discovering culture...

God is part of culture, has made Himself known in culture, and is working through culture. He sets the example in that He enters a foreign place to bring a foreign message and aims to communicate it in forms that make sense; not only linguistically, but in understanding, meaning, and form. When considering effective work in foreign cultures, translation of meaning is more critical than linguistic translation. When meaning is conveyed, grasped, and understood, we are able to operate most effectively among the host culture. The dynamic equivalent (meaning for meaning) illustrates the most effective form of communication in all sectors of life; personal and mass. When the gospel is effectively communicated, missionaries are able to communicate Christ through culture without asking them to compromise their culture. For effective ministry to remain and sustain, culture will be the vehicle by which the gospel is sustained and transmitted.

1. M’s should not determine the dynamic equivalent. This should be determined in meaning and conveyed in meaning by those within the culture.

2. Expressions of faith must remain very Christian and yet very true to the culture. If the gospel is seen as something from another culture it will be not received unless it has a direct benefit to the host culture.

3. When sharing the gospel, the M must be attentive to preach Christ and not Christian culture.

4. Recognition of diversity in culture can be a unifying bond in the faith. M’s need to celebrate differences when appropriate.

5. The dynamic equivalent of faith must be the central expression of faith locally within targeted culture. M’s must work with the culture to discover what it will be.

God in Culture...

God is in culture. It's the tool that He's chosen to communicate Himself by. What's crazy is that

God, is a-cultural (unless you consider HOLY His culture). That's not the crazy part. The fact that

He is absent of culture and yet crosses all cultural lines and is able to relate culturally

appropriate and relative is what's incredible!

He is above culture and yet chooses to work through it. Makes one wonder on the value of

studying one's surrounding when it comes to effectiveness in out reach and service to others of

a different culture; whether it be a ethnic, social, spiritual, different age or class. God can

perfectly relate to everyone, at anytime, and in any place.

There is great value in diversity. I think that's simple to praise and difficult to embrace; for some

impossible. That may be why we're so far behind and slipping by the day, hour, and moment.

Cultural relevance is critical unless we withdraw from the culture altogether - it happens. Xn

school, Xn college, Xn job, Xn fast food, etc. One could literally live among a culture and yet be

absent to it.

This is true not only in spiritual terms but in social ones as well. Consider a foreigner moving to

a new city with new rules, customs, and people. One could easily navigate and make contact

with culture only when necessary and then withdraw just as easily. It happens, we all know that

guy.

Let's not forsake what is. Let's see how God is operating among the broken and see what He's teaching us

on how to love people where they are. Not embrace the sin of the culture, embrace the sinner that Christ

died for. We don't change people, God does. God and His culture of Holiness does.

Thoughts on culture, anthropology, and other stuff...

So I'm in the middle of finishing my masters; over the next few months, some excerpts will be from some of my working thesis...enjoy!

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Often times, culture and ethnicity are commonly mistaken for being the same thing. However, culture does not equal ethnicity. Culture crosses all lines of race, class, socio economics, and even ethnicities.

Because all aspects of life evidence culture, one’s culture is a learned process of incorporative behaviors, languages, responses, and beliefs (enculturation).

Learned culture will begin to lead to the most effective forms of communicating, thus creating clearer opportunities for the gospel to be shared. However significant enculturation may be, it’s critical to maintain that biblical culture will always supplant any and all cultural ethics. Often times, this will lead to problems, especially when biblical culture is in direct opposition to the culture being engaged by the missionary/church planter.