Making Sense of Culture

Changing

1 Understanding Culture: The Starting Point *How God created each person Gen. 1:26-27; Eccl. 3:11; Rom. 2:15 *How God designed mankind Acts 17:24-28

1 Understanding Culture: The Starting Point God created everything and everyone All humans have the same ‘father’ God determines when and where we live God’s purpose in His design is that people would seek and hopefully find Him

2 What is Culture? Artifacts, institutions and conventions by which people define, sustain and enrich their lives Our non-biological heritage A group’s attempt to provide meaning and structure to living The social “soup” we swim in

Local Culture Family Relationships Courtship * Authority * Time Social Structure * Commerce Courtship * Authority * Time Social Structure * Commerce Manners * Work Obvious Culture Clothing * Language * Food Celebrations * Stories * Music Art

Foundational Culture (worldview) God * Death * Purpose Morality * Nature * History Cosmology

ObviousCulture Local Culture Foundation Culture (Worldview) 2 What is Culture?

3 Why Cultures Change Time Internal Reasons –Poverty, prosperity, war –Social/spiritual transformation External Reasons –Collision with other cultures/ideas

4 The Christian Perspective Christ and Culture (Relationship) –Christ Transcends Culture –Christ Trumps Culture –Christ Transforms Culture Christ and Culture (History) –Missions (Acts 14:8-20; 15:1-35) –Bible translation

4 The Christian Perspective Christ-centered Education –“... must emphasize the cost of discipleship, the absolute claim of God over our entire life, the necessity of a faith that issues forth in obedience, and our belonging to an alternative culture shaped by the kingdom of Jesus.”

5 The Christian Response Appreciate/Discern your own culture Appreciate/Discern other cultures God’s Purpose -> My Purpose –Common Grace –Saving Grace

Making Sense of Culture Changing