MB585: Building Multicultural
Teams and Partnerships (4 units)
Lianne Roembke, Adjunct
Assistant Professor of Leadership
DESCRIPTION:
Are multicultural
teams a bane or a blessing? Are they more trouble than they are worth? Are they
an obstacle to be overcome in the work of God's kingdom? How do we prepare the
way for such teams, reducing or eliminating casualties? How do we remove
barriers to the credible communication of the Gospel? This course purposes to
sensitize students to their own and unlike cultures to enable them to work
credibly in teams and partnerships in a (sub-) culture other than their own.
LEARNING
OUTCOMES:
•
Develop and articulate convictions consistent with Scripture relating to
growing self-perception and sensitivity to other cultures in multicultural
teams and partnerships.
• Identify problems in multicultural teams/partnerships and develop convictions
correcting them for the benefit of all (especially cultural minorities in the
team).
• Develop skills to enable self and team to have a credible, culturally
relevant ministry of evangelism and discipleship, as foundational to the life
of the church..
COURSE
FORMAT:
Lecture, discussion,
analytical book reviews, a research paper, daily journalings, case studies and group
work methods provide opportunity to explore the concepts relating to
multicultural teams and partnerships.
REQUIRED
READING: 1200 pages required. If you have previously read any of the required
texts, please select an alternative text from the recommended reading list to
be approved by the professor.
Bonk, Jonathan. Mi$$ion$
and Money. Maryknoll: Orbis, 1991.
Elmer, Duane. Cross-Cultural Conflict. Downers
Grove: InterVarsity, 1993.
Foyle, Marjorie. Honourably Wounded. Grand
Rapids: Monarch/Kriegel, 2001. (New edition)
Lingenfelter, Sherwood. Transforming
Culture. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1992.
O'Donnell, Kelly, ed. Missionary Care. Pasadena:
William Carey Library, 1992. (selected pgs. 37-201)
Roembke, Lianne. Building Credible
Multicultural Teams. Pasadena: William Carey Library, 2000.
RECOMMENDED
READING:
Brewster, Elizabeth and Brewster, Thomas.
"Bonding and the Missionary Task" in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement . Winter, Ralph and
Hawthorne, Steven C. eds. Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1981
Cunningham, Loren and David Hamilton. Why
Not Women? Seattle: YWAM Publishing, 2000.
Foster, Richard J. Money, Sex and Power:
The Challenge of a Disciplined Life. San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1985.
Lienhard, Ruth. Restoring Relationships:
Theological Reflections on Shame and Honor among the Daba and Bana of Cameroon.
PhD Dissertation Fuller Theological Seminary, December 2000.
Lingenfelter, Judith and Sherwood. Teaching
Cross-Culturally. Grand Rapids: Baker, 2003.
O’Donnell, Kelly. Doing Member Care Well.
Pasadena: William Carey Library, 2002.
Powell, John and Bowers, Joyce, eds. Enhancing
Missionary Vitality. Palmer Lake, CO: Missionary Training International,
2002.
Rinehart, Stacy T. Upside Down: The
Paradox of Servant Leadership. Colorado Springs: Nav Press, 1998.
Smalley, William A. "Missionary Language Learning in a World
Hierarchy." Missiology, October,
1994.
Smith, Marilynn B. Gender or Giftedness.
Manila: The World Evangelical Fellowship, 1999.
ASSIGNMENTS:
•
A two-page, one-and-a-half-spaced,
typed book review for each of the six required books submitted on the first day
of class (30% of grade). One book review may be submitted prior to the class by
email attachment, if desired by the student.
• A research paper, 10-15 pages,
typed one-and-a-half-spaced, on a subject related to multicultural teams and
partnerships, approved by the professor, submitted before August 30, 2004
(40%). An abstract of the paper is to be submitted during the two weeks for
approval.
• Daily attendance, class
participation and small group work with a class report on one aspect of
multicultural team life (20%).
• Journaling – one page each
(written daily and submitted the following day) processing the information
received in class, reading and personal experiences (10%). The final journal
may be submitted by email the day following the last class.
Note: All written assignments must be typed, one-and-a –half line spacing, with
a header on each page including the class number and name (e.g., MB585 Building
Multicultural Teams), name of student, title of the assignment and page
number. The book reviews and
journalings must be submitted in person (see above). The research paper may be
submitted as an email attachment. LRoembke@aol.com (Except in hardship cases
which have been approved by the professor in advance, one letter grade will be
deducted for each day an assignment is late.) Assignments may be submitted in
English or German.
PREREQUISITES: A class in anthropology, or related
subjects and/or cross-cultural ministry is highly recommended.
RELATION
TO CURRUCULUM: Elective.
FINAL
EXAMINATION: None.