There is a real tendency to think that the way we do it and the way we learned it must be the right way. The songs we sing, the methods of outreach we use, the style of our services, and everything else are far too often based, not on the word of God, but the culture and traditions that we are accustomed to.
Missionaries are especially prone to that. As an American I tend to think that the way American churches do it must be the right way. Others have this same problem and all over the world there are American churches set in the most un-American of cultures. People here think of those churches as, “that American church.”
We err in this. It is not our task to take our nationality with our gospel. Within the bounds of the word of God we must be willing to become all things to all men, in order to win a few. We can not violate scriptures or tolerate sin, no matter where the church is, but we need not make becoming an American a condition for becoming a Christian.
Many of our customs and traditions are fine, in their place. But they are not the gospel and should never be substituted for it or added to it. We must, following Paul’s example, becoming all things to all men in order to win some.
No comments:
Post a Comment