Stoll 2010 A Culturally Appropriate Gospel Message (Part 1)

With a partner, think of the many internationals with whom you regularly come into contact. Now list their different nationalities. (1 min – GO!) Warm-up

Approximately what ___% of Fairfax Co. is foreign born? Guesstimate: What is the percentage of Internationals in the MBC lobby after a service? State our mission: “impact _______________ with the _______________________” Questions

Does the gospel message change when speaking to someone from a different nation or culture? Why or why not? The gospel never changes, but what we include and how we share it can change greatly. In this respect, the gospel can either be presented in a culturally relevant manner and be planted, or presented in a culturally irrelevant manner and ignored.

Goals Introduce some basics of cross cultural evangelism Discuss a process of salvation Introduce three foundational worldviews of mankind

Intro to CCM Equipping and encouraging –believers to reach out cc across their street –indigenous believers to reach out to those of their own community –sending those “called” as missionaries to the “ethnos”, locally or globally

Requires: –Leaving your comfort zone –Intentionally leaving behind your own cultural baggage –Crossing over into another culture for the sake of the gospel –May require language learning –Always requires cultural learning

Biblical Examples OT – Jonah NT – Paul Philip Peter

Paul vs. Philip What is the difference between a missionary and an evangelist? Primary calling is cross cultural…not dependent on location of mission work, but on reaching across cultural boundaries. Missions is incarnational evangelism

Sharing Across Cultures How do we effectively share the good news with those who are so different from us? –Assess how different their culture might be

The Culture Iceberg Feelings Values Authority RolesBeliefs Concepts of TruthMotivations Worldview Subjective Culture Objective Culture Food Greetings Clothing Eye Contact Initiative Time Consciousness Modified from A Beginner’s Guide to Crossing Cultures Patty Lane, IVP, 2002.

Sharing Across Cultures –Discover their concept of God We are not all at the same starting line Mainland Chinese vs Brazilian Catholic Devout Muslim

Sharing Across Cultures –Consider God’s process Be aware of the miraculous Appreciate the role of time and relationship Valuing the believers in the process –Discover their basic worldview Next three sessions Applying the appropriate medicine

Worldview The “total set of beliefs or assumptions that comprise the mind-set of an individual and determine what they believe and how they behave.” Our world view is the spectacles through which we see and interpret reality, shaping the way we relate to God, self, others, and creation. Allen and Miller, The Forest in the Seed, 2006; Corbett and Fikkert, When Helping Hurts, 2009

Worldview A framework, profile or map of ideas that you use to explain and interact with life around you.

The Culture Iceberg Feelings Values Authority RolesBeliefs Concepts of TruthMotivations Worldview Subjective Culture Objective Culture Food Greetings Clothing Eye Contact Initiative Time Consciousness Modified from A Beginner’s Guide to Crossing Cultures Patty Lane, IVP, 2002.

Ethnographic interviews/ many models Difficulty with global application One model suggests looking more closely at sin Worldview

When Adam and Eve rebelled in the garden, what happened? Eyes opened - Guilt Hid - Shame Afraid - Fear

Muller suggests three results or responses to sin (Genesis 3) Guilt – Broken law Fear – Broken trust Shame – Broken relationship

Today’s cultures are rooted in these three results of sin –Form basic building blocks of worldviews –Three primary colors If we can grasp the underlying results of sin that a person is grappling with, we can know how to apply the gospel as a remedy

Guilt In a position of guilt before God There is a seeking of innocence Foundational to western thought

Fear In a position of fear before God There is a seeking of power Animism and folk religions – Tribal peoples in Central and South America, Africa and the Far East

Shame In a position of shame before God There is a seeking of honor Muslim world, Asia, South America

God Speaks The Bible clearly speaks to all three worldviews The “good news” should address the underlying worldview of the listener

Next Session Detailed look at the fear-based worldview How the gospel addresses this condition Discuss “best practices” for this worldview