When you take a Merge trip abroad or connect with a ministry that is cross-cultural to yours, it is important that those connections be authentic and honoring to all participants and to Jesus Christ. The purpose of these five sessions is to help prepare your group to connect to others, develop a deeper understanding of servant leadership, and gain self-awareness that can help shape your perspective on culture.
The five sessions in this toolbox are intended to be used before you travel abroad or cross-culturally. Each session addresses five main themes:
- God’s Mission
- Cultural Beauty and Complexity
- Relationship-Building
- Self-Awareness
- Cultural Exchange
All five themes build on each other from session to session. Your group may choose to address one session each time you meet, or engage two or three sessions in a retreat-style on a Saturday morning or longer evening. Alternatively, each team leader may choose which elements of a session work best for your group.
