Overview: This first week introduces the Member Orientation Program (MOP) and the SEND U wiki. We will also try to answer the question “What is worldview?”

Objectives:

• Get to know other course participants.
• Use the SEND U wiki to become familiar with the goals for SEND's Member Orientation Program (MOP).
• Distinguish between the concepts of worldview and culture and explain the relationship between behaviors, values, beliefs, and worldview.
• Describe the biblical basis for worldview and how worldviews are shaped by the events in the Garden of Eden.
• Identify the three common ancestral worldviews described by Muller and describe how these worldviews have influenced how people view life, the Bible, and God.
• Identify ways in which these three ancestral worldviews are displayed in your home culture.
• Outline a few ideas of how this understanding of worldviews will impact your future ministry.

Overview: This week we will become familiar with the meaning of culture and the basic values you use to order your daily life. You will discover where your own basic values might cause tension and conflict in your relationships in a new culture.

Objectives:

• Identify the personal values you use to order your life and relationships with others.
• Compare and contrast your personal values with those of another culture.
• Analyze where the points of conflict/tension might be for you as you enter your new culture.

Overview: Missionaries use their insight into world views and values to understand and effectively impact the people of another culture. But entering and living in another culture also has an impact on us emotionally and often physically. We start this week by listening to a non-American's experience when he moved to the United States to attend university. Then we will become more familiar with the realities of culture stress and look at a few ideas of how to successfully go through the process of cultural adaptation.

Objectives:

• Compare and contrast two models for understanding cultural adjustment
• Describe culture stress and its symptoms
• Become aware of the identity crisis that accompanies ongoing culture stress
• Identify some personal strategies for dealing with culture stress and the accompanying identity crisis.

Overview: This week, we will discuss Christ's incarnation as a model for cross-cultural ministry and the question of sacrifice in the life of a missionary. We will also discover methods, tools, and skills that can aid in cross-cultural adaptation.

Objectives:

• Identify principles from Christ's incarnation that have implications for cross-cultural ministry.
• Discuss some lifestyle changes that may be required of you as you cross cultures.
• Describe how attitudes of openness, acceptance, and trust can help a missionary in the process of acculturation.
• Wrestle with the issue that we will never completely fit in our host culture, nor will we totally feel at home any more in our home culture.

Overview: In this final week of our course, we will review SEND International's Safety & Security Manual. You will also be given a chance to go back and catch up on any assignments you may not have completed yet and make sure that you have participated in each forum.

Objectives:

• Identify questions you have concerning SEND's Safety & Security Manual.
• Make sure that you have completed all assignments, forums and activities in this online course.
• Evaluate the online course you have just completed.

Links:

• Grow2Serve website
• Course Evaluation Summary

• Example of Gospel Presentation to Shame-Based Culture
• The Shame Tract > developed by Roland Muller to present the Gospel to Muslimes
• Ideas for Bible Study in Shame, Fear & Guilt-based Cultures > An article by Gary Ridley intended to stimulate thinking as to how to incorporate these three worldviews in leading Bible Studies.

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