Missionaries and Respect for the Native Culture

I found this comment on another blog, and it struck home for me. The commenter, Egana, said: If we were missionaries in a foreign culture, we would be very careful to learn the ins and outs of that culture for the sake of our representation of Christ to them. So how does one reconcile Biblical mandates and cultural expectations in ones own native culture, for the sake of the gospel?

If foreign missionaries go to school, classes, and have intensive, in-depth studies on how to relate to whatever culture they're going into -- and how best to introduce the gospel in that particular culture -- then why, oh, why, don't home missionaries have the same thing?

Considering that every single one of us is a missionary either home or abroad, we really must find a way to talk about Jesus without making the surrounding culture hate us. If missionaries have to make cultural adjustments abroad, then we should have to make them at home as well. What is the very best way in the world to share the gospel with other people? The way that Jesus Himself used: through relationships and friendships. We can't be afraid to make friends with the unbelievers, the way so many Christians are. Jesus wasn't afraid to. Why are we?

Also, foreign missionaries don't push their beliefs onto the natives. Why do we? They don't picket in front of the foreign city halls for the land to change its laws -- they know they are the foreigners, the guests, of that country. So are we, as believers in Christ. They work through befriending others and gradually introducing those people to Christ through their own examples and their own lives. So should we. They don't have smear campaigns complaining about the leaders of those countries; neither should we. They work, within their own circle of people, to change hearts through loving others. So should we.

I'm not saying that Christians shoudn't be involved with politics. I'm saying that in the USA, our involvement is all wrong. What good does it do to picket in front of an abortion clinic -- all it does is make people mad. Is that what we want them to think about people who follow Christ? It does far more good to actually befriend the young, unwed mothers; that way, not only do they actually get to see the love of Christ instead of seeing a bunch of self-righteous Christians yelling hateful things at them, but you also get a chance to offer them other solutions (Crisis Pregnancy Center, anyone?) that they may not be able to find on their own.

Why do so many pastors preach sermons on how much God hates homosexuality? News flash: God hates ALL sin. Luckily for us, he loves all the sinners, up to and yes, even including, the homosexuals. What good does it do to tell a homosexual that s/he's a sinner? Unless it's in the context of everyone being a sinner, and that everyone struggles with sin, but that God can save us from its ultimate consequences -- it does no good, and lately gets you called homophobic. It does a heck of a lot more good to actually befriend the gay people; get to know them, and demonstrate God's love for them; that way, not only can you justly and scornfully refute charges of hate speech, but also disproves the "homophobic" accusation. And even if they never come to Christ, you'll have made some good friends.

When I was growing up, I used to hear the catchphrase all the time: "Christianity isn't a religion; it's a relationship." Unfortunately, I did not see that relationship demonstrated very much as I was growing up. And now that I have grown up, I have come to realize that, alas, the Christianity that most of us are familiar with is a religion, and that there is far too little relationship of any sort involved with it.

Truly following Christ has nothing of the religion aspect to it. Truly followng Christ is ALL about relationships: us with God, and us with other people.

If you are not loving others, befriending them, getting to know them, and helping them "bear their burdens," then you're not really witnessing. And if you're not showing respect for the culture that you're a missionary in -- even if it's your own! -- then you're probably just turning people off.