Living with A Christian Worldview in a Multicultural Context

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Living with A Christian Worldview in a Multicultural Context INT-525: Christian Worldview and Missions 05/13/21

Dean Living with A Christian Worldview in a Multicultural Context Thesis: According to the Word of God, multiculturalism, as it relates to diversity, is the very thing that we will continuously experience when we are in the presence of God for eternity. Revelation 7:9 1 teaches that an extensive horde from every populace, ethnic group, persons, and language brings verification to the truthfulness of Revelations 5:9, 2 where the Lamb is praised for redeeming such a diverse host. As we look at the final words of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, we see that He commands His disciples to “go” make disciples. This means that “the entire experience of the believer is grounded in the “sending” aspect of the authority and the action of God Himself.” In other words, it is God that established, sanctioned, and instructed the mission of the church. God gave His one and Only Son as a substitute for sinful humanity, (John 3:16). 3 And as the Father, His purpose in sending His Son into the world was to bring salvation, not condemnation and so, motivated by love God acted to redeem the world. Thus, Jesus as having superiority is speaking in Matthew 28:19 4 not from an earthly viewpoint but from a heavenly perspective as God’ Son and His testimony is true, (John 3:34). 5 Part 1 As Christians we accomplish Jesus’ commission/ “sending” us by following the formula to “go,” “baptize,” and “teach.” In other words, believers are to take the witness of Jesus Christ to the world and commit a covenantal act by which there is a public display of the identification 1 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 2 All Scripture taken from NLT Version Bible 3 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 4 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 5 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 1

Dean with the Triune God, (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) and teach by parting knowledge while helping people to apply the knowledge of God’s Word to their lives. As I understand ministry in a multicultural context, I understand that every nation, culture, and tribe must come together as one under the Kingdom rule of Jesus Christ to celebrate, encourage, accommodate, and engage one another on earth with the understanding that it is God’ eternal desire and purpose for believers of Jesus Christ. This means that “Christ was and is God’ Messianic center of missions for the church. That means that the aim of missions is to “bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name among all the nations,” (Piper, 2010). 6 So, as it pertains to Jesus’s commission for missions, my foundation for ministry in a multicultural context is found in going forth in God’s Kingdom purpose to experience unity in Christ Jesus with all who believe in Him. This is not to say that we are all in uniformity or sameness, but that every person from every nation that believes and follows Jesus Christ is unified in God and His Kingdom rule. So, as the church/body of Jesus Christ although we are comprised from every race, ethnicity, gender, and walk of life we have and share the common purpose of proclaiming the gospel and pursuing God’s Kingdom agenda. Part 2 One key worldview issue that is embedded in culture is in how “worldviews profoundly shape the way people see the world and live their lives.” This is to say that “below a person’s surface of speech and behavior are beliefs and values that generate what is said and done.” Therefore, “the assumptions that people make about the nature of things, the categories in which they think, and the logic that organizes these categories into a coherent understanding of reality 6 John Piper. 2010. Let the Nations be Glad! the Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic. 2

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Dean has a contrasting conceptual worldview for each individual although these people may and can reside in the same world. Simply put, “the dominant worldview in cultures is shaped greatly by power and the social dynamics of the community,” (Hiebert, 2008). 7 This is to say that “the doctrine that knowledge, truth, and morality exist in relation to culture, society, or historical context. Making personal perception a central aspect to the concept of worldview which is in actuality an aid the Church uses in its own understanding of itself. Simply put, a Christian worldview does not conclusively prove the validity of the Christian message but instead gains comprehensiveness, avoids anti-intellectualism, offers cognitive confidence, leads to a comprehensive theology, and may have the power to bring about spiritual transformation in the lives of believers,” (Culp, J., 2003). 8 This is to say that “Christian worldview and missions is a partaking in God’ work to redeem, reconcile, and glorify believers. So rather than being grounded in human potential, for Christian’s worldview is the complete dependence, utter neediness, and alien righteousness whereby God pulls us into the orbit of His life. And He also evokes a call to union and communion in Christ by His Spirit,” (Strobel, 2013). 9 Therefore, the conclusion drawn from these thoughts leaves us to believe that the “evolution of a person’s worldview can be found in a set of silent, inferred rules of conduct and ideas that influences everything they do. This concealed cultural language explains the way in which people perceive the world, decides their worth, and set the fundamental beat and flow of life,” (Hiebert, 2008). 10 7 Hiebert, P. 2008. Transforming Worldviews. an Anthropological Understanding of how People Change. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic. 8 Culp, John. 2003. "Worldview: The History of a Concept." Christian Scholar's Review 33, no. 1: 145-147, https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/worldview- history-concept/docview/201267967/se-2?accountid=7374 . 9 Strobel, Kyle. 2013. “Formed for The Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards. InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL. pg. 13. 10 Hiebert, P. 2008. Transforming Worldviews. an Anthropological Understanding of how People Change. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic. 3

Dean Also, it is complicated for the carnal person to believe in things that is are not in conjunction with the five senses (touch, taste, smell, see, and hear, (1Cor.2:14). 11 Thus, worldly thinking does not have access to the things of God because they are foolishness to them. But for the Christian the answer starts in the beginning with God creating, (Genesis 1:1) 12 and their constant fellowship with Him in prayer, His revelation of Himself through His Word and through Jesus Christ and our personal experiences. Psalms 19:1 teaches that divine revelation takes the form of special revelation which is the written and the living Word of God. In it, God reveals in detail who He is, what He has done, and what He requires of us. It is through special revelation of Scriptures that we come to know the gospel of Jesus Christ which is, the commission to “go” and “teach.” 13 However, through general revelation all people everywhere regardless of worldview can know about God, even if they have no access to Scriptures because their moral conscience lets them know that they are accountable to someone higher than themselves, (Romans 2:14- 16). 14 So, with this knowledge transformation begins within a culture through the testimony of creation to the existence of the One who made all things for His glory, (Romans 1:19-21). 15 That is to say that “the heavens declare God’ glory by confirming that an Omnipotent deity exist and has made all things marvelous in scale and complexity. Therefore, worldview through God’ eyes is possible because of how He fashioned us. And although we learn from our external stimulus and experiences all true knowledge is dependent upon God in the end. Part 3 11 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 12 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 13 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 14 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 15 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 4

Dean With all the facts on the table concerning missions the way that I would communicate with someone I minister to about engaging people from a different cultural background from their own would be to tell them to keep their vision on being loyal to the gospel message while continuously sharing God’ truth the way that He said and meant it in an easy to understandable manner. And to aid new converts to study God’ word in context so that they will not mix their religious practices and ideologies with the truth of God’ Word, which can only end with the amalgamation of different religions and cultures, (Kreitzer, M. 2021). 16 Since this world is filled with people that believe that “radical Christianity is a form of radical humanism focused on the world,” (Cupitt, D. 2000). 17 It is important to remember that as Christians we must help new believers recognize places of schisms in their lives as they are taught about Jesus Christ and His direction for their lives. We must meet the new convert where he/she is in life with the understanding that we are merely legitimate laborers for Jesus Christ, but God is the spiritual source of life and growth, (Kreitzer, M. 2021). 18 And it is He, that understands how long it takes for His Spirit to bring about a change, (1 Corinthians 3:5-9). 19 For example, if I was talking to a person that was a Muslim about Christianity. I would not be dogmatic and arrogant and attempt to force my beliefs down their throat. But I would talk with them about how parts of their teaching are in accordance with the Word of God and how other parts are from their own worldview or cultural aspect. I would not look for immediate change in them, but I would seek to gain their trust by showing them love and patience. I would patiently and lovingly exhort them as 16 Kreitzer, M. 2021. Overview 5. Worldview & Missions. Culturally Contextualized. Grand Canyon University. Phoenix, AZ. 17 Cupitt, Don. 2000. "The radical Christian worldview." Cross Currents 50, no. 1: 56-67, https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/radical- christian-worldview/docview/214933122/se-2?accountid=7374 . 18 Kreitzer, M. 2021. Overview 5. Worldview & Missions. Culturally Contextualized. Grand Canyon University. Phoenix, AZ. 19 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 5

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Dean a new believer to conform his/her thinking to a scriptural model in all areas of life in obedience to divine imperative. But before any of this I would “attempt to understand their culture and worldview by using certain structures and basis that they have that coincide with the Word of God. I would also seek to find a common ground or mutual connection that I could use as a bridge to reach the individual that I am in contact with,” (Kreitzer, M. 2021). 20 Conclusion In Psalms 96:3 the Psalmist exhorts the whole earth to praise the Lord with a fresh, new song. Such singing should be accompanied by proclamation of His salvation and glorious deeds from days gone by. Such worship recognizes the Glory that is due God alone and should be acknowledged among all the peoples of the earth. 21 This is the mission of God through Jesus Christ. Bibliography Culp, John. 2003. "Worldview: The History of a Concept." Christian Scholar's Review 33, no. 1: 145-147, https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest- 20 Kreitzer, M. 2021. Bridges to Islam and Contextualization. Helping Muslims move from the Qur’an to become followers of Isa al Masih. Phoenix, AZ. 21 All Scripture taken from the NLT Version Bible 6

Dean com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/worldview-history-concept/docview/ 201267967/se-2?accountid=7374 . Cupitt, Don. 2000. "The radical Christian worldview." Cross Currents 50, no. 1: 56-67, https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/ scholarly-journals/radical-christian-worldview/docview/214933122/se-2? accountid=7374 . Hiebert, P. 2008. Transforming Worldviews. an Anthropological Understanding of how People Change. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic. John Piper. 2010. Let the Nations be Glad! the Supremacy of God in Missions. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic. Kreitzer, M. 2021. Overview 5. Worldview & Missions. Culturally Contextualized. Grand Canyon University. Phoenix, AZ. Kreitzer, M. 2021. Bridges to Islam and Contextualization. Helping Muslims move from the Qur’an to become followers of Isa al Masih. Phoenix, AZ. Maass, Eric A. 1999. "Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 42, no. 3: 551, https://lopes.idm.oclc.org/login? url=https://www-proquest-com.lopes.idm.oclc.org/scholarly-journals/making-sense-your- world-biblical-worldview/docview/211277778/se-2?accountid=7374. Strobel, Kyle. 2013. “Formed for The Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards. InterVarsity Press. Downers Grove, IL. pg. 13. 7

Living with A Christian Worldview in a Multicultural Context

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