Better Together

May 4, 2023

Mark Hedinger

Can I ask your help?

I'd love to hear your opinion about a statement that the CultureBound team is trying out. This statement is used to explain why we are here and what we bring to God's people.

People around the world face common human issues from vastly different cultural perspectives. CultureBound teaches how to build bridges so people from different cultures can face life's joys and life's challenges together.

CultureBound. Life Together.

The word "together" is key to understanding the work of CultureBound.

We see God and humankind together because of the grace made clear in the gospel.

We see people joined together in Christ from every tribe, tongue, nation, and people.

We see the invitation for people who do not know the savior to come together with him and with his church in a gospel that brings eternal life to individuals and divine unity to believers around the world.

Together. That word is all the more important because of the day we live in. A friend challenged me graciously a few days ago, saying that CultureBound has the problem of seeming to be another "diversity training." Others point to the resources about cultural intelligence, cultural competence, and relational intelligence. Aren't we really just another one of those same trainings?

No, we are different. All of those diversity and competence trainings have good elements. But CultureBound seeks something so much higher and different than that. Our focus is this: looking at Christian communities around the world, what makes us better together?

In God's kingdom, what makes us better together?

We will be answering that question through eternity, but here is a start.

Together we can see the world from each other's perspectives, sharing both the joys and the sorrows.

Together we can see God and his word in greater detail as we see him through each other's eyes.

Together we can serve God and man better as we bring differing gifts, perspectives, experiences, and languages into one purpose.

Together we can glorify God and make him known because of the love that we have for one another (John 13:34-35).

Together we can have a tiny but real taste of the awe we will feel when we see Revelation 7:9 play out - every tribe, tongue, nation and people together giving our Lord his rightful praise.

I really would love to hear your reaction to that new wording about the "why" behind CultureBound! Please send me your thoughts: mark.hedinger@culturebound.org. Thanks!

Together in the gospel,

Mark Hedinger

Mark Hedinger, DIS, is Executive Director of CultureBound. Mark and his family spent 12 years living and teaching in Mexico. Since then, he has taught in many international locations and leads culture training programs at CultureBound. With his Spanish language background, he serves in a multicultural church in Portland, Oregon.