Grace Downtown attender Kimberly Ruth Villiers shares why she is part of our church’s Cultural Intelligence team. For more information on the Cultural Intelligence ministry or to get involved, contact Mazaré.

What does the term Cultural Intelligence really mean? Let us spend a few minutes picking the phrase apart…

The word intelligence is from the latin word intelligere which means to understand. So at the very least, intelligence is the ability to understand and to think openly and reasonably.

However, a definition of “Culture” is trickier to pin down. The Merriam-Webster dictionary says culture is:

“the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time/
a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.

For the purposes of this dialogue, cultural intelligence is having knowledge about your culture and the ability to think openly and reasonably about other cultures. More importantly, it is the ability to relate to people across different cultures. What we can be certain of is culture defines a society and empowers people with an identity.

Certainly, exploring other cultures is a great and adventurous thing—different foods, languages, history, customs and ways of life. Unfortunately, culture—as rich and empowering as it may be—has also been used as a divider for many centuries and the division continues today. You can take some time to think about ways that conflict has stirred along cultural lines. This is not how God wants us to live.

There are so many cultural divisions across race, skin tones within a race, ethnicity, religion, class, and origin—both domestic and international.

Division and misunderstandings have led to great tragedy and sin. Galatians 5:18–20 speaks about the “works of the flesh”, ie: sins, and lists “divisions” among them. This is where we, as God’s servants, must seek to fight against the divide using the tools provided by his Word. We must embrace the fruit of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:22–23).

In order to move against cultural division it is important to embrace cultural intelligence so we may continue on the path God has set for us. In doing this we will grow to understand, and even as Christians be able to minister to, our brothers and sisters and not give into the misdirection that worldly concerns may instill.

“put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”
Colossians 3:14–15