Followers and servants of Jesus Christ
Biblically Based Cross-Cultural Consultants
f.i.r.e. is an acronym for the name:

Facilitating Intercultural Relationships Everywhere

We have over forty years of cross-cultural experience in the following countries:
AfghanistanCambodiaCanadaChinaHong Kong
JapanKoreaMalaysiaPakistanPhilippines
SingaporeTaiwanThailandUSA
f.i.r.e. is a Christian non-profit organization - 501(c)3

Good Intentions Gone Awry Dr. Terrie

At Chinese New Year Chinese give their children red envelopes (hong bao) that contain crisp, new dollar bills. A U.S. firm in Asia used red envelopes with four, crisp new dollars to show their appreciation to their Singaporean employees. The employees were shocked and wondered what was going on because the number 4 in Chinese culture connotes death. Things went from bad to worse when the management team (two Americans and one British) tried to remedy the situation. They put $8.00 in the envelopes. The employees understood this as double death. The company folded.

More and more as companies go global they are seeing that culture is the new strategic advantage. In order to leverage this advantage, companies must develop a high level of cultural intelligence (CQ). CQ is not just about reading a book on how to behave outwardly in another culture. One must acutely understand the values, beliefs, and feelings of a culture because behavior issues from these. Understanding the values, beliefs and feelings of a culture is a neurological task. Anyone who desires to be effective cross-culturally must train oneself to think differently.

Our brain is an extremely powerful tool God has given us. The culture one grows up in programs their brain to unconsciously accept the values, beliefs, and feelings of their culture. Without training ourselves to “think differently” we will always have a high risk of failing cross-culturally. Training ourselves to think differently is growing in cultural intelligence (CQ). God created cultures. We are created in His image. Therefore, we have all the resources to grow in cultural intelligence so that we can move from the desire to share the love of Christ cross-culturally to the ability to share His love to others who are culturally different with respect and meaning.

The apostle Paul said, “I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings” (I Cor. 9.22-23). J.B. Phillips’ version rendered these verses this way: “I do all this for the sake of the Gospel; I want to play my part in it properly.” If a Chinese Christian shares the gospel with an Afghan in their Chinese way, the chances are almost 100% the Afghan won’t understand. In order to share in the blessings, the Chinese person must train him or herself to think differently in order to play their part properly in ministering cross-culturally.

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VISION
Be the instrument God is using to cultivate an Intercultural way of life in His children throughout the world.

MISSION
Our task in the mission Christ gave His followers—“make disciples of all nations”—is fourfold:
  1. EQUIP God’s children with biblical cross-cultural communication and relationships skills that enable them to relate effectively to the different people of the nations.
  2. MENTOR His people in the intercultural way of life that matures their knowledge of God and strengthens their walk with Christ.
  3. FACILITATE His followers in their journey of moving from the desire to love the people of the nations to the ability to express that love respectfully and meaningfully.
  4. ASSIST in forming and developing biblical communities where people live out an intercultural life that is compelling to those who do not follow Christ, and is in harmony with God’s Word.
Contact us at info@fire333.org

Downloadable Content

Pdf Scriptural Mandates
    Cultural Intelligence Tree Illustration
Pdf A Biblical CQ Model
    The Five Capabilities of Cultural Intelligence
Pdf Iceberg model of Culture
    Culture Defined
Pdf Next Level Ministry
    Take your ministry to the next level
Pdf Intercultural Training 101
    Foundational Training for Next Level Ministry
f.i.r.e. exists to see the people of the nations become Followers of Jesus
"…so that all nations might believe and obey him."
Romans 16:26

Our world today is a global world. People from every culture are immigrating from everywhere to everywhere throughout the world. In our work and play we are increasingly encountering people from diverse backgrounds. They are the people of whom Christ spoke when he said, “… go, make disciples of all nations….” (Matthew 28:19) They are no longer “just” overseas, but they are now our neighbors. Many are the “least reached” people in the world. To effectively share God’s love with them, we need to develop and grow in “cultural intelligence” (CQ). CQ is capability to effectively relate to people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. God has given all His followers the desire to love the people of the nations; He has given F.I.R.E the task of facilitating His followers’ journey of moving from the desire to love people from the varied cultural contexts to the desire to express that love respectfully and meaningfully.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Matthew 24:14

INTERCULTURAL
Intercultural is not about celebrating cultural diversity, but diverse cultures celebrating the Risen Lord Jesus Christ together. It is seeing Jesus through the eyes of other cultures, not getting other cultures to see “my” Jesus. It is proclaiming Jesus to all cultures and ethnic groups that He loves them and is the answer to their way of life. IT IS ABOUT JESUS BEING THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH and the center of cultural diversity. It is where all cultures have equal status, respect, and acceptance in community due to their common faith in Jesus Christ.

After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."

Revelation 7:9-10
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