Crossing the Line (the ministry of Michael Burns)

Crossing the Line Workshop

Overview: Crossing the Line workshops seek to begin or continue the conversation at the local level, on the topics of race, ethnicity, and culture within the body of Christ. Michael and MyCresha share from their own lives and decades of cross-cultural experiences to educate churches on the history of race and cultural conflicts in the world and in the United States (for US workshops), and discuss how those issues can influence and impact a church negatively if we are not properly informed and trained. The workshops seek to train church members how to navigate difficult conversations, sensitive topics, and provides simple techniques for disciples to recognize and work through areas of cross-cultural communication and conflict.

About Michael and MyCresha: Michael and MyCresha have been married since 1997 and disciples since 1999. They have two sons, twenty-two and fourteen.  Michael was a high school history teacher and boys’ basketball coach for nearly a decade in the central city of Milwaukee. He went into full-time ministry as a Kingdom teacher in 2004. MyCresha is a full-time trauma care nurse. Together they have led ministries and churches in Milwaukee, WI; Appleton, WI, and Minneapolis MN. They frequently teach in churches and ministry training academies around the United States, as well as the world, primarily on the African continent. They have taught on race and culture in churches around the globe, including “Indianapolis, IN; Houston TX; Chicago IL; Johannesburg, South Africa; Harare, Zimbabwe; and Douala, Cameroon. Michael is the author of nine books including, “Crossing the Line: Culture, Race and Kingdom.”

Crossing the Line Workshop Sessions: Pre-Workshop Leader’s Discussion (Optional) While not required, it is recommended to have a pre-workshop gathering with the church’s leadership group and/or staff. Extra insight and training is given in exacting cultural change in a community as well as thoughts on when and how to address congregations on sensitive social issues. This is an informal time but offers the leaders a chance to ask any questions about what will be discussed. It also provides an opportunity for the Burns’ to ask questions and discover specific issues and topics that need covering in a local church. This time can often take place on Friday night or Saturday morning before any workshop sessions. A slightly different version can be done following the workshop.

Session 1: Culture and the Kingdom We are a multi-ethnic family of believers that live and function in a multi-cultural world, yet very few of us have any cross-cultural training.  This session instructs disciple in a very down-to-earth way what culture is and how it can cause conflicts if we’re unaware of the dynamic of culture clashes. It provides very easy-to-understand principles to guide individuals and a church body to cross in their cultural sensitivity, understanding, and communication.

Session 2: Race and the Kingdom This session answers questions like “Why talk about race and culture in the body of Christ?” and “Why are they so many conflicts revolving around race and historical perspectives?” It is necessary to understand a bit of history behind the racial conflict in our country as well as the role that religion has played in that conflict so that we can begin to have a better understanding of what it means to be God’s family of all people and nations in the world today and how to address the culture in which we find ourselves.

Session 3: How Does This Work (Optional) This session is optional, but recommended as well as adaptable to each local church body. It is highly interactive and typically involves breaking into small groups for directed discussion concerning the topics addressed in the first two sessions. This session is typically adapted to a group’s specific needs or desired outcomes based on the discussion from the pre-workshop leader’s session.

Sunday Sermon (Optional) If the full workshop was given on Saturday, then Michael is available to preach on Sunday. Typically, the sermon is a gospel based look at the heart behind being a light to the world or the mission that lay ahead and does not directly address the issues of race and culture that were the focus of the Saturday workshop.

Cost
Michael and MyCresha only ask that a church cover the cost of their travel expenses and host them for the weekend. Any honorarium or love offering beyond that is appreciated but never required.

Contact
For further questions or to inquire about setting up a Crossing the Line Workshop, please contact Michael Burns at miburns@sbcglobal.net or 920-470-0305.