by Gami Ortiz
Pepsi’s slogan in 1963-67 read, “Come alive with the Pepsi generation.” However, in Taiwan, it was translated as, “Pepsi will bring your ancestors back from the dead.” Clearly, something got lost in translation! Unfortunately, there can be much confusion, misinterpretation, and even unintended offense in communicating across cultures. Culture itself is a language that must be studied and understood in order to communicate properly within its context. It is also only through proper contextualization of the gospel message that people can fully grasp and embrace Christ. As Missions Emphasis week continues, we’ve had the privilege of hearing some neat stories of the gospel being taken into other cultures around the world.
Culture is a difficult word to define because there are so many elements to it. Broken down simply, it is a people’s way of life, their design for living, their way of coping with their biological, physical, and social environment. It is the set of lenses through which a particular people observe the world and their surroundings. There can be such differences from one culture to the next that it creates an obstacle for good gospel communication – not a road block, but a hurdle. Perhaps the gravest misrepresentation of the gospel occurs when Christianity is communicated as a method of worship or particular practice of faith that must be adopted. This hits only at the surface-level behaviors. There are some evangelization movements that present the gospel as nothing more than behavior modification. Behavior is an expression of a culture’s values, beliefs, and at the deepest level, its worldview. So, if something, in this case the gospel message, is only aimed at the behavior, it will most likely be in opposition to some aspect of that culture’s worldview, which will ultimately win over. The behavior will be abandoned because there is no depth to the understanding of the gospel message.
Jesus aimed his message at the very heart of culture. When asked questions, he gave an answer that struck at the worldview. In so doing, he promoted a reevaluation of their values and beliefs at a deeper level that had the potential to effect change. In addition, when communicating kingdom truths, Jesus adapted the form of the message to ensure the proper meaning was conveyed. As a result, the message was not typically the same. To Nicodemus, his message was at an intellectual level. To the Samaritan woman, it was aimed at her need for healing. To the prostitute, it was enveloped in forgiveness. He discerned the level of understanding in those to whom he was speaking and began communicating at that level.
Paul the apostle also exemplifies the biblical approach to contextualizing the gospel in his approach to missions. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, he outlines that in order to reach people, he became culturally relevant to them:
To the Jews, I became like a Jew, to win the Jews… To those not having the law, I became like one not having the law… To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people, so that by all possible means I might save some.
In Acts 17:18-31, Paul also preaches to Athenian philosophers. During his discourse, Paul communicates in terminology and style that appeals to the Greek mind. In so doing, he contextualized the gospel. Not changed it - but communicated it in a way that spoke to the way people viewed the world.
This aspect of contextualizing the gospel is one major aspect of what our missionaries have to do overseas. We’ve had the opportunity to hear some of that from them personally this week through Missions Emphasis. But this doesn’t just happen overseas. The United States isn’t exactly a homogenous bunch of people with the same culture, perspective, or worldview. We would do well to be students of culture in our own backyards for the good of the gospel. I pray that we are also challenged by the missionaries we’ve heard from this week in how we might advance the gospel here in Lafayette, Indiana. As a community of disciple-makers towards the Great Commission, how can we contextualize the gospel for those in our circle of influence - personally and corporately?
