Unit 2 Objectives

  • Application of preferred language learning method to lingua-culture learning, emphasizing learning through immersion and relationships
  • Growing in abiding and personal development (self-awareness and character building)

Unit Length: 10 – 12 weeks

Unit 2 Breakdown

Here is a suggested program that your facilitator can work through with you – you may think of ideas and resources that apply to your specific situation as well!

Spiritual Disciplines

  • Continue with your daily Bible reading plan, making note of your thoughts and what you have learned during these devotional times, answering the following questions:
    • How is God calling me to think differently?
    • How is God re-ordering my affections, what I love?
    • What is God calling me to do today, how can obey Him?
  • Start sharing some of your reflections with your facilitator during your one-on-one time.
  • Learn more about prayer from these recommended sermons and books. (Resources)
  • Do a study on the Lord’s Prayer with a friend.
  • Commit to praying daily for people in your community.
  • Learn about prayer walks.
  • Start memorizing prayers of the Bible, ex Paul’s prayers.

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. What’s bringing me life/refreshing my soul these days?
  2. Where is my spiritual nourishment coming from?
  3. What spiritual disciplines am I practicing regularly?
  4. What fruits of the Spirit seem to be evident or lacking in my life?
  5. What have I been learning about God, others and myself from my Bible reading?

Personal Development

  • Complete the LivStyles assessment and be debriefed individually. Your facilitator will arrange for a login.
  • Complete the Layers of Care training if you’ve not already done so. Start writing out your own Personal Care plan. (Resource)
  • Read a chapter each week of Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero.

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. What am I doing to keep healthy physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually?
  2. What has culture stress meant for me? Who am I talking to about it?
  3. What am I learning about myself from my new experiences?
  4. How am I affirming, listening to, encouraging and respecting others?
  5. How am I demonstrating the priority of relationships over daily tasks?
  6. What do I find the most rewarding, and the most challenging?

Language Acquisition

  • Continued language learning and recording in language accountability books
  • Establish a “language route” – a route through your area or neighborhood where people are willing to practice your new language with you
  • Continued establishing/revising of language learning goals as needed

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. What motivates me to continue in language learning?
  2. How much time am I devoting to language learning each day? Each week?
  3. What community contacts have I made through practicing what I have learned?
  4. What progress am I making?
  5. What am I enjoying most? What am I struggling with? Who should I talk to about this in order to get help?

Cultural Discoveries

  • Continue intentionally and appropriately learning more about your cultural context. A suggested weekly cultural investigation can center around tribes, clans and ethnic groups, gender roles, money – bribery, generosity, and loans as well as rites of passage.
  • Suggested books to read and discuss:
    • When Helping Hurts – Steve Corbett, Brian Fikkert (pre-field reading to be revisited and discussed)
    • Foundations of African Traditional Religions and Worldview – Yusufu Turaki (can be read during site visit, if doing one in this unit)
  • Discuss cultural issues related to honour and shame. Ask your facilitator for resources.
  • With your facilitator, discuss and plan a site visit. (Resources)

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. What am I doing to actively seek out cross-cultural relationships and experiences?
  2. Who do I consider a friend in my host culture?
  3. How am I building relationships through gender appropriate ways?
  4. How am I actively seeking and acting upon cultural advice from local relationships?
  5. What do I find the most rewarding, and the most challenging about living in this new culture?

Team and Intercultural Identity

  • Do the Team Roles inventory. Learn about your unique gifts and the part you will best play on a team.
  • Start reading Cultural Intelligence
  • Watch The Danger of a Single Story Ted Talk

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. Am I sending my prayer updates to the MR, RR and IO so they know how to pray for me?
  2. What have I learned about the other cultures of teammates?
  3. What common ground do I share with each teammate?
  4. In what ways am I honoring and showing respect for teammates’ cultures?
  5. Am I insisting on my own way? How open am I to doing things differently?
  6. What organizational values am I exhibiting?

Partnerships

  • Be committed to attending a local fellowship, finding a place to serve and participate regularly.
  • Continue with regular communication with prayer partners.

Reflection/Accountability Questions:

  1. How often am I praying for my local fellowship and its leadership?
  2. In what ways am I actively participating in my local fellowship?
  3. In what practical ways could I participate with the local fellowship to demonstrate the love of Christ to others?
  4. How am I communicating with and praying for my prayer partners?

Discipleship Models

  • Observe how people speak about their faith to others, learning how spiritual conversations are initiated and what words are used.

Reflective/Accountability Questions:

  1. What does it look like to live out my faith effectively in a culturally appropriate way? How have I done with this recently?
  2. How am I modelling Christ to those around me?
  3. What does it mean to be a servant of Jesus in my new culture?

By the end of Unit 2, the new member will have:

✔ Made/revised a lingua-culture learning plan and established a set of people with whom they can practice language

✔ Shared some of his/her own spiritual journey during 1:1 or with teammates

✔ Continued with an established routine of Bible reading plan and journaling

✔ Discovered more of his/her own strengths/challenges through assessment

✔ Engaged with a local fellowship and learned more about spiritual conversations.

✔ Had a site visit, with debrief (if doing more than one site visit)