Posts Tagged ‘cross-cultural evangelism’

labelThe Disciples are all at Murphy’s Pub at the bar. Jesus is tending. Most of the disciples are drinking cokes.

Jesus (wiping the bar with a towel): You know why I’m working here for Murphy, tending bar?

Peter (rolling his eyes): I know. So the local derelicts can get to know you?

Jesus (nodding): Yep. When people get to know me, I change their lives.

Matthew (nodding, too): ‘Course. We can attest to that.

Jesus: What do you call a Buddhist who’s getting to know me?

John (looking at the guys then shaking his head): We don’t know, what?

Jesus: A Buddhist getting to know Jesus. What do you call Jew who’s getting to know me?

Nate (raising his hand): Oh! I know. A Jew getting to know Jesus.

Jesus (smiling): Right. What will you call a muslim who’s getting to know me?

Judas (wrinkling his brow): Umm. A muslim getting to know Jesus?

Jesus: So far, so good. What do you call an atheist who’s getting to know me?

Matthew: An atheist getting to know Jesus.

Jesus (looking very serious): So, what do you call a gay guy in San Francisco who’s getting to know me?

Bart (just as serious): A gay guy getting to know Jesus.

Jesus (grinning widely): Aaaa. Nope, everyone getting to know me in North America is ‘lost.’

James: That doesn’t make any sense.

Jesus (nodding): There you go, James. It’s seriously ridiculous. There’s two types of people: Those who know me and those who are coming to know me. Don’t expect one’s culture to disappear as he or she comes to know me well.

Andrew: So, you’re talking about syncretism — everything mixed together?

Jesus: Hmm. No, I’m talking about labeling people. You’ll know they are my disciples if they love others as I have loved you, not by labels.

Tr8: Don’t use labels. Expect indigenous expressions of Christ in different cultures. The love of Christ adapts to, then transforms, people and cultures.