10 Commandments of American Culture

1. You can’t argue with success

Be a success

2. Live & let live Be tolerant

3. Time flies when you are having fun

Have lots of fun

4. Shop till you drop Enjoy material things

5. Just do it Action is the key to success

Commandment Meaning

10 Commandments of American Culture (cont)

6. You are only young once

Do what you can when you have the chance

7. Enough is enough Stand up for your rights

8. Rules are made to be broken

Think for yourself

9. Time is money Don’t waste time

10. God helps those who help themselves

Work hard

Commandment Meaning

Who are we? Basically good Good and evil Basically evil

How do we relate to God?

God is totally separate from people

God is different but people can relate to God

People are divine

How do we relate to nature?

People must submit to nature

People must live in harmony with nature

People are to master nature

How do we approach time?

Past-oriented Present-oriented

Future-oriented

What is the purpose of human life?

Live in harmony (stress being)

Grow in virtue

(stress on becoming)

Be fruitful

(stress on action)

How do we organize ourselves?

Authoritarian Group and community centered

Individualistic

WorldviewQuestion

Responses

Who are we? Basically good Good and evil Basically evil

How do we relate to God?

God is totally separate from people

God is different but people can relate to God

People are divine

How do we relate to nature?

People must submit to nature

People must live in harmony with nature

People are to master nature

How do we approach time?

Past-oriented Present-oriented

Future-oriented

What is the purpose of human life?

Live in harmony (stress being)

Grow in virtue

(stress on becoming)

Be fruitful

(stress on action)

How do we organize ourselves?

Authoritarian Group and community centered

Individualistic

WorldviewQuestion

Responses

Spiritual Preparation for the Short-Term Missionary: Themes for possible

devotional topics

• Servanthood

• Faithfulness

• Living by faith

• Spiritual gifts

• Spiritual disciplines

• Spiritual warfare

• Journaling

Important considerations for team leaders

• Need to understand different learning styles

• Information given to participants must be relevant to interests/needs (timing is also important)

• Quality of training material

• Create an atmosphere for learning

Opportunity for Spiritual Formation

• Importance of prayer support group• Leader needs to discern the spiritual

state of team members and plan the spiritual formation component accordingly

• Always helpful to review what it means to know Christ personally and life in the Spirit

• Leader should pray for guidance

Group Reflection

What is meant by this statement?

“… I also believe that our Western approach to short-term missions, behavior in relating to those from other cultures, and perspective on the purposes of short-term missions desperately needs an overhaul and a reevaluation.”

--Paul Borthwick, Development Associates Intl.Author of A Mind for Missions