With the development of instantaneous global communication, it is vital to communicate effectively across cultural boundaries. This addition to the acclaimed Encountering Mission series is designed to offer contemporary intercultural communication insights to mission students and practitioners. Authored by leading missionary scholars with significant intercultural experience, the book introduces intercultural communication; explores the foundations that lay beneath, and the cultural values that show up in, patterns of intercultural communication; and examines areas in which communicating effectively in a new cultural setting is important. Features such as case studies, tables, figures, and sidebars are included, making the book useful for classrooms.

412 pages

View an excerpt here.

"This book fills a need for an up-to-date textbook on intercultural communication. Missionaries, professors of missions, and students will all find this book immensely helpful. This book brings the discussion of intercultural communication up to date and provides assistance for struggling communicators. Readers will find useful discussions of the role worldview and contextualization play in the process of evangelization. Missionaries will be challenged to become truly bilingual and bicultural so their audiences will understand the gospel fully. Highly recommended."

J. Mark Terry, professor of missions, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary

Contents

Introduction
Part 1: Introducing Intercultural Communication
1. What Is Intercultural Communication?
2. The Story Line of Intercultural Communication
3. Perspectives on Intercultural Communication
Part 2: Foundations of Intercultural Communication Patterns
4. Worldview and Intercultural Communication
5. Verbal Intercultural Communication
6. Societies and Social Institutions
7. Networks, In-Groups, and Social Change
Part 3: Patterns of Intercultural Communication
8. Nonverbal Intercultural Communication
9. Contexting
10. Polychronic and Monochronic Time
11. Individualism and Collectivism
12. Social Power in Intercultural Communication
13. Gender Roles
14. Honor and Justice
Part 4: Developing Intercultural Expertise
15. Cultural Adaptation
16. Intercultural Competence
17. Intercultural Relationships
18. Intercultural Evangelism
19. Intercultural Discipleship
20. Intercultural Church Planting
21. Cross-Cultural Teaching and Learning
22. Intercultural Ministry through Teams
23. Conflict and Culture
24. The Future of Intercultural Communication
Index