the training, and how relationship is ministry. Just like the example of the cross. The Youth Pastor at my sending church gave me this example a day ago; this example goes hand and hand with the Great Commandment and the second Great Commandment, Matthew 22: 34-40. You have one beam running vertical, that is your relationship with God. Then the other beam running horizontal that is your relationship with your fellow man.
I also learned much more good nuggets of wisdom. I learned about social skills, how to communicate with someone from another culture. How to ask a favor from someone of a shame culture without stealing their face. In America we think are way is the best way. Well in other nations they don't see it that way. They want to show you their way. The only way they're going to do that is if you open up to them and show interest in their ways. You must be an OPEN LEARNER.
Four other many focal points of the course were:
- Think Grey, ponder awhile before jumping to a conclusion.
- Suspend Judgement, Never make fun of or be degrading to another
- Assume Goodwill, People probably have a good reason for doing things their way even though we may not understand it.
- Tolerate Ambiguity, I've had to come to grips with this myself with OM and the ship and going to PNG the is a great deal of unknown. This one is last because I think you use all three of the previous categories to be able to tolerate ambiguity.
These are all major part of ministry and no one should be overlooked.
No comments:
Post a Comment