Lesson 4: Mapping the Players and Core Foci¶

Course/series¶

Community & Worldview Fieldbook

Audience¶

Field workers needing to identify local spiritual authorities
Teams mapping cultural priorities and influence patterns
Supervisors planning responsible ministry engagement

Purpose¶

Help learners map local spiritual players and contrast the culture’s core foci with the biblical worldview.

Learning objectives¶

Identify key local spiritual authorities and their roles
Describe the community’s core foci and how they shape behavior
Compare those core foci with biblical priorities

Core principle¶

Understanding local authority figures and core priorities is essential for gospel witness that is both respectful and spiritually aware.

Field problem¶

Workers may miss how local leaders and core cultural goals shape what people believe, making Gospel communication blind to the community’s actual concerns.

Key concepts¶

Spiritual players: monks, healers, amulets, elders
Core foci: surviving, avoiding bad karma, earning merit
Biblical priorities: grace, repentance, obedience, love

Practical framework¶

Use the Spiritual Players Profile and a core foci chart to map authority, influence, and local priorities alongside Gospel truth.

The Four-System Worldview Model¶

System	Core value	What it drives	Field implication
Economy System (Wealth)	Material wealth, survival, sustenance	Food, clothing, shelter, cash production	Address economic needs and how they shape spiritual choices.
Karma/Merit System (Merit)	Earning blessing, good luck, future standing	Spiritual merit, ritual performance, reciprocity	Show how grace differs from merit-based religion.
Kinship System (Support Network)	Social harmony and community safety	Family honor, group belonging, relational support	Respect communal ties while explaining Gospel community.
Power System (Control)	Controlling fate and appeasing spiritual forces	Authority, rituals, protective practices	Engage spiritual players without reinforcing fear-based control.

Scenario or case exercise¶

A community gives clear power to a traditional healer, yet workers continue teaching only through foreign church authority, missing the healer’s role.

Checklist or worksheet¶

List the top local spiritual players
Record their influence, claims, and community role
Note the culture’s driving priorities and how they compare to biblical values

Discussion questions¶

Who holds spiritual influence in this community?
What core priority does the community seek most strongly?
How can the Gospel address local priorities without replacing local identity unnecessarily?

Field assignment¶

Complete a Spiritual Players Profile for one community authority figure and chart the local core foci you observed.

Reviewer notes¶

Validate the mapped players with trusted local sources to avoid misrepresenting authority structures.

Risk/disclaimer notes¶

This material is for educational purposes and is not legal, medical, tax, accounting, counseling, or security advice. Consult qualified professionals before adopting policies or making high-risk decisions.