How our piety influences the contextualization of 3ABC
By Bruce Keisling July 16, 2006
What a week we had last week with the resurrection of all the elders for the discussion on whether or not we are missional. Had I known that it would generate such a response, I might have brought it up, except that I am really still so under-informed about “missional.”
In the last couple days though, I have thought about Greg’s post about Niebuhr and culture and the general direction of churches I may be familiar with. If some are too cozy with culture and some are too hostile to it, can we be in some faithful but effective middle place? Is it possible? One reader wrote to me giving me some references to Tim Keller that I need to read. Indeed, Keller apparently reminds us that even as we conduct services in English we contextualize and embrace a culture. Are we even aware of the ways that we embrace a culture?
One way that I think 3ABC can successfully migrate the cultural reefs that threaten to wreck us is to routinely contemplate our piety and how it leads us to relate to those outside (or visiting) our church. In thinking about our “piety”, I think that our piety admits that God is good and sovereign even when there are cultural forces that oppose us. We are therefore not surprised, upset, or necessarily angry that some cultural elements are in opposition to our Biblical values. We do not therefore routinely decry from the pulpit the crises facing our culture. But I also think that our piety requires us to be true to who we are and the cultures and gifts we bring to the body and our communities. Being honest about who we are and not necessarily adopting someone else’s culture can actually show respect and the power of the gospel to those who are different from us. I think that the goal should be to communicate to those outside the church (and those visiting) that we love them and want to communicate with them. Sometimes that may mean adopting their dress and language. An even more powerful witness may actually be that I would want to communicate to someone different from myself that I love them and that God loves them. It could only be the gospel that really enables that.
Our piety therefore admits that God is good and sovereign even if there are cultural forces opposed to us. We are therefore not angry. Our piety also admits that God’s love and power in the gospel can transcend and be communicated despite our cultural differences. We are therefore not slavish to culture.