Dealing with cultural issues in Bible study groups
Bible study groups are a great blessing to so many. It is a joy to read the Bible with others and discuss the implications, and to pray together. These groups are rightly at the heart of community in many local churches and parachurch organisations.
Groups have to navigate the dynamics that arise when any group of people gather together. A trained and experienced group leader will work hard to try to get all of the group members to participate in the discussion. This will involve encouraging the ones who are more shy and trying to reign in the ones who naturally dominate the discussion. Ideally, every member of the group should be engaged and learning.
Having worked in a church made up of people of many cultures, especially from Asian backgrounds, I would argue that there are a few specific things to be aware of when leading a group of people from different cultures.
Respect for elders
Many eastern cultures have a very high level of respect for people older than themselves, and especially those more advanced in years. This is usually a very good thing which leads to older people being well looked after! Yet in a group setting, it can lead to some unexpected consequences.
If an older member of the group puts forward an opinion, it can be very difficult for younger members to contradict them or offer a different perspective. This feels to them like disrespect. This can lead to a lack of discussion in general, or, in the worst case, it can mean that wrong ideas and interpretations might be accepted or at least not challenged by anyone. This dynamic can be present if the older person is the leader, or even if they are just a group member.
How might we deal with this? A respectful way might be to seek to speak to any older person one on one outside of the group setting to discuss any unhelpful comments that they have raised. This will enable them to grapple with the ideas they should without losing face in public. Alternatively, you could raise a different perspective carefully in the group setting, making it clear that this is a different idea, not a lack of respect. If you don’t come from an eastern culture yourself, this will take time and tact to learn!
Different education styles and backgrounds
Many who have been to school in Asian contexts have become used to a pattern of learning that is quite different from the typical Western education system. In the West, we tend to encourage group discussion, including teaching people to disagree on issues. Children can question their teachers. In contrast, in many Asian settings, the pattern is more to respectfully listen, learn, and then write it out. Many are not really taught to question those in authority but only to agree with them. And interaction in a group setting might seem odd and unusual.
I have been in a range of groups that have been quite quiet for these reasons. It is not that people don’t want to participate, but that it seems odd to them. The group members might be well engaged, listening well, and thinking through everything. They just don’t participate in the discussion themselves. While frustrating for the leader, this is not necessarily a disaster! As long as people are engaged with the word and thinking and learning, that is a good thing. We should work and pray that over time they will become more comfortable sharing their own thoughts, but understand that this might be harder for some than others.
Politeness vs openness
A healthy group will involve open sharing of personal matters. All groups take some time to develop the trust needed for this to happen well. It would be rare indeed for a group of near-strangers to share of their issues with temptation and their most personal fears for the future in a group! Yet, over time, groups should become more open in their sharing with one another.
Many Eastern cultures are inherently polite. It is easy to have a somewhat shallow and friendly conversation with someone you just met. Sharing something deeper, however, seems less natural and takes time for the trust to develop. Group leaders should show some patience here, and also lead by example. If a group leader is prepared to share personally of their own lives, the group will follow, whatever their cultural background. And once trust (and confidentiality) are established, this can be such a rich opportunity for encouragement.
Groups come in all kinds of variations, for no two groups of people are identical. Let’s think carefully about how to navigate cultural issues, and the result should be more helpful for everyone in the group.