Welcome

Welcome to the Department of Cultural Navigation. One distinctive of Missional University is that we are a community comprised of gifted individuals from over 35 countries across the globe. This is a testimony to God’s heart for the nations and his ability to call and equip people from across varied cultures towards service in the mission of God.

Why Cultural Navigation?

The Department of Cultural Navigation works in partnership with members of The Missional College (TMC) to equip missional leaders who are capable of effectively navigating diverse cultures so they will be able to serve God well in those environments.

To assist TMC in fulfilling it's thrust to provide training for those who desire to learn how to serve among diverse ethnic, immigrant and international groups in their communities in culturally-appropriate ways, the Cultural Navigation Department provides opportunities for practical hands-on learning experiences and other experiential learning approaches that will enable students to put into practice principles they have learned in their online classrooms. Some of the experiential learning types that will be employed are observation practice, participant observation, action learning, action research, and missional clerkships.

Depending upon program requirements, each TMC student is required to successfully complete one or more of the following experiential learning courses: observership, practicum, field instruction, internship, mentorship, capstone, portfolio, project, research and thesis courses.

Why Missional University?

Experiential learning in Cultural Navigation at Missional University is based on the six core values of the University:

Biblically-based

Psalm 67: 4 gives a glimpse of God’s desire for the nations. It declares; “May the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you rule the people with equity and guide the nations of the earth.” In Christ, God self-disclosed the foundational truth that He is God of all cultures. Because God cares for all nations and cultures, it becomes crucial for God’s people to follow suit. One way to value cultures is to understand how to best engage them in the manner that is pleasing to God. Cultural Navigation Department functions with this end in mind.

Missionally-driven

Missional University is driven by the concept that Christian believers should become part of the missio dei -- the mission of God in this world. The same applies to the Cultural Navigation department of the School of Experiential Learning. The department will operate not only in alignment with God’s love for all nations but also in keeping with the university’s passion to faithfully serve in the mission of God.

Interculturally-focused

As a higher education institution, Missional University celebrates the cultural diversity that exists in this world as a reflection of the creative nature of the image of God in humanity. The Cultural Navigation department endeavors to carry out its business encouraging individuals to express their faith in a manner that is consistent with their personal cultural background and in accordance with what is deemed appropriate in that culture.

Contextually-informed

The Cultural Navigation department promotes practices that honor diversity, and are culturally sensitive. It makes decisions based on data that take into consideration varied cultural contexts and environments.

Practically-minded

While understanding basic theories in a given practice is important, Missional University gives equal value to the practical understanding of serving in the mission of God in a given discipline. In keeping with this, the Department of Cultural Navigation commits to providing opportunities for practical hands-on learning experiences that enable students to try out principles they have learned in their online classrooms.

Experientially-transformed

The Cultural Navigation Department is conscientious to integrate manifold experiential learning components in the courses students take under The Missional College (TMC). In order to successfully complete their degrees, TMC degree program students are required to complete observership, practicum, internship, and other experientially oriented courses. These learning experiences are designed to better equip them to deal with real life problems in their chosen field. They also empower students to transition more easily into their professional careers.