Understanding The Culture Around You

In our ever changing society, culture is a dominating factor. Culture infuses everything from values, to lifestyle, ways of communicating and family structure. Social characteristics including mannerisms, styles of dress, and response to authority can be affected by culture.

When it comes to evangelism our mission to win souls is more successful when we take into consideration the values of varying cultures. We have been given a mandate to evangelize the world and that means reaching out to diverse cultural groups. Educating ourselves about the uniqueness of various cultures will help to facilitate evangelism and encourage cultural diversity in churches desiring genuine apostolic growth.

Jesus recognized the importance of culture awareness in John Chapter 4 when He met the Samaritan woman at the well. He knew there were relationship issues between the Jewish and Samaritan people. The Jews would walk around Samaria rather than walking through that land, but Jesus became the connecting piece by intentionally going through Samaria. He reached beyond the cultural, racial, and gender barriers that had so easily paralyzed others.

In our own dealings with other cultures, we should model our Savior. We must remember that the only way to reach cultures outside of our own is to be intentional in our efforts.

We must be the ones to pursue the relationship. Jesus initiated dialogue, which gave him the opportunity to share the good news. He didn't allow tradition or the words and opinions of others to hinder him from establishing a relationship with the woman at the well.

This is not always easy. Working with other cultures outside of our own can make us feel uncomfortable and insecure. Again, we can look to the example of Jesus to learn how to feel more secure in our dealings.

On the road to Emaeaus, Jesus walked, talked and ate with them. He was proactive and took the initiative to reach out. He earned the right to speak into their lives by being transparent, interested and intentional. Likewise, we must push past any feelings of discomfort or culture shock.

Culture shock occurs when a new and diverse environment produces anxiety and a sense of not knowing what is appropriate or inappropriate. It is also emotional discomfort expressed when everything is different from ones place of origin. Culture shock can be directly responsible for phobias, the development of stereotypes and feelings of insecurity, resentment, and vulnerability.

But by incorporating various cultures into our churches, celebrating diversity and working together, we can not only battle culture shock but also fulfill God's will to spread the gospel to all nations.

Here are some pointers to help facilitate revival in your local assembly:

1. Examine your hearts to ensure that you are aligned with God's heart when it comes to loving all people and that there are not prejudgments because of bad experiences from the past.
2. Pray for each member of the assembly that they would have a heart to love God and their neighbor and teach people to love their neighbor as they would themselves. Reiterate that we all are children of God and that Jesus loves everyone the same.
3. Teach on diversity, showing how the Kingdom of God is diverse in people, nations, and culture.
4. Find ways to ease any insecurity in guests from other ethnic groups by being accommodating to them.
5. If racial comments are made in the church, correct the action and use it as a learning tool to help the individual or the church. You cannot tolerate insensitive and discriminating racial remarks.
6. Don't try to emulate another culture group by using their language to fit in with the group as this can appear to be racially insensitive. Be careful not to try to use lingo you are unfamiliar with and just be who God made you.
7. Don't make race a major issue, but also don't make those in the minority feel out of place by minimizing race if there is an issue. Correct the problem, but focus on making it a "people issue" rather than a "race issue."
8. Don't over look differences, celebrate them. Cultural differences should be identified, affirmed and celebrated. Consider hosting and "All Nations Sunday" event.
9. Became an ambassador of another culture as the bible call us to be ministers of reconciliation.
10. Learn from other cultures. Each race has inherent gifts that are unique to that group.
11. Discern your community and the needs surrounding the church.
12. Find someone from that culture that can mentor you. That person should be one who understands the culture, the people and the area in which you are based.
13. Avoid using adjectives to describe people, for example a "white child" or "black child." Instead, use the individual's name.

Diversity in a church is not an accident, but an intentional effort. The church must be committed to creating an atmosphere of inclusion where diversity is not just tolerated, but is celebrated. God places certain people in a local body for a purpose and with an intention.

Creating a diverse church takes strategic planning, insight and prayer to work through the various challenges. But it is not only possible, it is required.