Lessons on Cultural Relevance from Dr. Suess

Over the past few weeks in the HeartCry office we've been discussing various books and articles on contextualization and cultural relevance in missions. Some ideas that we've learned about are helpful. Many of the ideas are just flat out goofy. As we all agreed, "Why do people insist on making the preaching of the gospel to the nations so complicated?" Before I continue, let me give you some examples of what I mean.

A friend shared with me some of the things she had been told recently by her professors in some of her missions classes at a Southern Baptist College:

1. She was told that the peoples of East and Southeast Asia are ruled by a culture of shame. Therefore, because of the ingrained preoccupation with honor and "saving face", it would be inappropriate for the western evangelical missionary to confront an Asian about his sin and guilt before a holy God.

2. When she asked the same professor about church discipline in scripture, she was told that church discipline was for the Jewish culture of that day and no longer applies today.

3. She was told that reformation means, "becoming relative and doing what works for people."

4. She was told that in the New Testament we have no letter to a church in Athens because Paul preached about the resurrection too soon. If he would have waited, he might not have offended the Athenians and might have been able to plant a church there.

5. In another class she was told, "This thing of being a missionary is complicated. It is our job to make the gospel understandable and indigenous. We must strip ourselves of our faith, and belief systems in order to interpret the Bible according to their culture."

6. Here's another quote word for word, "The best churches that reach out to the communities have pastors that pay special attention to sociology, like Rick Warren and Bill Hybels. Rick Warren and his church went door to door in their community asking the people what they wanted from the church." The same professor said that Christianity must be "customized" to fit the community. Do you see the danger here? Since when do we ask the world how the church should be?

But these are not the only examples. I've also been reading through a little booklet by Kevin Greeson called "Camel Tracks... Discover the Camel's Secret." He refers to Allah as the same as the Jehovah God of the Bible; that all you need is the Koran to share the gospel; that Mary (Maryam) was a good Muslim; the followers of Isa (Jesus) were Muslims; and that you can become a Pakka Muslim by praying to Allah and receiving his Korbani because of Isa's atonement for sin.

In all of this I keep asking - Why all the hoops? Why all the games? Listen, I fully agree that we need to do all that we can to make the Gospel understandable. But we cannot make the Gospel palatable. Nor should we try. Paul says that the Gospel is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved it is the power of God (I Cor. 1:18). Jesus said, "No one comes to me unless the Father who sent me draws him" (John 6:44). Do you know what all of this contextualization talk reminds me of? It reminds me of Green Eggs and Ham. See if this excerpt doesn't sound like what we are doing to the Gospel:

You do not like green eggs and ham?

I do not like them,
Sam-I-am.

Could you, would you,
with a goat?

I would not, could not,
with a goat!

Would you, could you,
on a boat?

I could not, would not,
on a boat.
I will not, will not,
with a goat.

I will not eat them in the rain.
I will not eat them on a train.
Not in the dark! Not in a tree!
Not in a car! You let me be!
I do not like them in a box.
I do not like them with a fox.
I will not eat them in a house.
I do not like them with a mouse.
I do not like them here or there.
I do not like them ANYWHERE!
I do not like green eggs and ham!
I do not like them, Sam-I-am.

You see, Sam, the guy doesn't like green eggs and ham. You see brothers and sisters, the lost world doesn't like the Gospel. Scripture says that they hate Christ because they are dead, worthless, hostile, wretched, sick, blind, slaves (Rom. 8:7, Col. 1:21, Eph. 2:3, Rom. 3:10-18, Rom. 3:23). It will take the supernatural power of God to cause a dead, blind man to see Christ as precious (2 Cor. 4:6). So why should we act like gourmet gospel chefs; scurry around the kitchen; cook up the latest, hottest gospel dish; and present it in just the right way so that our clientelle will be pleased enough to order more? Why can't we just be like the Apostle Paul and "determine to know nothing among (them) but Christ crucified" and preach a message "not in plausable words of wisdom but in demonstration of the spirit and of power" (I Cor. 2:1-4)?