Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
This 3-minute video contains some reflections on cross-cultural relationships, and what that requires of both ethnic minorities and majority culture leaders. Epic Leadership Development team members Brian Virtue and Adrian Pei share about what they learned about the hard work of listening, and persisting in bringing their full selves (through tension and conflict) to a partnership relationship.
Note: this is an edited video, and the original is actually closer to 5-6 minutes long. Some additional insights we shared include:
- It’s often hard for ethnic minority leaders to embrace their uniqueness and authority to lead. However, majority culture leaders (or those with greater power in relationships) can play a unique role in actively inviting ethnic minorities to do so. The fact that Brian made it safe for Adrian to be himself, and be different — even to the point of disagreement and conflict — made a big difference in the partnership.
- When ethnic minorities find their own unique voice as leaders, and learn to enjoy what they bring to the table, it creates freedom for majority culture leaders to be themselves. For Caucasians working in ethnic ministry, you don’t have to “become another ethnicity.” This is not the goal, just as assimilation is not the goal for ethnic minorities. Rather, God desires both sides to embrace their uniqueness, so that He might be represented more fully.
- To that end, there are limits to the extent that we can “listen to God” without truly “listening to each other” in the way described above. If we are not able to develop mutual relationships of learning and trust with those who are different from us, how full can our picture of God really be?
Discussion Questions:
- Think of a cross-cultural (in ethnicity, gender, age, socio-economic class, etc.) relationship that has caused tension or conflict. What does it require of you to truly “listen” and know the other person? What does it require of them?
- Whether you are from the majority or minority cultures, what are the biggest barriers that could prevent you from working closely with somebody who is very different from you?
