Western Seminary
Mikel Neumann, D.Miss. mneumann@westernseminary.edu
John Branner, D.Miss. jbranner@westernseminary.edu
Ministry
is communication. After learning what we are to communicate, we must also learn
how to communicate. Communication takes place in a cultural context. This
course is the first half of a two-course series which equips you to communicate
across personal and cultural differences and give you hands-on
experience in discovering elements of culture which must be understood for
effective communication in ministry.
The
purpose is to understand human communication and learn how to apply those
insights within a specific culture. The message we have received
is for giving not for keeping. This means the Christian worker must give
primary attention to communication. Seeing our task essentially as
communication gives us a framework for constructing effective ministry.
Developing the skills of cultural analysis enables us to apply those
communication skills within a specific culture.
By the end of the course, you will be able to
integrate basic principles of human communication with skills of cultural
analysis, demonstrated by your ability to:
This
is a combined lecture/laboratory/mediated(optional) course, in the form of
content delivery. Course components will be delivered through a variety of
media, including CD-ROM, Internet, print material and video and/or audio
recordings. However, you will be expected to attend each class session and
contribute to discussion with comments and questions.
Smith, Donald K. Creating Understanding. Zondervan,
1992.
The core of the
material for this course is in this primary text, which you are expected to
read for mastery. Chapters should be read in advance of the class session where
they will be discussed, following the schedule below. Propositions to be
covered in this semester will be 1 through 6, 11-12, and 16-18. Approximate time:8 hours.
Hofstede, Geert, Cultures Consequences,
Sage 1984
Exerts from this work will be given out for reading to help you
understand certain dimensions of culture. Approximate time: 1 hour
Note: There are a series of CDs
that accompany the course. You are encouraged but not required to purchase
these at the Center for Life Long Learning and use them as collateral input.
They are used in the distance learning module and are complete.
You will choose a cultural
context in which you will do all your work. It could be a sub-group within your
church, a work context, your neighborhood, or some other domain. It must be
small enough to be manageable and large enough to be a social entity. A good
size might be 25 to 50 people.
All written assignments will be double spaced, 12
pt. Times type with one inch borders all around. Papers that are one week late
will lose 10 %. Papers later than one week will not be accepted.
1. Communication is Involvement.
In a two page paper give the
Biblical basis for proposition one.
Due by:
2. Fundamentals: Propositions 1 – 4.
Identify and talk to at
least three people from your group. From your conversations with these three
people write a 3 – 5 page paper summarizing your findings about the group. Ask
questions that help you understand the person, and the group. Some possible
questions:
A. What are 3 characteristics
of the group?
B. How long have you been in
this group?
C. What activities/events do
you most enjoy in the group?
Due by:
3. Goals and Objectives: Propositions 5 - 6.
For this assignment, imagine
that you are involved in some form of ministry within your audience group. As
part of your duties, you’re responsible for envisioning a ministry plan for a
specific time frame. In a 3 – 5 page paper you will:
A. List 3-5 specific needs of
your audience. These needs may be spiritual, physical, social, emotional, etc.
B. Write 2-3 goals, focused on
meeting the needs of your audience. These goals should be clear
direction-setting statements for a specific time frame.
C. For each goal, write 2-3
objectives that outline specific steps needed to accomplish that goal.
D. Note that implementation is
not part of the assignment.
Due by: October19, 2004. Approximately 4 hours.
4. Communication Event: Signal Systems, Propositions 11 - 12.
This unit of the course
focuses on the signal systems used to communicate within a specific cultural
group.
A. Find a biblical passage and
write a 2 page paper showing how the 12 signal systems are used in that
passage. Give the significance of each signal system used in that passage.
Due by:
B. You will attend at least one
event (church service, artistic performance, group meal, etc.) involving your
audience group, and observe the signal systems used in the event. Submit a list
of the signal systems used and write a 2 page paper summarizing what you have
learned about the group.
Due by:
C. Plan an event using all 12 signal systems that
will communicate a biblical truth to your audience. In a 2 page paper,
summarize the event and the biblical truth you desire to communicate, listing
the signal systems and explaining how each will be used in the event.
Due by:
5. Audience Analysis: Propositions 16 - 18.
Write a 5-6 page paper
analyzing your audience group. Based on your previous assignments and other
encounters with this group, examine each of the following areas.
A. Social networks. Identify
and diagram the primary relationship networks that exist within your group. Due
by
B. Cultural dimensions. Using
Geert Hofstede’s five dimensions of culture to analyze your audience in terms
of power distance, collectivism-individualism, femininity-masculinity,
uncertainty avoidance and long term-short term orientation. Due
by
C. Cultural layers. Using the
cultural onion layers, describe your audience in terms of behavioral,
authority, experience, and core levels. Due
by
|
Date |
Pre-session |
Assignments |
Possible Points for Assignment |
CD Session |
|
Sept. 7 |
Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2 in Smith. (read after the fact in
this case) |
Identify the culture scene
to be studied |
|
1 – 3 |
|
Sept. 21 |
Chapters 3 & 4 in Smith |
Due: 1. “Communication is
Involvement” paper.
|
5 |
4 – 5 |
|
Oct. 5 |
Chapters 5 & 6 in Smith. |
Due: 2. “Fundamentals” assignments. |
10 |
6 – 7 |
|
Oct 19 |
Chapters 11-12 in Smith |
Due: 3. “Goals & Objectives”
assignments. |
15 |
8 |
|
Nov. 2 |
Chapter 16 in Smith |
Due: 4. “Event Plan”
assignments. |
30 (10 each for 3 papers) |
9 |
|
Nov. 16 |
Chapter 17 in Smith and Hofstede readings. |
Due: 5 A. “Social Networks”
assignment |
10 |
10 |
|
Nov. 30 |
Chapter 18 in Smith. |
Due 5 B. “Hofstede Cultural
Dimensions” assignment.
|
10 |
11 |
|
Dec. 13 |
Putting it all together |
Due 5 C. “Cultural Layers”
assignment.
|
10 |
|
Attendance:
10%. Assignments: 90% (see above chart).
There will be no final exam for this course.
[___________ A________] [_______B________]
[_________C__________] [_________D__________]
100 93 92 86 85 78 77 70
At each grade level, the lowest percentage will receive a minus and the top percentage will receive a plus grade. For example, a 93% will be an A- and a 92% will be a B+.
Proposition
1: Communication is involvement
Proposition
2: Communication is a process
Proposition
3: Meaning is internal and
individual
Proposition
4: Communication is what is heard,
not only what is said
Proposition
5: Clarification of goals
increases the possibility of effective communication.
Proposition
6: Mastery of content is the
necessary foundation for effective communication.
Proposition
7: The communicator's personality
and experiences modify the form of a message.
Proposition 8: The communicator's image of the audience
and understanding of the context are primary factors in shaping the form of the
message.
Proposition
9: A communicator almost always
communicates with multiple audiences.
Proposition
10: Communication increases
commitment.
Proposition
11: All human communication occurs
through the use of twelve signal systems.
Proposition 12: Usage of the
signal systems is a function of culture; thus they are used differently in
different cultures.
Proposition
13: Mass Media extend the range of a
message but inevitably distort the message.
Proposition
14: Communication effectiveness
normally decreases with increasing size of the audience.
Proposition 15: The
effectiveness of a medium is largely determined by factors other than the
medium itself.
Proposition
16: Messages are mediated.
Proposition
17: Cultural patterns of a society
fundamentally influence the form of communication
Proposition
18: Existing beliefs and value
systems are a major factor in building communication.
Proposition
19: The interpretation of messages
is related to experiences and needs.
Proposition
20: All communication has
simultaneously rational and emotional dimensions.
Proposition
21: People react to communications
as members of social groups.
Proposition 22: A decision to change results from the
combined effects of public or mass media and interpersonal networks.
Proposition
23: Perceived and actual feedback
shapes the message.