“I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some.” I Corinthians 9:22b
In all walks of life, most of us tend to gravitate towards people we know, understand, and relate to. Crossing barriers of culture, race, and worldview is not something that comes naturally to most people. Yet that is what God calls every one of us to do as we fulfill his vision for the Church. The Apostle Paul says,
“There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28).
Paul makes it clear that the Church of Jesus Christ is one and that there are to be no distinctions in ethnicity or gender. Christ intends that we overcome cultural, racial and worldview barriers and display to the world a love for others that only God can produce. There are several reasons for this. The first reason is that a globally unified Church is what will cause the world to know the love of Christ and believe in His name. In the Gospel of John, we read Jesus’ prayer for all believers,
“My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” John 17:20-23
Secondly, crossing cultural, ethnic and worldview barriers is what the Apostle Paul modelled for us and is how he expressed his freedom in Christ. He worked hard to understand the culture and customs of those he was working with and conform to their way of life. He says,
“Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those 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. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:19-23
It is clear that Paul would always do whatever he could to make the gospel, the good news of Christ, understandable and accessible for all people. Finally, when we join in with people of all nations to worship God, we are aligning ourselves with God’s overarching plan for creation. The Apostle John gives us a glimpse into our future with Christ when he writes,
“After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’” Revelation 7:9-10
Thus we see how important it is to build bridges to all cultures and peoples, but often it is difficult to know how to do it. Here are few key concepts to keep in mind when reaching out to those of another culture:
Be a learner: Show a real interest in the other person’s culture and background. Ask them questions about their people. Visit their family or hometown. Try to learn how to speak their language (at least a few phrases). Ask them to teach you about how they view life. Everyone likes to teach an interested friend about their people and worldview. This breaks down barriers that just naturally develop between different cultures.
Develop understanding: When exposed to different customs honestly try to understand them. Make it your goal to understand not only what they do, but why they do it. To the outsider, some actions might seem illogical. But in reality, every culture has a logic to why they do what they do. The challenge is to try to grasp that logic and develop bonds of mutual understanding that build relational trust.
Be humble: When we don’t understand someone else’s beliefs and values it is easy to foster feelings of superiority. Instead, it is important to speak truth to ourselves and realise that our ways are not better than their ways, they are just different. Humility isn’t putting yourself down in front of others, rather it is looking at yourself realistically and with extreme honesty. There is always the possibility that you might be wrong about something. Be willing to consider the other side and be ready to admit when you a make a mistake. Truly value the opinions and views of others, which will allow relational trust to grow and develop.
Be aware of cultural assumptions: Once we overcome cultural barriers and establish trust, we can move toward discipleship with those of a different culture. However, we must be aware of how our cultural assumptions are different from those we are serving. Some cultures focus on knowledge, where others tend to focus on behavior. Some are individualistic while others tend toward collectivism. Our approach should be shaped by these cultural emphases so that people’s lives are actually transformed. Cultures and individuals also have different learning styles. Some learn best by doing and others by memorization. Some are relational learners and others are analytical. Be a student of the culture and adjust your methods to fit your local context. Don’t be afraid to adapt things repeatedly until you see change happening in the lives of those with whom you are working.
The task of cross-cultural discipleship may seem daunting – but don’t let the fear of failure stop you from trying. You will make mistakes, but don’t let that get you down. Rather, just keep trying, loving and listening and God will bring success in His time and for His glory.