Lesson 9 | Crossing cultures
Translating the issues
Engage their issues
With unspeakable accessibility today with the internet, it is easy to remain a foreigner on the issues even when you live abroad. But connecting a biblical message to what is happening in America, when living in the Middle East, will not mean much to anyone else. Thus, we must have an ear to the issues where we live.
While doing so is not rocket science, it is still worth mentioning the key strategies.
Watch or read local news.
Connect primarily to local people when on social media.
Make locals your friends, not just acquaintances.
Go where people talk (coffee shops, markets, malls, the beach, ...) and initiate conversations.
Not only will knowing the issues make you more relevant, it will guard you from causing unintentional offense. Such offense may result from stepping on the feet of an issue, or simply failing to mention it when the context would demand.