Cultural Intelligence

Cultural intelligence is a vital aspect in the maturing process of becoming a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. In being a disciple, it is important to understand how someone’s personal culture can impact their worldview. American culture is secular in that it glorifies sex, outer beauty, instant gratification, and selfish desires.

CQ Drive is important when experiencing the cultural change as a result of worldview may occur. Without a drive that incorporates direct determination into actions, it is easy for someone to be pulled back into the desires advocated by the secular world. Being judged for Christian beliefs by a secular world can be intimidating at first glance, but it will soon pass as Christians realize that it is a natural act by the secular world, as II Timothy 3:12 discusses. If one expresses a high CQ Drive, this change may be an easier concept to handle.[1] If someone is to find pleasure in Bible study and worshipping God to the highest glory, then the adjustment and opposition from the secular world will not be as hard to cope with. The extrinsic interest in this aspect of the American culture may seem to be a great assistance in the desire to separate from secular culture.

CQ Knowledge is also important in adapting to American Christian culture. Observation of the Christian world may be the first move in adapting to the culture. In opposition to a focus on the appearances of the world, Christians conform to the image of Christ as instructed by the Bible, in such use of honesty, love, respect, and purity in addition to the foundations of humility, forgiveness, and generosity. Social actions of the Christian world oppose many norms of the secular world in marriage, prayer, and alcohol and drug use.

CQ Strategy is beneficial in social planning and interaction on a broader level. People need a reminder sometimes of proper, modest dress and language when speaking within a Christian context. This strategy is especially useful for new Christians to the faith.

CQ Action is vital in the fact that nonverbal communication differs significantly in Christian circles as Christians typically avoid the use of foul facial expressions, gestures, and touching of the opposite gender in a disrespectful manner. Christians display facial expressions and nonverbal communication actions of love and respect while toughing someone only in appropriate ways, such as on the shoulder. Verbal expressions include proper tone but do not include profanity or taking God’s name in vain. Improper subjects are not discussed within Christian circles as they are in secular circles regarding subjects such as racism.

When making disciples in the American Christian context, it is necessary for one to have a deep level of understanding and knowledge in which one lives and works within. CQ Strategy may be used in conjunction with people that have always lived within the Christian context to remind them of their need for faithful living. The apathy found within American culture is a positive gesture when helping people grow into a closer, more intimate relationship with Christ and pursue him with a radical heart and strong convictions of His word. It is important to not compare one’s spiritual level or relationship with Christ to another person because it is an inappropriate action to take and judge. Christians may be “misviewed” as all put-together. These people have a habit of not forgiving themselves and accepting the forgiveness of God on occasion in reflection of their insecurity in their own sinful habits or disgust with the secular churches. It is important to check assumptions of people that are being discipled in order to reassure them of their need to stay faithful to Christ.[2]

When taking Christ cross-culturally to an unreached people group, it is imperative to understand the cultural practices and beliefs of a culture in the aspect of their views on certain concepts that are easily debatable within the social makeup of foreign cultures, as worldviews are built around these basic concepts. Having a high level of cultural awareness is important to understanding the concepts of how to share the gospel within a certain context. Viewing Christ as someone that takes away fear and shame instead of one that removes guilt. It is vital that Christians develop CQ Knowledge in order to understand multiple worldviews when presenting Christ. In turn, knowledge is able to be used in the formation of CQ Strategy in building an effective way to share the gospel in a way that clearly presents Christ without compromising the content of the message so that other cultures will be open and receptive to the message. CQ Action is held to the same standard as not putting an effort into the modification of behavior, verbal and non-verbal, would show a level of disrespect to those of another in that the message that is trying to be taken and presented.

Cultural intelligence is crucial in making disciples who are willing to faithfully pursue Christ. The individual needing to be discipled will not come to be intimate with Christ if the message isn’t effectively contextualized for the complete understanding. CQ Knowledge must be obtained in order to understand the culture of which you are reaching. CQ Strategy must be employed to devise an effective way to contextualize the gospel to be communicated clearly with the love of Christ and His will for those being transformed by His grace and mercy.

The strategy that is necessary in the preparation for a cross-cultural profession is the development and possession of cultural intelligence. The overall perspective and repertoire that is able to be maintained when myriad cultural situations present themselves allow for CQ development is all aspects of its realm. The CQ level of which the cross-cultural worker can maintain through their professional development has the capability to be the single greatest factor between thriving in the cross-cultural setting and becoming obsolete. The survey of cultural intelligence includes the four critical dimensions that are beneficial to allowing cross-cultural workers the ability to capably lead with a competitive edge in the workplace and beyond. In turn, the ability to develop these skills are critical in the understanding of the coherent framework for addressing the diverse opportunities and needs that are offered by the divergent markets and workforce settings. These four dimensions are the key to creating strategies that are necessary for the pursuit, training, and retaining aspects of culturally intelligent cross-cultural workers that will evaluate the daily intercultural challenges that may arise by assessing and progressing the importance of cultural intelligence across all levels and facets of preparation for cross-cultural professions.

[1] David Livermore, Leading with Cultural Intelligence: The New Secret to Success (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2009), 13.

[2] David A. Livermore, Serving with Eyes Wide Open: Doing Short-term Missions with Cultural Intelligence (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, a Division of Baker Publishing Group, 2013), 69.