‘Cultural intelligence is essential,’ says WMU staff member

“How do you eat your rice?” Joyce Porto, multicultural consultant at the Women’s Missionary Union of Texas, asked guests during a recent WMU Pursue Conference workshop. 

Some people use forks, while other people use chopsticks, or even their hands, she said. Porto grew up in Brazil, where touching your food directly is taboo. 

“I was programmed to eat my rice with a fork. People … [may] eat rice with their hands. What about China and Korea? They eat rice with chopsticks. What is right, and what is wrong? Nothing,” she said. 

So many things we do regularly are just part of our culture, the way we were programmed to be. When we observe how other cultures eat, we’re seeing how people have learned to function, Porto explained. 

She quoted Revelation 7:9: “After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

For Porto, the verse reflects how culture is part of God’s intentional design: “The way we have cultures today was not something that was designed by men, it was designed by God. Why? Because God decided people would be different in worshipping him.”

“Every Sunday, when we have Baptist churches here in Texas and Baptist churches around the world worshipping God in a different way, they’re doing exactly what … God designed us to do,” she continued. 

Understanding these everyday differences points to a larger need for cultural awareness in ministry.

Cultural intelligence 

Globalization—the growing interconnectedness of economies, cultures, and populations through trade and technology—has accelerated cultural interaction.

Because of increased globalization and immigration, the church has an increasing responsibility to minister to and navigate different cultures, Porto said. “[We live] in a new culture … that as a church, we need to navigate.”

Porto defined culture as a set of customary beliefs, shared social customs, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group. The church itself is a culture: “As Christians, we’re part of a culture. The language we speak … people outside [the church] may not [understand],” she explained. 

As participants in interconnected cultures and representatives of the church’s culture, we are responsible for cultivating cultural intelligence, Porto added.

Cultural intelligence is defined as the capability to function effectively across various cultural contexts, including national, ethnic, and organizational cultures. According to Porto, to truly understand others of different cultural backgrounds, we need to have a “heart,” or willingness, to understand them. 

“What is your motivation, your interest, your willingness and desire to connect across cultures?” she asked. 

“Suppose I’m coming to the U.S., [and] I didn’t know anything about the U.S. … I’m gonna research what Americans do, how Americans dress, what kind of language they speak. … [Learning] is my motivation. … You have a motivation … to get to know and research that culture.”

An obligation to the nations 

Learning about cultural values, such as how different societies perceive and prioritize timeliness, helps us develop greater respect and understanding for people from diverse backgrounds.

“Cultural intelligence is essential for … church and ministry work. It gives us the opportunity to fulfill the Great Commission, to reach all the nations,” Porto said. 

Quoting from Matthew 28:19 and reflecting on Revelation 7:9, Porto reminded believers of their obligation to “make disciples of all nations.” 

“Cultural intelligence … helps us to be more effective in the way that we reach others for Christ. We have Revelation 7:9 in mind at all times. Everybody needs to come before the Lord to worship. … [The idea] of reaching the nations [was designed by God], so that we could come together to worship him, to get to know him,” she said. 

“Every culture reveals something about God. God is relational. … How many hours do you pray? And God doesn’t get tired. Why? Because he’s relational. … So, when we see something that is different [from] us, it is really an opportunity to learn. … It improves communication and reduces misunderstandings, [and] it empowers us to do ministries and build relationships,” Porto continued. 

“We need to make friends [with people from different cultures], so that people will be open to the gospel. And the way we do that is through relationships, really connecting with the people in many cultures. … You’re gonna need to sit at a table, talk about your life, and listen to their stories, so they will start opening themselves up [to you.]”