MISSIONS AND CULTURE

The early missionaries (eg, in the nineteenth century) did a wonderful job of reaching the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They sacrificed themselves to make Christ known and, for that, they are to be highly commended.

Some missionaries, however, made the incorrect assumption that British or American culture was civilised and godly, while the people they were trying to reach lived in un-civilised, un-godly cultures. The result was that, along with the Gospel, they imposed a foreign culture.

In all cultures, there are things that are good and things that are not so good. Even in Aussie culture, we can identify some good things(eg, a sense of fairness, equality for all, mateship) and some bad things (eg, alcohol abuse, gambling, negative attitudes towards authority.)

Missionaries are now much more conscious of their own cultural blindspots. This enables them to see redemptive features in the cultures where they are working. In other words, they find the customs and rituals that actually point to Christ. God loves diversity and He has an infinite range of expressions for His truth. The Word of God then clarifies and explains these things, pointing people to God the Father, creator of all things, and to Christ, the one and only Saviour.

Christian missionaries should indeed bring new culture wherever they go. But it must be Christian culture, not the culture of their home lands. And they should pray constantly for wisdom to understand this vital difference!

ALL THINGS DECENTLY AND IN ORDER

1 Corinthians 14:40 says: “Let all things be done decently and in order.” What does this mean for Christian culture? Some Christians seem to think that man-made organisation stifles the Holy Spirit, and that we should simply let the Holy Spirit do His thing, no matter what chaos might ensue.

John 3:8 is a favourite verse for those who want man to take his hands off God’s Church. “The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.” The passage actually refers to those who are “born of the Spirit”, rather than the Holy Spirit himself, but even so, the verse does not imply chaos and confusion.

Some churches allow (and, in fact, encourage) a great deal of congregational participation in their whole-church gatherings. In other churches, the minister does everything, from beginning to end, and the congregation merely speaks and sings what is written in their liturgy or hymnbooks. Either way, someone, usually the senior minister, is ultimately responsible for the right and proper running of church meetings.

Even in his discussion of spiritual gifts in Christian gatherings, Paul insists on certain constraints. Two or three can bring a message in tongues but someone must interpret. Two prophetic messages cannot operate at the same time in the same group.

Paul is not putting himself over and above the Holy Spirit but he recognises that God is  a God of order.

In our homes, our work/school and our church, Christian culture requires an orderliness that honours God and allows things to be done with maximum effectiveness. The Holy Spirit is not opposed to good policy and planning. To follow His leading is not to abandon common sense.