Dakota Community Church
June 1, 2008
Culture Shock
I don’t know if I am just too easily amused or what; but I find the study of people, relationships, and group dynamics to be simply fascinating. Those things that we all share, the cultural norms, the humor, the acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, the politics and most of all the Christian slant that gets added to all of it, I love it.
Let me try out a few pop cultural references on you to see if you can identify them; first from television: “Eat my shorts”, “Master of your domain”, “Make it so”, and “Dunder Mifflin”, any of those recognizable to you?
What about a few business references? Can you name the company that claims their product is the; “Real Thing”? Who tells us we should; “Just Do It”? Who asks the pointed question; “Is It In You?” and who said more than enough with “Muffle Tuff Wuffy?” Who had young men asking each other “Whazzzzzzuuuupppp?” for about two years in the 1990’s?
Definition – What is culture?
A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one person and one generation to the next.
There are different cultures within different groups of humanity and these differences can be a source of diversity and strength or of prejudice and violence. It is often said that while the United States embraces a melting pot view of culture, Canada has chosen a multi-cultural route that encourages new comers to cherish and preserve their unique heritages. There is no end to the fighting that can go on over the strengths and weaknesses of these to view points. Suffice it to say that there are differences and often we feel that our way is the best way and everyone else should embrace our wisdom.
Examples of cultural differences: Mainstream North American Culture vs. Other Cultures
1. Sense of self and space Informal, Handshake - Formal Hugs, bowing
2. Communication Emphasis on content - Emphasis on context
3. Dress Wide range accepted - Sign of position or religious rules
4. Eating a necessity--fast food - A social experience, religious rules
5. Time Promptness time=money – Elastic, enjoyment of relationships
6. Relationships Focus on nuclear family - Focus on extended family
7. Age Value on youth – Value on age and experience
8. Gender Equality - Different roles for men and women
Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
In light of all this cultural talk, what does it mean not to conform?
What is the pattern of this world that is being referred to here?
Do we obey this scripture by not listening to certain styles of music or by not watching certain television shows?
Is not conforming to the pattern of this world about not drinking certain beverages, or maybe about not laughing at certain jokes?
I want to begin by asking the following question.
1. Was Jesus culturally relevant?
Luke 5:8-11
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, "Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!" For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, "Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men." So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
John 4:35-36
Do you not say, ’Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. Even now the reaper draws his wages; even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.
Matthew 22:16-22
"Teacher," they said, "we know you are a man of integrity and that you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. You aren’t swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are. Tell us then, what is your opinion? Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me? Show me the coin used for paying the tax." They brought him a denarius, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
"Caesar’s," they replied.
Then he said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s."
When they heard this, they were amazed. So they left him and went away.
Mark 11:23
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, ’Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him.
With a group of fishermen Jesus uses fishing, in farm country he uses the harvest, under Roman occupation he talks about going the extra mile and paying taxes, in sight of Herod’s man made mountain fortress he speaks of mountain moving faith, with a rich young ruler he talks about money, in the market place He uses children playing as an illustration, with the religious rulers he used God’s word and man’s tradition; there is no doubt that Jesus was in tune with both the religious and the secular culture around Him.
He was not trying to avoid what we would call “worldliness”. Think prostitutes, tax collectors, and heavy drinkers, think “Son’s of Thunder” and “Rocky”. If Jesus did not avoid these kind of conforming scenarios then Romans 12:1-2 must be talking about something other than what we have primarily interpreted it to mean.
Before we get into what that means I want to address another question.
2. Is there a danger in embracing a Christian sub-culture?
Examples of Christian sub-culture:
They have Bob Dylan, we have Larry Norman
They have Rage Against the Machine, we have P.O.D.
They have REO Speedwagon, we have Petra
They have John Grisham, we have Tim Lahaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
They have David Baldacci, we have Tedd Dekker
They have all women authors of all time, we have Karen Kingsbury
They have WWF, we have UCW
They have Batman, we have Bibleman
They have Joy of Sex, we have The Act of Marriage
Need I say more?
I think for the most part the Christian sub-culture is useful in helping us in our desire to follow Jesus. Listening to Christian worship or other styles can be very spiritually helpful; the same goes for Christian books, whether you prefer fiction, literature, devotionals, or education readings, I think they are all good, I don’t think it is necessary to use them exclusively.
Some of the more extreme examples of cultural separation can be embarrassing and in some cases downright harmful.
Matthew 23:24
You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.
I think we run the risk of alienating people and turning them off of Christ when we do whacky things to be different from everyone else.
In some cases we get so into the subculture that we develop an “us against them” mentality. The unsaved become the enemy always trying to steal our Christian-“ness” from us??
John 3:17
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
3. How can we be counter-cultural non-conformists?
What Jesus did was come into the culture of his day and using its language he challenged not the pop issues, but the core values that were anti-God.
Instead of being easily offended by popular culture, we need to embrace the up-side-down aspects of Kingdom life.
Rather than protesting the Simpsons, we could refuse to participate in the accepted wholesale greed our society has embraced.
Rather than condemning someone who has a beer; we could refuse to selfishly pursue our own happiness at the expense of marriage and family.
Rather than developing our own insider language; we could be people of honor and honesty in the business world – even if it cost us real money.
Rather than making all political discussion about abortion and homosexuality; we could challenge policies of war and greed, selfishness and profit at any price.
Matthew 5:3-11
"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…
PowerPoint available free of charge on request – dcormie@mts.net
