GLST 220
GOSPEL COMMUNICATION PROJECT: ELEMENTS OF CULTURE PAPER
ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS
OVERVIEW
The Gospel Communication Project allows you to apply the principles of Cultural Intelligence to
a specific cross-cultural evangelistic encounter. As a cumulative project throughout the course
(through 2 papers and a video presentation), you will research cultural elements which will affect
a person’s understanding of the gospel message, create a plan for communicating effectively
with a person from a specific culture, and present the story of God through video as you would if
you were able to share the gospel with that person. This project will allow you to practice
evaluating a person’s culture, determining the best ways to communicate with them, and
adjusting your communication to be most effective. Also, as you craft a story of the grand
narrative you will gain a deeper understanding of the story of God and gain confidence in sharing
the gospel with others.
INSTRUCTIONS
CHOOSING A PERSON FOR YOUR GOSPEL COMMUNICATION PROJECT
For this project, you should write about someone who is an unbeliever and is from a significantly
different ethnolinguistic macro-culture than your own (look for differences in things like
country/region of origin, ethnicity, language, religion, time orientation, etc.). You will use the
cultural background of this person to complete all three assignments in this project. If you do not
know a person who fits this description, you may use a fictitious character, or for the purposes of
this assignment, adjust the cultural background of a real person.
Scenario 1: You have a friend from another country. They already believe in Jesus, but
you know that many aspects of their cultural identity are significantly different than your
own. For the purpose of this project, you will discuss the cultural background of your
friend, but you will pretend that they are not a believer. Your description of their
religious beliefs will be based on your research of the majority religion of their home
culture, and your presentation of the gospel will be crafted as if you were going to share it
with someone who is not familiar with the Bible.
Scenario 2: You do not know anyone from a significantly different ethnolinguistic
macro-culture than your own. You will choose an ethnolinguistic macro culture to
research. You will make up a character with a background story based on the cultural
research and craft your gospel story to communicate effectively with the majority religion
of that culture or with someone who is not familiar with the story of the Bible.
Scenario 3: You have a friend whose family is from a significantly different macroculture than your own, but that friend seems to have enculturated into a mainstream
culture similar to yours and the need for adjusting communication to match cultural
systems and cultural values seems to be minimized. For this project, you will use your
research of your friend’s home culture and practice adjusting your communication as if
that friend was not enculturated. Most people who have crossed cultures and adjusted still
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GLST 220
have deeply rooted values in their home culture that affect their world view, and often
have a blend of cultural values between their home culture and their host culture.
WRITING YOUR ELEMENTS OF CULTURE PAPER
For the first part of your Gospel Communication Project, you will write a formal academic paper
about the cultural elements of the person. This paper will prepare you to share God's story with
them in an effective way considering their culture and worldview.
Your paper should meet the following requirements:
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•
•
•
•
•
4- 8 pages in length
Divided into clearly-labeled sections as described below.
Include at least 1 citation in each section of the paper from Leading with Cultural
Intelligence by David Livermore or the course videos.
Include at least 1 citation in each section of the paper from a source OTHER THAN the
course materials (websites, journal articles, books, etc.).
Formatted in a formal academic style. Note: You may choose the academic style that is
most closely related to your major degree program (MLA, APA, Turabian, etc.). If you
do not know which to choose, format your paper in Turabian style. A properly formatted
formal academic paper will include a cover sheet, citations (in-text parenthetical citations
or footnotes), a bibliography or works cited page, and headings/subheadings.
Double-spaced and in a standard font (Times New Roman or Arial) and standard size (10
or 12 pt.)
CONTENT OF YOUR ELEMENTS OF CULTURE PAPER
Your Elements of Culture paper should have 4 sections: Introduction, Cultural Systems, Cultural
Value Orientations, and Elements of Communication.
Introduction
In this section, you should introduce the person you have chosen to receive the Gospel message.
Answer the following questions in a paragraph or two. (Questions in parenthesis are suggestions
to help guide you as you describe the person.)
•
•
•
•
Give details about your friend’s personal story. (What is their age? What is their
ethnicity? Where are they from? What religion do they follow? What language do they
speak? Where do they live now? What do they do for school/work, etc.?).
Provide information on your relationship with the person. (How do you know them? What
are your interactions with them? Are they a coworker or neighbor? Do you see them on a
regular basis or just periodically?)
Discuss how their current circumstances affect their cultural practices. (If their family is
from a foreign country, but they have grown up most of their life in America, how does
that affect their worldview? Do they adhere to all the traditional cultural practices on
their parents?)
Discuss their interest in issues of faith? (Is this person open to hearing the story of God?)
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GLST 220
Cultural Systems
In this section, you should choose at least 3 of the 6 cultural systems from Chapter 4 of Leading
with Cultural Intelligence. Discuss each cultural system and identify which of the pair apply
most directly to the culture of your friend (For example: Does your friend’s culture have a
nuclear or kinship family system?). How do you see this cultural system in your friend’s life?
How does that cultural system affect your friend's way of life, interactions, aspirations, and
openness to issues of faith? While you should specifically state which of each pair of cultural
systems is seen in your friend’s culture, there is no need to give an explicit definition of each
cultural system (your instructor has read the textbook). Instead, your description of your friend’s
cultural practices and background will show your understanding of the cultural systems. In
addition to referencing the course materials, remember to include research from at least 1 outside
source to support your argument. You may also interview your friend to gain insights, though
this is NOT a requirement for this project.
Cultural Value Orientations
In this section, discuss at least 5 of the 10 cultural value orientation pairs from Chapter 5 of
Leading with Cultural Intelligence. Which of each pair of cultural values are strong in your
friend and their culture (For example: Does your friend’s culture have a short-term or long-term
value orientation?)? How do you see these cultural values in your friend's life? How do each of
these cultural values affect your friend's worldview and actions? While you should specifically
state which of each pair of cultural value orientations affect your friend’s culture, you do not
need to spend time defining the cultural value orientations. Instead, your description of your
friend’s culture will show your understanding of the cultural value orientations. Be careful to
discuss your friend’s culture, and not just their personality. In addition to referencing the course
materials, remember to include research from at least 1 outside source to support your argument.
You may also interview your friend to gain insights, though this is NOT a requirement for this
project.
Elements of Communication
In this section, discuss at least 3 elements of verbal and non-verbal communication which are
prevalent in your friend's culture. (Think about the verbal and non-verbal communication
strategies presented in Chapter 7 of Leading with Cultural Intelligence.) You should include at
least 1 verbal element and 1 non-verbal element. The 3rd element can be either verbal or nonverbal. How do you see these elements of communication in your friend’s culture? How do these
elements of communication affect the way your friend sends and receives messages? Be careful
to discuss your friend’s culture, and not just their personality. In addition to referencing the
course materials, remember to include research from at least 1 outside source to support your
argument. You may also interview your friend to gain insights, though this is NOT a requirement
for this project.
You should review the assignment rubric to understand how this project will be assessed and
how to maximize your score on this project.
Note: Your assignment will be checked for originality via the SafeAssign plagiarism tool.
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GLST 220
Criteria
GOSPEL COMMUNICATION PROJECT: ELEMENTS OF CULTURE PAPER GRADING RUBRIC
Levels of Achievement
Content
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
Not
present
Introduction
22 to 25 points
Exceptional introduction of the person
with a clear description of the person’s
culture and background, including many
important elements which would affect
the person’s worldview.
22 to 25 points
At least 3 of the cultural systems are
identified and a thorough description of
the way each cultural system affects the
person is included.
22 to 25 points
At least 5 of the cultural value
orientations are identified and a
thorough description of the way each
cultural value orientation affects the
person is included.
22 to 25 points
Exceptionally thorough discussion of at
least 3 elements of verbal and nonverbal communication and the way they
are manifested in the person’s culture.
17 to 21 points
Good introduction of the person with a
somewhat clear description of the person’s
culture and background, including a few
important elements which would affect the
person’s worldview.
17 to 21 points
At least 2 of the cultural systems are
identified and a somewhat clear description
of the way each cultural system affects the
person is included.
17 to 21 points
3-4 of the cultural value orientations are
identified and a somewhat clear description
of the way each cultural value orientation
affects the person is included.
1 to 16 points
Introduction of the person with a description of
the persons culture and background, including a
few important elements which would affect the
person’s worldview, but more details are needed
to paint a full picture of the person’s background
1 to 16 points
Less than 2 cultural systems are identified, or the
paper needs a better description of the way each
cultural system affects the person.
0 points
1 to 16 points
Less than 3 cultural value orientations are
identified, or the paper needs a better
description of the way each cultural value
orientation affects the person.
0 points
17 to 21 points
Mostly thorough discussion of at least 2
elements of verbal and non-verbal
communication and the way they are
manifested in the person’s culture.
1 to 16 points
Discussion of less than 2 elements of verbal and
non-verbal communication and the way they are
manifested in the person’s culture. Or more
discussion of each element is needed.
0 points
Advanced
Proficient
Developing
18 to 20 points
Thorough research has been done on
the culture, and information from a
variety of sources are integrated into
each section.
13 to 15 points
Very concise, clear, with consistently
proper grammar, spelling, sentence
structure and paragraphing.
13 to 15 points
Paper is exceptionally neat and wellorganized with a title page, citations,
reference page, and proper headings.
14 to 17 points
Some research has been done on the
culture, and each section includes a variety
of sources and is somewhat integrated in
each section
10 to 12 points
Clear, with minimal errors in grammar,
spelling, sentence structure and
paragraphing.
10 to 12 points
Paper is mostly well organized with title
page, citations, reference page, and proper
headings.
1 to 13 points
Student needs to include more information from
a variety of sources or research is not integrated
into the student’s writing.
0 points
1 to 9 points
Periodic errors in grammar, spelling, sentence
structure and paragraphing throughout paper.
0 points
1 to 9 points
Paper is somewhat organized with title page,
citations, reference page, and proper headings.
0 points
Cultural
Systems
Cultural Value
Orientations
Elements of
Communication
Structure
Research and
Scholarship
Language
Formatting
Not
present
0 points
Not
present
Not
present
Not
present
Not
present
Not
present
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