Evangelizing America in 2009
A few days ago I had a remarkable missionary lady in my home. She has worked among the Chinese most of her adult life, and she knows their ways well. In many respects she is more Chinese than American. We also had over that evening a new friend from Mexico. This friend is not yet a believer, but is a well educated Mexican, who is trying to adjust to the United States as a place to live and work. As Christmas was near, and it seemed a natural way to “evangelize,” this missionary asked the Mexican if he knew what Christmas was really about.
The missionary was assuming that Mexicans were like the Chinese that she had known; completely unaware of the basic message and story of the gospel. But this cultural ignorance was actually an impediment to communicating with our new friend. It was as if he was being talked down to, rather than genuinely being asked if he understood the message behind Christmas. No slight was intended, but there would have been every reason for umbrage to have been taken.
How similar our presumption that other races and cultures do not understand the Lord at all. They may not yet know the story in our terms, but as Romans 1 makes clear, God will find a way to communicate Himself to those who honestly seek him. As we reach across cultures, it is vital that we learn to start where they have already started.
In India, we know evangelists who use the Hindu scriptures to help point people to Jesus. All across the Moslem world, God is revealing Himself to Muslims in dreams and visions where they come to understand that the Jesus of the Koran is the Lord of the Universe, as well as the miracle worker they already believe Him to be.
This is equally vital for us to understand within the American context. Most American have now rejected the God of evangelicalism and televangelists. But this does not mean that they have rejected the Jesus of the gospels. On the contrary, most are fascinated by Jesus, but confused how anything Jesus said or did can be linked with what they see of consumer centric “Christianity.”
When we humble ourselves to both learn from as well as share with our “not-yet-Christian” friends, we may find that they are more ready to “receive” Christ than we had ever imagined.
The missionary was assuming that Mexicans were like the Chinese that she had known; completely unaware of the basic message and story of the gospel. But this cultural ignorance was actually an impediment to communicating with our new friend. It was as if he was being talked down to, rather than genuinely being asked if he understood the message behind Christmas. No slight was intended, but there would have been every reason for umbrage to have been taken.
How similar our presumption that other races and cultures do not understand the Lord at all. They may not yet know the story in our terms, but as Romans 1 makes clear, God will find a way to communicate Himself to those who honestly seek him. As we reach across cultures, it is vital that we learn to start where they have already started.
In India, we know evangelists who use the Hindu scriptures to help point people to Jesus. All across the Moslem world, God is revealing Himself to Muslims in dreams and visions where they come to understand that the Jesus of the Koran is the Lord of the Universe, as well as the miracle worker they already believe Him to be.
This is equally vital for us to understand within the American context. Most American have now rejected the God of evangelicalism and televangelists. But this does not mean that they have rejected the Jesus of the gospels. On the contrary, most are fascinated by Jesus, but confused how anything Jesus said or did can be linked with what they see of consumer centric “Christianity.”
When we humble ourselves to both learn from as well as share with our “not-yet-Christian” friends, we may find that they are more ready to “receive” Christ than we had ever imagined.
Views: 3
Tags: Evangelism, culturally, relevant
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Comment by Lowell T. Warren on January 1, 2009 at 3:00pm -
Well said Tony. God Bless.
pastor warren
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Comment by Birgit on January 3, 2009 at 10:17pm -
Tony,
I could not agree more with your statement about the American context. I grew up in Germany and believe God has called me to this country, in particular the Pacific Northwest, to share about Jesus and the Father with people, not Christianity of the type most people who are not Christians have experienced, there is so much baggage with the term Christian it's a miracle anyone can get past that. I'm thinking about whether to just call myself a Jesus-freak or something like that. :)
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Comment by Bruce G. on January 5, 2009 at 7:30pm -
Birgit, I sympathize - I never call myself a Christian when talking with lost people. I often say that I am am follower of Jesus. Or I say that I am studying the teachings of the most fascinating spiritual teacher I ever read... the person they call Jesus. I will sometimes say something like "when you read the original sayings and teachings, they are so amazing and powerful..." many people are open to such a non-religious approach.
I was telling the lady that cut my hair last week that I gather with some friends to have a meal together, and pray together, and talk about these things, and she did not appear to have ever heard it put that way before.
I told her that house church was roughly where home schooling was 10 or 15 years ago... under the radar, but that soon, more & more people will know someone who is doing it.
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Comment by Audrey Lintner on April 27, 2009 at 10:16am -
Great comments here abut less offensive communicating to those who reject "Christianity" due to numerous reasons from negative experiences in their lives. Another suggestion is to use the term "Hebrew writings, or Hebrew Scriptures" instead of the Old Testament when speaking of predictions of Jesus hundreds of years testifying to His life and purpose. Why? since "old" in our culture implies no longer important or passe, over the hill--rather than valuable due to its ancientness. Jesus and the apostles referred to these Hebrew scriptures many, many times and did not have to call them "Old" since the "New" testament was not in circulation when they wrote and spoke. We need to keep using the Hebrew scriptures as God intendid to
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