Cross-Cultural Partnerships E-Book

Mary T. Lederleitner

• Herausgeber: IVP
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 305

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2010

Beschreibung

One of the biggest challenges in global mission work is money?not merely the need for it, but working through cross-cultural differences surrounding how funds are used and accounted for. Cross-cultural missteps regarding financial issues can derail partnerships between supporting churches and agencies and national leaders on the ground. North Americans don?t understand how cultural expectations of patronage shape how financial support is perceived and understood, and Western money often comes with subtle strings attached. So local mission work is hampered by perceived paternalism, and donors are frustrated with lack of results or accountability. How do we build financial partnerships for effective mission without fostering neo-colonialism?Cross-cultural specialist Mary Lederleitner brings missiological and financial expertise to explain how global mission efforts can be funded with integrity, mutuality and transparency. Bringing together social science research, biblical principles and on-the-ground examples, she presents best practices for handling funding and finance. Cross-cultural partnerships can foster dignity, build capacity and work toward long-term sustainability. Lederleitner also addresses particular problems like misallocation of funds, embezzlement and fraud. This book is an essential guide for all who partner in global mission, whether pastors of supporting churches or missionaries and funding agencies.

Leseprobe

Cross-Cultural Partnerships

Navigating the Complexities of Money and Mission

Mary T. Lederleitner 

Foreword by Duane H. Elmer

www.IVPress.com/ books

InterVarsity Press P.O. Box 1400 Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426 World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com E-mail: [email protected]

© 2010 by Mary T. Lederleitner

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press.

InterVarsity Press® is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA®, a movement of students and faculty active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at www.intervarsity.org.

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Design: Cindy Kiple Images: Bryce Flynn Photography, Inc./Getty Images

ISBN 978-0-8308-7929-8 (digital) ISBN 97808308-3747-2 (print)

Contents

Foreword by Duane H. Elmer

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction: Partnership, Money and Cultural Intelligence

Part I: Core Cultural Concepts

1: Is It “Mine” or “Ours”?

2: Communication and Harmony

3: Other Confusing Issues

Part II: Uprooting the Harmful

4: The Path to Premature Judgments

5: Paternalism Couched as Accountability

6: Common Unintended Consequences

Part III: Partnering in Better Ways

7: Biblical Foundations for Accountability

8: Contextualizing Accounting Processes

9: Fostering Dignity and Mutuality

10: Building Capacity and Sustainability

Part IV: Redeeming Conflict

11: Choosing Your Method Carefully

12: Options If Designated Funds Are Misallocated

13: Options If Embezzlement or Fraud Occurs

Conclusion: How to Tell If Christ Is Lord of Your Partnership

Epilogue: Finding Grace in the Big Picture

Appendix A: Learning from the “Sister Church” Partnership

Appendix B: Facilitating a Culture of Fiscal Integrity

Appendix C: Recommendations for Further Reading

Notes

Bibliography

About the Author

Endorsements

This book is dedicated to the countless missionaries and indigenous leaders I have met over the years. Whether expatriate staff or working within their own national borders, they have inspired me to the depths of my being. They truly are my modern-day “heroes of faith!” (Hebrews 11)

Foreword

Five years ago I spoke at a conference in Canada where two-thirds of the attendees were Canadian missionaries and the remaining one-third were First Nations people. The conference theme was “Partnership.” After opening remarks, I asked the group a question: “What comes to your mind when you hear the word partnership?” The missionary members offered words like mutuality, sharing, respect, cooperation, collaboration and so on. It struck me that, as far as I could tell, none of the First Nations people had spoken. After a long silence, a First Nations person spoke firmly but dispassionately: “When we hear the word partnership, what comes to our mind is that this is another way for the White man to control us.”

In my forty years of experience on the international scene, I have heard similar expressions echoed in many other parts of the world. For this reason and others, Mary Lederleitner’s book will find enthusiastic acclaim by global peoples who want to follow Christ in greater unity and with greater effectiveness.

The reader will be impressed with four important thoughts. First, the book addresses fairly and thoroughly the tough, thorny financial issues in cross-cultural partnerships. Second, the book provides reasoned, sound biblical interpretation that directs us toward healthy solutions. Third, the perspectives in this book are sensitive to and respectful of cultural realities and therefore more likely to sustain strong partnerships. Finally, this book provides principles that are transferable across cultures. Mary’s expansive experiences and depth of understanding qualifies her to take us to new places where we can see things more clearly and act more responsibly, the end result being wiser stewardship while building the global body of Christ.

With surgical skill, Mary has exposed the wounds and toxins that have infected missionary–host people relations for decades. With a gentle spirit she repeatedly shows where good intentions have been undermined by defective cultural understanding and by hidden assumptions such as the prevalent, but usually unconscious, “My way is the better way.” Her verbal scalpel cuts deeply into our past practices but without inducing guilt in the readers. Who of us has not made mistakes? She humbly admits her own failures while suggesting better ways, healing ways, based on sound biblical reflection and careful cultural exegesis. Her ease in admitting and learning from her own mistakes allows us to do the same and find new possibilities for redemptive partnerships.

The chapter on Scripture and accountability opens wonderful insights necessary for a sound foundation. The section on core cultural concepts, while drawing on historically accepted ideas, launches us into refreshing new ways of application for those of us looking for contextualization of partnership.

In my opinion, most central to the book is the chapter on dignity and mutuality. A shared commitment to honoring each other’s dignity establishes the prerequisite for any hope of mutuality. Unfortunately, human dignity, while much discussed in recent years, remains elusive in practice. But if brothers and sisters in the global church can keep human dignity at the front of our conversation, we will manage to accomplish two things: it will keep us grounded in the centrality of the image of God who created and loves each person, and it will then follow that we must commit never to dehumanize one whom God has confirmed with his image. To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, every human encounter is intended to be a sacred moment by honoring the dignity of the other person; anything less is to deform the image of God in that person and thus profane the moment and the God who created them (Proverbs 14:31; Matthew 25:40).

Whereas many have criticized missionaries and missionary practices without offering adequate alternatives, Mary generously affirms so much that is done right. More importantly, the help she offers is not only empowering but restorative for the soul of the missionary and, yes, also for the host country person who benefits from mutual understanding. At this point her book stands as a model for others who would seek to help the global mission of the church. In summary, it would be hard to overestimate the value of this book for sound wisdom in building and sustaining international partnerships.

Duane H. Elmer, Ph.D.

G. W. Aldeen Professor of International Studies and Mission

Distinguished Professor of Educational Studies, Ph.D. Program

Trinity International University/Trinity Evangelical Divinity School

Preface

Interspersed throughout this book are many personal stories. In each, the details have been modified to ensure confidentiality. Great care has been taken to protect the identities of those who have been willing to share their experiences with me over the past decade. In many instances, different leaders working in diverse settings around the world have told the same plotlines to me on numerous occasions. Because of this, any similarities to specific names and instances you might know about are purely coincidental.

I wish it were possible to provide you with a truly “global” perspective in the purest sense of that term. I wish I could share thoughts and ideas without any bias and without ever reflecting my own culture of origin. As I grow older, however, I increasingly realize that I need to be honest about who I am. I cannot give a fully global perspective because I live within the skin and body of a person born, raised and educated in the United States. This is both a blessing and a hindrance at times.

I have tried to carefully and thoughtfully capture the ideas and frustrations of friends and mission leaders from other cultures in this text. Despite the care taken to do this well, I am sure it still falls short. For that I truly apologize. Nonetheless, since I am from the United States, I am able to speak candidly and directly about the common blind spots and weaknesses of those who share my cultural heritage. Some of the keenest insights I have learned about cross-cultural partnership have come out of my own mistakes. I am far from perfect, and I still have much to learn when it comes to partnering well across cultures. In that sense, I hope this book will bring healing and a sense that we are “in this together.” My deep hope and prayer is that it will foster heartfelt and creative dialogue that will take us to a better place in global missions.

Acknowledgments

While writing this book, my mind often drifted to two things. Only by the grace of God will I ever be able to make a meaningful contribution to the mission community. That truth I know in the deepest core of my being. The second truth coincides with the working out of that grace. Over the years, God has enabled me to cross paths with many truly extraordinary people who took time from their busy schedules to build into my character or to extend unique and exciting ministry opportunities. I would now like to thank these people. Each helped to shape how I think and how I see the world, which in turn has significantly influenced this manuscript.

I would especially like to thank my parents, John and Marty Mallon. I love them and miss them greatly. They were always willing to welcome new people into their lives. I think this “way of being” is at the heart of any effective outreach or mission program. I also thank all my siblings, especially my brother Tom and his wife, Margaret Mary, who have been such significant influences in my life and ministry. And I thank my incredible husband, John Lederleitner, who always encourages me and never laughs when I come up with crazy ideas like writing a book!

I thank Carol Nichols, Jay Halley and Terry Bowman, who were such great mentors for me when I was a young believer. I thank Alice Petersen who gave me my first opportunity to work on a church staff. I learned so much from her and others at College Hill Presbyterian Church. I also thank Andy Morgan who hired me to serve in the singles ministry at Christ Church of Oak Brook. Together we focused on a ministry of lay empowerment, and to this day it remains as one of my most joyful memories. I have also learned a great deal from Doug and Adele Calhoun, who have been incredible pastors for me over the years.

In addition to these mentors, my thinking has been enhanced and enriched by many excellent professors at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. All of my professors have been extraordinary, but I would especially like to thank Scott Moreau, Evvy Campbell and Duane Elmer, who have been great mentors and friends.

From my Wycliffe life I would like to thank Dave Cram. He often took risks and entrusted me with unique and significant ministry roles. Because of this I have been able to travel to many countries around the world, work with all kinds of diverse ministries, and still have the opportunity to do research as well. Had he not given me these opportunities, I would not have the practical experience to write a book like this. Friends who have prayed and financially supported me over the years with Wycliffe have been equally important for without them I could have never stepped into any of these positions.

Many others have helped in the editing and publishing of this manuscript. John Jusu’s keen insights about cross-cultural partnerships have been invaluable. Don Fiddler, a retired high school English teacher from Faith Academy, has been an enormous blessing. My editor, Al Hsu, has been a great encouragement as well.

Last but not least are the countless missionaries and indigenous leaders who have inspired me more than they will ever know. They are utterly amazing. Their commitment to missions, their sacrificial living, and their willingness to put their lives on the line so others might “just have a chance” to accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior have left a deep and lasting impact on my life. All of this they do without any promise or certainty of success. They are my modern-day heroes of faith. Whether expatriate staff or national colleagues, they inspire me to the depths of my being! My deep hope is that this book will have ripple effects that will make their work a bit easier.

Introduction

Partnership, Money and Cultural Intelligence

Cross-cultural partnerships are on the rise.[1] They have become a primary method in which churches and organizations engage in global missions.[2] Partners from different cultures and contexts start working together with the hope of accomplishing great things for the kingdom of God. Yet despite their noble dreams and aspirations, working through cultural differences that surround money can become overwhelming at times. Over the years I have witnessed often that these cultural differences about how funds are utilized and accounted for cause cross-cultural partnerships to come unglued.[3] When this happens, many relationships are ruptured and the witness of Christ is hindered (see John 17:20-21).

For this reason I believe it is very important to carefully study issues related to culture and money, so we can work more effectively with cross-cultural partners. We need to grow in cultural intelligence, so we are a blessing and not a hindrance to God’s purposes in the world. The following true story is one of many examples that illustrates this need for greater awareness and understanding. I wish I could say that it is unusual because the outcome is a sad one. However, the things that happen in this story are common. I have heard similar stories in many different parts of the world.

The “Sister Church” Partnership

I knew Mark had seen a lot of interesting partnership situations over the years as he served as a liaison for church-planting ministries in Eastern Europe.[4] As we talked over lunch he told me a story that still haunts me to this day. Despite truly good intentions, things can go terribly wrong.

Alex was born and raised in a country in Eastern Europe that had come out from under communism in the late 1980s. Although Christianity had for the most part been banned under the prior regime, there was now newfound freedom to share Christ and start churches. God blessed Alex’s outreach efforts, and through his ministry a church was planted. The congregation exceeded two hundred committed believers and exhibited a vibrant and growing faith. People were maturing in Christ and church members had great love for one another. It was also a giving congregation. They always helped one another as needs arose, and they often gave sacrificially to the many fruitful ministries being spawned by members in the congregation.

In its initial stage the congregation met in an old theater. During this time a church in the United States learned about this congregation. Through mutual acquaintances, the American church decided to visit and learn more about what was happening in this exciting ministry. Their mission pastor visited, and over time the American church felt they should adopt the Eastern European congregation as a “sister church.” This special relationship would enable them to work more closely together, send short-term mission teams to the area, and invest in a part of the world that had not had a strong Christian presence for a long time. The Eastern European congregation liked having American “brothers and sisters.” It would enable them to share in each other’s lives and to see Christ’s work advance even more quickly. So the special relationship was formed and both parties had high hopes for how things would develop in the future.

The American church explained it was making a ten-year commitment to help the congregation in Eastern Europe. Both sides understood that this was the promise of the American church. As a whole it was a good relationship, and both partners were blessed because of it. However, during the seventh year, things changed. Ed, the senior pastor of the American church, came to visit the sister church. His intent was to deepen the bonds between the two churches and better understand the struggles their Eastern European brothers and sisters were facing. The Eastern European church was coming through a very difficult stretch. They always paid their rent on time, but for reasons beyond their control, they needed to keep moving their services to different locations. The owner of the movie theater where they rented space decided to demolish the building. The church then rented storefronts, but the owners of the properties converted those into high-end retail space. This happened several times. The Eastern European church then rented space in a school. However, after a year or so a new law was passed in the country saying that no government property could be rented for any reason to any religious organization. Despite all of their faithfulness, they were continually being evicted, and fewer and fewer viable options remained.

Each time the church had to change locations they lost people, for in addition to the many committed believers there were many seekers too. The differing sites meant meeting in diverse and distant parts of the city, and many who were just learning about Christ for the first time were unwilling to make the additional commute. At times the church was literally homeless, setting up tents and meeting in parks during winter months when temperatures were well below freezing. Despite the regular loss of new visitors and seekers, the church still had over two hundred members who continued to come amidst all the turmoil and hardships. Church members continued to give to the ministry. However, their tithes and offerings were not enough to buy land and build a sanctuary as the average church member earned only approximately $250 per month. Although members tithed and gave sacrificially, their personal resources were insufficient to buy a building that would cost in excess of $75,000 while still supporting a pastor and the others ministries of the church. In addition, in this country banks would not extend a long-term mortgage to religious organizations.

When Alex explained this pressing need, Ed explained that he would do “everything within his power” to help. Alex explained that a viable option would be to build a church building on his property behind his house. The land would be donated, and the sanctuary could be built for approximately $50,000, well below the cost of purchasing a building somewhere else. Ed asked for a business plan, and the church did careful research and provided one. Ed also asked for a copy of the blueprints, so Alex worked with an architect to provide this as well. During the visit, Ed took all kinds of detailed measurements and pictures. He also explained that his church in America was in the midst of a building project and it was likely they could tithe what they received to cover the cost of this new building for their sister church.

Ed went home, and everyone in the Eastern European church was convinced that the funding would come for the new facility. Members of the Eastern European church went online frequently at a local Internet café so they already knew their sister church was in the midst of a $6,000,000 building campaign, not for a new sanctuary but simply to expand their vestibule and add a coffee bar. Surely, $50,000 was not too much to share with their “sister,” was it? It was less than 1 percent of the funding they were raising to cover what already looked to them to be an incredibly beautiful facility.

Ed returned to the United States and the Eastern European church waited for a response. In the interim, the Eastern European church again lost their rented property through absolutely no fault of their own. They were again homeless and meeting in a park with winter fast approaching. Knowing that Ed promised to do everything in his power to make this happen, they began borrowing from everyone in the community to start building a sanctuary behind Alex’s home. Members in the church gave even more sacrificially, and among themselves they raised 10 percent of the funds outright by selling things they owned and depleting their savings accounts. However, they borrowed the remaining $45,000 from local businesses, relatives and even non-Christian neighbors. To every creditor they explained what Ed had said during his visit and what he did, taking specific measurements and photos, and all understood that to mean the funds would surely be coming soon from America to reimburse everyone.

The new church in Eastern Europe was built, but for some reason Ed was not communicating. He was neither returning calls nor answering emails. That is when my friend Mark was contacted by the church in Eastern Europe to follow up and understand why their sister church in America was delaying the funds and no longer communicating. Mark tried to contact the senior pastor and for about six months there was no response. Finally, Ed returned Mark’s calls and sheepishly confessed that he could not “sell” his congregation on the idea of funding this new church building in Eastern Europe. Ed said he just took up an offering and would be sending what he was able to raise, which was only $4,000. The American church’s building program was not going well and was behind schedule. So Ed’s leadership team felt they should not be sending funds abroad until they met their own target at home. Mark was faced with the unbelievably unpleasant task of sharing this news with the sister church.

Mark said it was horrible. Alex was incensed. Mark did some research to try to find out why the Eastern Europeans were convinced that a promise had been made when Ed thought he had only communicated that he would “try.” Part of the misunderstanding came from a translation incident and the meaning of the phrase of speech used. When Mark asked another Eastern European from the region who was not part of the congregation what the phrase meant, he was told it was a binding promise. There is a phrase that is very similar but is not a binding promise. However, Mark said it is likely that the translator communicated the binding phrase as she knew how much Alex wanted and needed the building, and she wanted to facilitate a good relationship between the two men during the visit. The outside advisor working with Mark also said that even if a different phrase of speech had been used, any confusion or ambiguity would have been alleviated when Ed followed up by acquiring detailed specs and pictures of the property, and requiring such a detailed business plan. Even if the words were confusing, the actions of the senior pastor were crystal clear. In that culture it was obvious that the American church had the capacity, willingness and commitment as a sister church to help. Otherwise, why would the senior pastor waste everyone’s time with so many complicated questions?

Mark said the whole thing made him want to cry. He contacted a number of missionaries in the region and explained the story. The missionaries raised $15,000 among themselves for the church. However, this still left an enormous shortfall. The Eastern European church lost standing with businessmen and unbelievers in the community as they were unable to pay their debt in a timely way. The church lost a lot of members, but those who are still there are faithfully trying to pay off the debt. With such small salaries, they will be paying on it for decades.

The saddest part of the story though was what happened to Alex. Mark said he became quite bitter because in his context in a former communist country, the greatest sin of all is hoarding and not sharing with others. He felt the American church was sinful to spend so much money to expand a vestibule and add a coffee bar, all the while not caring that their “sister” did not even have a roof over her head. Alex felt any kind of Christianity that promoted such behavior could not be genuine. If that was what having a “sister” was like, they were better off without one. The seven-year relationship came to an abrupt end, and Mark said it is taking Alex years to work through the bitterness and anger in his soul.

Learning from Our Mistakes

The beautiful thing about cultural intelligence[5] is that, if we are willing to keep learning, we never have to be defined by our past mistakes.[6] Every situation, even those where we fail, can foster deep learning that will enable us to be a true blessing in the future. I believe in Christ it is possible to see better outcomes in ministry. Instead of attacking one another when we encounter different views about how to spend or account for resources, we can choose to slow down and consider the bigger picture. We can develop genuine respect for the different ways in which we work. We can take stock of lessons learned by others and begin to develop better ways of working together. We can navigate conflict in ways that will strengthen rather than destroy our relationships.

Appendix A provides a tool to help you apply what you learn from this case study to your own ministry context. While I will share positive stories about cross-cultural partnerships later, I hope this story creates a sense of urgency. Good intentions are not enough to ensure good outcomes in cross-cultural partnerships. We need to be willing to keep learning to be fruitful in missions. Thankfully, we serve a redemptive God who can take the heartache of this type of story and use it as a springboard for great good in the future.

Brief Overview

In the following chapters we will uncover a multitude of issues that intersect with the topics of money, mission and culture. We will examine core cultural concepts that explain why people hold diverse beliefs about financial resources. We will look at premature judgments and the potency of the “meaning-making” process. We will explore paternalism and the role it plays in the accountability process. We will look at common unintended consequences experienced by those who partner in diverse contexts around the world. We will examine the complexities of the financial dependency debate and begin to understand why a “one size fits all” answer is often inappropriate given the diversity present in the global mission context.

We will look at passages of Scripture that will enable us to view financial accountability with a fresh perspective. We will learn why it is so important to critically contextualize accountability processes. We will look at ways we can foster dignity and mutuality in our cross-cultural relationships. We will also look at how to build capacity and sustainability in our mission efforts.

Since conflict is inevitable when we work closely in cross- cultural partnerships, we will also look at a number of diverse conflict-resolution strategies that foster better outcomes. We will explore what to do when funds are not used for designated purposes or when fraud or theft occurs. We will unpack a passage of Scripture rich in encouragement and exhortation for those seeking to do cross-cultural partnerships well. Finally, the epilogue offers two stories showing why cross-cultural partners need one another to mature and grow into the full nature of Christ Jesus.

You will find additional practical help in the appendices as well. Appendix A provides a tool for you to use the above case study to gain insights that will help your ministry. Appendix B has questions that can foster deeper dialogue as leaders seek to develop a culture of fiscal integrity within a ministry or cross-cultural partnership. Appendix C provides a recommended reading list for those who would like to delve more deeply into these various issues. As we begin to understand these concepts, we will be able to better navigate the complexities of money and mission. Let’s get started!

Part One  

1 Is It “Mine” or “Ours”?

At the level of symbols one also finds money. Money has no intrinsic value, nor an intrinsic meaning,  other than that which is attributed to it by convention. It also means different things to different people.

—Geert Hofstede and Gert Jan Hofstede

As I work with people involved in cross-cultural partnership, I have often heard North Americans say things like, “Well, you know—they are into that collective thing! They do not care about financial accountability and integrity!” Majority World leaders have expressed at times their own sentiments to me, “Well, you know, those Americans are totally obsessed with money! That is all that matters to them! They just don’t care about people!” What amazes me as I hear these comments is each time, the person making such statements believes he or she totally understands the cultural issues involved. Time and again the person making the comments believes he or she is the seasoned cross-cultural worker. Yet as the words roll off their lips, I realize they still do not genuinely understand. How can I make such a claim? I can tell because their comments are not seasoned with respect.

Paul Hiebert was a deeply respected missiologist whose writings have had a significant impact on many engaged in missions. He wrote that people tend to think “their culture is civilized and that others are primitive and backward.”[1] Few of us realize how ethnocentric we really are. It is only when we encounter people with different beliefs and attitudes that we realize how intensely we hold certain views. Hiebert writes, “We often see the basic assumptions underlying another culture better than we recognize our own. . . . Similarly, foreigners often see our assumptions more clearly than we do, and we need to listen to what they say about us. Our initial reaction is often to reject their observations as overly critical. On further reflection, however, we often find them to be true.”[2]

In order to work together well we need to listen to one another. We need to not only deeply grasp how our partners feel and what they believe but also take the additional step to understand why such feelings and beliefs are wholly logical within a given context. If we can see the logic of a person’s worldview, if we can value it as being wholly reasonable given a unique cultural heritage and history, from that place of mutual respect and dignity we can find new and creative ways to overcome obstacles and work together. If we never take that step, at some level within our hearts we will continue to demean how others think and function in the world. When it comes to money and cross-cultural ministry partnerships, a misunderstanding of individualistic and collectivistic worldviews is often at the heart of our most destructive ministry conflicts.

What Do the Terms Mean?

It is impossible to talk about any one nation or culture and say that everyone within it functions exactly the same way. To make such an assertion would be too simplistic. However, with regard to money and worldviews, there is a spectrum. People tend to fall either more on the side of individualism or collectivism as they interact with people and the world around them. If partners are coming from one worldview and they begin working with partners functioning from another place on that continuum, it can cause a great deal of conflict and confusion.

Understanding individualism. Geert Hofstede is an organizational anthropologist who has spent much of his life studying how culture affects people’s ability to work together. Years later his son Gert joined him in this research. They found that in individualistic cultures “everyone is expected to look after himself or herself and his or her immediate family.”[3] Children “learn to think of themselves as ‘I’ and neither practically nor psychologically is the healthy person in this type of society supposed to be dependent on a group.”[4] Money is one of the ways people define maturity and success in individualistic cultures. If a person “manages money well,” he or she is deemed to be wise. Within a church or Christian setting, such a person is seen as being a “good steward” of God’s resources. As such, he or she is often granted more responsibility and authority. For instance, in the United States it is common for people like this to be elected as elders or trustees of churches and ministries. If a person acquires a lot of money in the broader secular culture, he or she is often admired by others since that wealth will likely ensure even greater autonomy and security from hardships.

Understanding collectivism. The problem that arises is that researchers have uncovered that the “vast majority of the world lives in societies in which the interests of the group prevail over the interests of the individual. We will call these societies collectivistic.”[5] Of these cultures the Hofstedes write,

Personal opinions do not exist—they are predetermined by the group. . . . A child who repeatedly voices opinions deviating from what is collectively felt is considered to have a bad character. . . . The loyalty to the group that is an essential element of the collectivist family also means that resources are shared. If one member of an extended family of twenty persons has a paid job and the others do not, the earning member is supposed to share his or her income in order to help feed the entire family. On the basis of this principle, a family may collectively cover the expenses for sending one member to get a higher education, expecting that when this member subsequently gets a well-paid job, the income will also be shared.[6]

Researchers have shown that “members of collectivistic cultures learn different major values (e.g., harmony, solidarity) and acquire different preferred ways to conceive of themselves (e.g., as interconnected with others).”[7] In this worldview it is understood that putting the group first is the way to ensure security from future hardships. A person who is saving resources when others around are in need is viewed as being a bad Christian.

How does it work? Sometimes we do not grasp how implicitly and deeply these distinct values have been ingrained in us. It starts from the time we are babies and toddlers. In the United States it is common that one of the first words a child learns to speak is mine! A Korean friend of mine explained the implicit nature of collectivism. In the Korean language there are no individual possessive pronouns. She explained that if her mother came from another region to visit her in college, my friend would introduce her to everyone as “our mother.” If entire languages do not even acknowledge individual possession, is it any wonder that cross-cultural partners frequently view financial resources differently?

Why Did These Distinct Worldviews Develop?

In the book African Friends and Money Matters,[8] David Maranz illustrates the validity of the two different worldviews. He explains that the most important consideration in African economies is “the distribution of economic resources so that all persons may have their minimum needs met, or at least that they may survive.”[9] While he was writing the book, the employment rate in Dakar, Senegal, at the time was about 30 percent. That meant that approximately 70 percent of the adults living in the capital of that country did not have a full-time job. He wrote that “in the midst of these seemingly permanently impossible conditions people continue to eat, are clothed and housed, and they survive. Those who have even meager means share with kin and close friends. There are no riots. People live their lives with, it seems to me, at least as much contentment as Westerners do in their home countries. Of course, they all hope for better days, but in the meantime, they make the most of their situations.”[10]

Maranz explains that the unemployment rate in France at that same time was 11 percent and this was a catalyst for riots and all kinds of unhappiness. During the Great Depression in the United States, the unemployment rate was only 25 percent, and it seemed as though the entire country was going to collapse. For these reasons, it is helpful to see that the collectivistic way of viewing money does foster good outcomes in many situations.

Maranz explains that the primary economic consideration in individualistic cultures is “the accumulation of capital and wealth. . . . The average Westerner lives, in many material ways at least, better than most kings of the past.”