canadians are known worldwide as a fairly easy-going, self-effacing people. just watch how canadians are charicatured in films and television shows. we dodge the big deal. we avoid banquets held in our honour. we make funny remarks to counter someone else’s thanks... (for some more canadiana, go here)
our self-consciousness is cultural.
look within the story of the early church and you will find glaring examples of cultural attitudes that divide the people Jesus had been dying to unite. (Acts 11.1-18)
and we’re not alone in that.
look within the story of the early church and you will find glaring examples of cultural attitudes that divide the people Jesus had been dying to unite. (Acts 11.1-18)
peter receives this vision from God where real people are relegated to deplorable eats. it's not that God has reduced people to this. God speaks to peter in pictures that peter recognizes and peter's cultural perspective on non-jewish persons recognizes the symbolism of the gross animals. God intends for that to change. the future of the church is at stake, so God paints peter a dream picture and then interprets it for him. after some initial push back, peter gets it and sets out to do what God is calling him to, even though it is culturally uncomfortable for him.
but there is another perspective here: that of the unsavoury animals.
the non-jewish people ('gentiles') would also recognize the symbolism in peter's vision, for they've been treated as such for millennia. even during the times of exile when the rulers of the land have been non-jewish, there has been a sense of spiritual and cultural arrogance expressed in the behaviours and practices of the jewish people. there has been a line drawn that has created an animosity on either side of the line towards the other. this is why God gives a complementary vision of an angel to cornelius, the non-jewish guy to whose house peter is being sent .
because the attitudes on both sides of a line of segregation
are informed by the line itself.
so does this sound like the line between born-agains and non-believers?
see, as long as the people who don't subscribe to the evangelical christian worldview feel marginalized and looked down upon (with gentile-type labels like nonbeliever, heathen, sinner, joe six-pack, unchurched harry etc) there will still be reticence regarding the overtures of love offered to them. when people don't feel beautiful or loved, it's hard to receive love messages without doubting their sincerity...
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When the church fails to break the cultural barrier, both sides lose. Those who need the gospel message of hope and the reality of love, don’t get it, and the isolated church keeps evangelizing the same people over and over until its only mission finally is to entertain itself... When the church transcends culture, it can transform culture.
(Charles Colson)
(Charles Colson)
5 comments:
"When the church fails to break the cultural barrier, both sides lose. Those who need the gospel message of hope and the reality of love, don’t get it, and the isolated church keeps evangelizing the same people over and over until its only mission finally is to entertain itself... When the church transcends culture, it can transform culture.(Charles Colson)"
I find it interesting that lines have existed throughout the years and therefore have continued to cause such division.
And now this quote has me thinking about the fact churches can fall into that trap of simply evangelizing the same people over and over again & this eventually becoming simply an entertainment tool. The sad fact to me is that in the end, more "enemy" lines end up be drawn through disconnects which occur through stagnation.
That all being said, I've been thinking a lot on about needing to be a person who is willing to meet people where they are. To essentially cross the line...may not being doing any "evangelizing" per say, but simply step into stride and walk alongside someone, just being in their life. Really that often does evangelizing than you might ever know. And I believe it slowly brings forth tranformation, both in how the world sees the church and in how I see the church.
"The sad fact to me is that in the end, more "enemy" lines end up be drawn through disconnects which occur through stagnation." (Cinder)
right, jaylynne... except that i think the disconnects are not only of the stagnation variety. often they open up because people HAVEN'T just left well enough alone. somehow we get in there and presume to have an answer, a fix, for someone else's situation.
dareisay living Jesus' name might actually be a more effective method than indescrimiately sharing in seeking to somehow participate in the realization of a restored state of shalom in our world?
"except that i think the disconnects are not only of the stagnation variety. often they open up because people HAVEN'T just left well enough alone. somehow we get in there and presume to have an answer, a fix, for someone else's situation." (Jollybeggar)
NICE...I was in a discussion about this one the other day. Yeah, you are right...often the knee jerk response is to get in there and fix things, have the answer, when in reality God's the only one who has it.
For me, where I'm at and moving towards, my place is just be there living life together with people. I think that lives and shines His name more so than anything I could ever offer through answers & whatever else that I have no business throwing out there. Love, friendship & plain doing life together bring forth something powerful.
But those are just the thoughts coming from where I'm being directed right now...
"To essentially cross the line...may not being doing any "evangelizing" per say, but simply step into stride and walk alongside someone, just being in their life. "(Cinder)
Amen!! I believe that living your life along side others as Christ wants us to live is by far the best evanglizing(even though I need to work on this as well). Because even words do not change a person's heart, it is always through the Holy Spirit that the heart is changed. We are merely conduits of the Holy Spirit to be present whereever we are for God's Glory. Actions are louder than words.
1Cor13:1(1If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.)
What is a Clanging cymbal if there is no Love behind it...only but noise in an already noisy world!!!
Just a side note about lines, I think we need to look at the lines built within the Body of Christ, not just between the believers and non believers. Barriers need to be broken, and we all need to work as one, and tear down the brick walls that have divided the BODY to work as one for God's Kingdom on earth!
p.s. I need to think of a better name for posting too, any ideas :)
"Because even words do not change a person's heart, it is always through the Holy Spirit that the heart is changed." (BL4JC)
lest any man should boast
"...we need to look at the lines built within the Body of Christ, not just between the believers and non believers." (BL4JC)
yes. as long as we're spouting off scripture here, lets try on ephesians 4
unity is a huge part of the calling we've received.
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4.1-4)
it's not even 'just a paul thing.' Jesus said
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
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