In this episode of As In Heaven, hosts Jim Davis and Mike Aitcheson welcome Denine Blevins to the podcast to discuss the importance of cultural competency, both at the individual and the organizational level. Blevins also shares how cultural competency within Christian organizations must be different and distinct from the boiler plate secular diversity training in other workplaces. Blevins draws out some best practices in leading your organization into greater cultural competency so that you don’t undermine your organization’s core mission.

• An introduction to Denine Blevins (:58)
• Parakaleo (4:18)
• How Parakaleo came to be (8:45)
• Moments that shape the organizational competency of Parakeleo (11:36)
• The Office and cultural competency (20:13)
• How to know your organization is ready for cultural conversations (26:09)
• How to help your organization grow in cultural competency (29:04)
• Landmines for organizations looking to grow in cultural competency (37:03)
• God’s character revealed in the process (38:57)

Explore more from TGC on the topic of race.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. How can organizational systems actually include or exclude certain people or cultures? What are examples of organizational systems that could potentially work to include or exclude?
2. Think of your church or work place. Who do your organizational systems currently primarily cater to? Who do they possibly exclude?
3. How do secular answers to cultural difference and preference in organizational systems fail? How does the Christian response offer a better answer?
4. Why is cultural competency important for organizational leadership? What steps can your organization take to grow in this?