My friend Paul DeNeui who has been a missionary here in Thailand gave me this picture. It was painted by a Buddhist Background artist Frank Wesley in India. I attended theSEANET steering committee meeting all day Sat and Sun. Met several believers from India, Nepal and Austrailia.
Paul and I have often talked about why so many cross-culural workers are soooo FEARFUL of the topic of contexualization. Paul clarifies that the real issue is fear of "Syncretism" or wrong doctrine creeping in to newly established multiplying church planting churches. Paul says that Christian Anthropologist Charles Kraft equates the charge of "Syncretism" with "Dual Allegiance." Paul says that all believers in Jesus have to admit to some form of Syncretism in our lives and churches. Many Christians in traditional Bible believing churches in the southern U.S. still believe in Theistic Evolution. That is that God created monkeys which eventually became
Adam.
You don't hear much about that but if you start encouraging new Buddhist Background Believers to worship Jesus in their own way and forms you better look out for thebarage of criticism that will inevitably come. Millions of believers in Huge Church Planting Movements in the Hindu, Buddhist and Muslim worlds are currently
experiencing avalanche of His grace when they begin to Be who they are in Christ instead of merely adopting (Sycretizing) western forms of Christianity. It is said to note that many "Christians" in Asia have become "twice the sons of hell" because they have not been taught to enthrone Christ by placing childlike obedience to Him far above all tradtions of man. Lord, give me the grace to deal with Grace Killers. Help me to love them as well.
My friend George Patterson constantly encouraged me to let the Grace of
Christ "slop over onto the new believers and sinners." Romans 5:20 is
not a license to ignore the Church or discipline but to set the
captives FREE! "YOU have been given the Keys of the Kingdom. Whatever
you loose on earth will be loosed in Heaven and whatever you bind on earth will be bond in Heaven" Surely this was what drew the unworthy like Mary Mgdelene to Christ and reviled the Religious people when He walked among us.
Today, I am going to the doctor here in Bangkok. Please pray that the doctors
can figure out what is wrong with my blood and stomach. I will be
spending the next few days with my friend Siam and visiting a church
planter in the northern part of the city
1 comment:
Interesting post and certainly relevant to what many of us M's have to face on the mission fields of the world. As you write, ALL of us carry a degree of cultural/religious baggage with us. This definitely impacts those we come in contact with. What I have found in our own context here, is that other believers usually have MORE baggage than I do. They impose their understandings upon new believers a lot more than I do. I try my best to stay as close to Scripture as possible in making judgement calls, but those around me are quick to point out to new believers how they should conform to the "norm" and adopt the acceptable religious patterns, methods, practices, and traditions. Sigh...Oh well, anyway your whole point of letting God's grace permeate their lives is key to all this discussion.
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