The Cultural Iceberg and Identity: Collectivist vs. Individualistic Societies

April 12, 2019Leave a comment

We’re excited to welcome back Sheri of Engineering Ministries International for her final post of her invaluable three-part series on “cultural icebergs”.

EMI mobilizes architects, engineers, construction managers, and other design professionals–including those through an incredible internship program–to provide design services for those helping the poor. We’re talking water projects, hospitals, schools, orphanages, you name it. Meanwhile, they raise up disciples and trained professionals in-country. read more

The Cultural Iceberg: What You Need to Know about Cross-cultural Communication

April 5, 2019April 4, 2019Leave a comment

We’re excited to welcome back Sheri of Engineering Ministries International. EMI mobilizes architects, engineers, construction managers, and other design professionals–including those through an incredible internship program–to provide design services for those helping the poor. We’re talking water projects, hospitals, schools, orphanages, you name it. Meanwhile, they raise up disciples and trained professionals in-country.

Sheri applies these cross-cultural points poignantly to the elements of designing cross-culturally–but we believe you’ll find inescapable parallels to any cross-cultural work. Hopefully it will help jumpstart real solutions for cross-cultural sensitivities, and help any culture manifest Jesus Christ according to its own cultural icebergs. read more

My Story: Just Another Post About Death

November 13, 2018November 16, 2018Leave a comment

Since 2015, Samantha Johnson has been part of a team with Africa Inland Mission among the Digo people of coastal Kenya, which are about 0.1% Christian. Since arriving, she and the team have been studying language and culture, as well as establishing relationships within the community in hopes of being able to speak Jesus’ Good News to the soul-needs of the Digo. For Samantha, this often looks like house visits, spending time with mamas, drinking chai with the locals, holding their babies, and taking part in village life.

As a kid, I remember begging my mom not to make me go to funerals—even of great aunts and family friends. Death and dead bodies?

NOPE.

#BestoftheBestFriday: Prosperity Gospel in Africa; Animism 101; Diwali Prayer Guide; Medical Missions History

October 19, 2018October 24, 2018Leave a comment

It’s that time again, y’all–where we corral good stuff from around the world that matters for your journey over there. But we’re not just spewing it out there: We want your dialogue. Check ’em out–and give us some thoughts.

the frightening effects of the Prosperity Gospel in Nigeria

If you’re headed to Africa, here’s a must-read. After my own [Janel’s] time in Africa, I was amazed at how the prosperity gospel was often furthering poverty and hindering the genuine growth of the Church. As Lindsay Steele reports, “As people have become desperate to rise out of poverty, many have looked to churches and seen their ticket to prosperity….This shift in focus is not only affecting believers and the Church, but it’s tainting opportunities for ministry to others, specifically to Muslims.” Read more here. read more

#BestoftheBestFriday: Answering the Critics; Language Learning Infographic; Africa & China’s Unique Dynamics

August 17, 2018August 17, 2018Leave a comment

Is Missions a Joke? Answering the Critics

There are some well-aimed critiques being leveled at global work lately, which may make you question the validity of this work altogether. Amy Medina from A Life Overseas addresses some of the most painful and poignant criticism by authors/bloggers/podcasters like Corey Pigg, Emily Worrall, and Jamie Wright–the latter of whom writes, “I came off the mission field with a new mission which is to burn down missions.” This one is a must-read…and may explain a tiny bit of why Go. Serve. Love has recently released our self-assessments. Well done, Ms. Medina.

#BestoftheBestFriday: State of the World

May 18, 2018May 21, 2018Leave a comment

#bestofthebestfriday

Wanna know how God’s working around the world–and where you could join him? This just in.

9 Things You Should Know About Christianity in Korea

Joe Carter highlights landmarks in Korea’s timeline, to give us an idea what God’s been working on through the centuries. He ends with where Korea is today, including the South Korean church’s commitment to the Great Commission: read more

When the Rich from the West Don’t Know They’re Acting Like It

April 24, 2018April 26, 201815 Comments

rich from west don't know they're acting like it

Today Go. Serve. Love is stoked to welcome Rachel Pieh Jones–a marathon runner, a camel rider, a cookbook author of Djiboutilicious, and a general all-out lover of Djibouti. This post originally appeared on her blog, Djibouti Jones.

From Rachel’s blog, Djibouti Jones: I have been wrestling with how to write about this for months. Starts and stops, lots of unfinished first sentences and barely coherent lists. Then I read this essay after the Rick Warren and race conversation flared up. When White People Don’t Know They Are Being White by Jody Louise on Between Worlds. She is humble yet forthright in the piece, a balance which is incredibly challenging to achieve around such a sensitive and potentially volatile topic. She spurred me on, inspired me, and clearly, informed the title of this post. read more

#BestoftheBestFridays: 3 (not-so-universal) evangelism staples

April 13, 2018April 16, 20183 Comments

#bestofthebestfriday

Today we’re ushering in Donna Williams to introduce our first #BestoftheBestFriday! Fun facts about Donna :

he once lived in an international dorm where she learned six different ways to make rice.
She likes long layovers.
In Mexico, she learned her name can mean “donut.”
Donna loves that she gets to read stories from global workers around the world as part of her job.

Look out. Your worldview is showing. It happens every time you cross cultures, and sometimes when you don’t. read more

28 Signs I Might Be Living Overseas

February 27, 2018April 12, 20187 Comments

Does International Development Need God?

February 20, 2018January 22, 20191 Comment

We’re stoked today to welcome a construction manager from Engineering Ministries International (EMI; don’t miss this video about EMI’s incredible program). EMI mobilizes architects, engineers, construction managers, and other design professionals–including those through an incredible internship program–to provide design services for those helping the poor. We’re talking water projects, hospitals, schools, orphanages, you name it. Meanwhile, they raise up disciples and trained professionals in-country.

I recently came across two opinion pieces – one old, one new – both written by atheists and both promoting the value of churches and religious organisations in international development. read more

Go. Serve. Love

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Tag: Africa