Session 4

Session 4: Us vs. Them

Time: Each session is designed to be 45-60 minutes.
Supplies: Notebook, pencil/pen, technology to watch the videos

Biblical Text

Acts 10

Facilitator’s Notes

Key learnings for this session:

  • Revelation is progressive and there are more perspectives than our cultural narrative.   
  • We need to know who we are and who we are not.
  • God wants to teach us how to know each other.
  • The work of the Spirit models mutual transformation and conversation. 
  • Difference is not about being better than or less than.
  • God does not practice favoritism.

Observations to highlight:

Making a personal connection: Which of these do you most identify with as part of a personal journey of growth and change?

  • We do not often understand or change the first time.
  • It took God showing Peter a vision three times before he could accept the invitation to participate in modeling difference. Peter’s mind needed transformation.
  • Look, listen and engage with the invitation to be in a relationship and community with those whom you previously did not know how to connect.
  • We are challenged by difference.
  • Take notice of the opportunities to expand faith and trust.
  • God does not show favoritism but accepts every nation. 

Opportunities to present:

  • To be transformed.
  • To engage with a new understanding of community “we, our, us” (Korean word Woori).
  • To discover new ways of being a church together.
  • To experience new learning and revelation.
  • To expand our vision to see the different ways God is at work among us and in us.
  • To welcome new relationships and communities.

Prayer

Based on Psalms 133:1

“How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”

Lord, deepen my understanding.
Reveal goodness.
Help me to hold truth within my heart, desiring what is pleasant.
I want to discover and be a part of what you are doing to unify your church.

Amen

View “Us vs. Them” Video Sermonette by Sue Park-Hur. (9 minutes – Link)

Think About It

In each culture, words are the interpretation of mind, heart and soul. However, language is not the only way that culture is communicated. The most significant cultural values have no words, but rather an expression. Non-verbal practices are important contributors to the subjective cultural (values, norms and beliefs) that also express the mind, heart and soul of the culture.  

Subjective culture are the aspects of culture in the darker blue below the surface in the iceberg image (to the right). One example would be to make direct eye contact to show respect as a sign of cultural respect versus not making direct eye contact as a sign of cultural respect. These are both examples of subjective expressions of culture.

Think of an example of a nonverbal expression of subjective culture from your context or background.

Action Step 

Explore the nonverbal and unspoken patterns deeply embedded in culture that cause us to resist Woori, the Korean word referenced in the sermon meaning “we, us, ours.” 

Reflection Questions

  • Name spaces that are polarized because of culture.
    (By polarized, we mean us versus them, insider and outsider.)
  • What non-verbal, subjective culture have you experienced in your home, school, church or community?
  • How have images on social media or other visual platforms contributed positively or negatively to your perspective of other cultures?

View Young Adult Video by Felix Perez Diener. (5 minutes – Link)

Group Discussion Questions

Use the “We want to know” resource questions from the Introduction. [insert link to intro discussion questions]

Closing: Spoken Word Poem

“Us vs. Them” by Tiara Downer – Link)

Spoken Word text:

Take a good look at this invisible line
The line that separates what’s yours and what is mine
The line that tells us that differences are a problem
But a problem too great for anyone to solve them

A problem so great it seems like there is no win
But love is the thing that covers a multitude of sin
Love is the essence, the cure deep within
There is a difference between us and them 

And these differences should not create hate
Remember he who came to save and demonstrate
That love always wins and love is the key
Us and them can now become We.

Journaling question 

Take five minutes to free-write your thoughts, insights and reflections in response to today’s lesson.

Concluding the Curriculum

After the journal question, the facilitator should leave at least 10 minutes at the close of this final session to invite participants to share aloud the following:

  • What have you learned?
  • What will you apply?
  • What will you share?

Closing Prayer Options 

  • The facilitator can lead a freestyle prayer or invite participants to pray out loud.
  • The facilitator can invite the group to close the session with salutations, such as passing on words of peace and joy to each other. (For example, “Joy for the journey forward” or “The peace of Christ be with you.”)
  • The facilitator can read the blessing:
    The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine on you and be  gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26, NIV)

What’s Next

Stay on the journey of awareness. This four-week curriculum is a step toward taking time to think about diversity as a gift from God, but this is a first step. This resource is an introduction to the mindset needed to begin the work of dismantling oppression, prejudice and racism.

We recommend the following as next steps: