Keep your target, yet broaden your appeal by becoming more inclusive. One way that works for us is the recognition of special days from other cultures. Most of us forget that Canadian Thanksgiving happens in October. Most countries have an independence or foundation day which is different from July 4th. While it is important to keep up with the recent CNN reports on the Balkans and Middle East, our pastoral prayers should also focus on the groups represented in our congregation. Since we had a large Filipino population in our former church, I tried to keep abreast of the news and events in the Philippines.

Acknowledge the tensions. Paul was not afraid to point out the obvious differences between Jews and Greeks. I have enjoyed having Europeans, Asians, and Africans on my staff. One day, a Ghanaian staff member pointed out the obvious, "Pastor Dave, you talk as if we are one people. We are not. I am African. You are American. We must acknowledge our differences and stop thinking that we are the same. However, we are brothers because we are one in Christ."

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Learning to preach cross-culturally helps your overall communication style. It is not surprising that preachers like Billy Graham, Chuck Swindoll, and Bill Hybels have wide international audiences even though they have never learned a foreign language. They practice homiletical skills which are trans-cultural.

Here is what I have learned in summary:

Be yourself. Robert Kohls studied factors of effectiveness in the Peace Corps and other international organizations. He found that the best cross-cultural teachers know themselves and are able to laugh at themselves. We will all make mistakes when we attempt to speak cross-culturally. I often used the phrase "us expatriates" to describe the large group of international business people living in Seoul. I stopped using that term this month when two Koreans asked me what "a sex patriarch" is and why I wish to be one. Being myself means that I don't take myself too seriously.

Ask questions. Discover the continent, country, region, language, and family of each of your cross-cultural members. Find out how they celebrate seasonal events like Easter and Christmas. Ask how they perceive America, even if they have been here for twenty years or more.

Practice cross-culturally. Inner city missions, nursing homes, youth groups, and neighboring churches are excellent places to gain experience preaching cross-culturally. When I first began preaching at the DuPage Convalescent Center as a college student, I thought that all seniors play shuffleboard. Needless to say, my "shuffleboard sermon" went over poorly because most had never played the game.

Some of my stereotypes have been broken through cross-cultural practice. Preaching in the inner-city mission in Detroit taught me that not all homeless are uneducated. Preaching in a nursing home taught me that not all residents are over age 65. Preaching at an Ethiopian fellowship taught me that their country is made up of several different tribes. Some have suffered starvation and some tribes have not.