"Culturally Relevant"

It’s not uncommon today for churches to place a high priority on being “culturally relevant,” without defining what that really means. At New Community Church our #1 Core Value speaks to this priority: “We must be culturally relevant in method without compromising the mission and message of the gospel.” So what is cultural relevance? It begins by recognizing the importance of “culture.” Every people group has a unique perspective, a unique set of values and customs; the members of that group function normally and unconsciously from within that culture. It’s impossible to be culturally relevant without being very intentional about culture. It’s frankly hard work (but very rewarding) to learn another perspective and gain the sensitivity to communicate and relate across a cultural divide. At the very least, cultural relevance involves building meaningful and compassionate bridges to other cultures. (NOTE: There is no such thing as a “Christian” or “Kingdom” culture; culture is an aspect of human personality. There are aspects of every culture that co-exist comfortable with Christian faith and others that seem to contradict the faith. Claims to represent a “Kingdom culture” is usually ways of saying, “Our culture is superior to yours.”)

A culturally relevant church is a “missionary church.” If you’ve ever known a missionary you’re aware of their preparation for building cultural bridges for the sake of the Gospel. They have to take time to learn the values and viewpoints of the people they are preparing to go to, understanding that the values of another culture are not inferior, they’re just different. They need to be able to see the world through the eyes of the “other” people so they can effectively communicate the Good News of Jesus into their world. The same is true for any local church wanting to be culturally relevant. Building cultural bridges requires cultural intelligence. We have to be honest about our own culture and recognize that it’s not better, it’s just different. We have to then identify which culture we want to build a bridge to, understanding that culture varies from region to region, community to community, generation to generation, ethnic group to ethnic group. In fact, economic “classes” also have unique and distinctive cultures. If we want to “cross over” with the Gospel, we must take the time to explore and experience the values and customs and perspectives that define each culture.

The apostle Paul is perhaps the best example of someone who valued cultural relevance and was willing to work hard at the communication and relationship skills needed to accomplish his mission. Before he began his mission Paul was the quintessential “Jew.” When writing to the Philippians he testified, “If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless” (Philippians 3:4-6). He was so convinced that his way (the way of the cultural values of Judaism) was the correct way, the right way, the good way, the best way, he was willing to imprison and execute anyone who posed any kind of threat to that “way of life.” Then he encountered the risen Christ, and was challenged to see the world and all the people in it from the perspective of Christ. “But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:7). His ability to see from the viewpoint of another people and to even speak as a representative from that new viewpoint earned him any number of enemies, those who now considered Paul a threat to their way of life. But because Paul was on a mission with Jesus, he was prepared to give it all up for the sake of the Gospel. He tried to explain his position to the Corinthian believers: “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). Paul’s commitment included more than normal (but challenging) cross-cultural issues and skills; he had to develop multicultural skills; in order for the church to truly represent God’s Kingdom, there had to be room for multiple cultures, for all the “nations.” The needed skills would take more than cultural sensitivity and competence, they would require special wisdom and grace from the Holy Spirit.

When a local church commits itself to cultural diversity, the need for cultural relevance goes to a whole new level. To once again use New Community Church as an example, our vision statement is this: “To be a loving community of diverse people in growing relationships with God, each other, and those who don’t know Jesus.” A commitment to “multiculturalism” for the sake of the Gospel of the Kingdom will take compassion, patience, commitment, and hard work. But it is all worth it when we see that, as a result, we are having a little bit of heaven on the way to heaven. After all, remember how the apostle John described heaven: “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).