Peoples on the Move. Anthony F. Casey

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СКАЧАТЬ much to learn if I wanted to be a local and shed the moniker Ohio Man.

      Most people understand the need to learn their way around their community. Where are the schools, the grocery stores, the churches? But, in my experience training church planters and missionaries in North America, Christians get suspicious when I talk about the need for cultural research. “Isn’t that social science stuff unnecessary? I’ll just love people and preach the Bible.” Little do they know, cultural research and adaptation are themes that run throughout the entirety of Scripture.

      The Pattern of Jesus

      Jesus is the supreme example of one who learned deeply the cultural context in which he ministered. The incarnation at its core is a model of immersion and identification with humanity. Jesus left his heavenly home, where he had been lacking nothing. He took on flesh, language, and culture of a specific region of the world (John 1). He dressed as the Jews dressed. He spoke with a Galilean accent, which was distinct to his hometown. Jesus did what Jews did—he grew up in a locally recognized family structure, apprenticing into the profession of his father, as was common. He regularly went to the synagogue, as his friends would have. He took part in the local festivals and feast days. In many ways, Jesus lived so regular a life that people were shocked when confronted with his true identity. “‘Where did this man get such wisdom and miraculous powers?’ they asked. Is this not the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?” (Matt 13: 54–55). Before Jesus began his public ministry, he was fully immersed in the local culture, where he truly knew the people.

      Furthermore, Jesus identified with his people in their humanity and temptation (Heb 2:10–18). He suffered when tempted and is able to help those who are being tempted. He can sympathize with our weaknesses (Heb 4:15). Jesus understood what it was like to live as a first-century poor Jewish man, and this understanding aided his ministry. I remember living in Malaysia, making a Malaysian wage teaching in a local college. One day a Malaysian very familiar with Westerners told me I was the first American she had known that wasn’t rich. The first that really needed Malaysians to get by in life. The one that lived as Malaysians lived. In some sense, I had sacrificed and maybe even suffered a bit to live at a lower standard than that to which I was accustomed, but that statement helped me see that I could identify with the failing local currency and many of the economic problems my local friends faced. And this identification helped my ministry.

      Jesus, in this same passage from Hebrews, is called our brother (Heb 2:11). The metaphor of family is a powerful one throughout the New Testament. Christians are called children of God, sons and daughters, fellow heirs. There is a closeness and a genuineness that comes from these relationships. This is the depth we strive for in our ministry. My family became very close with a Malaysian family; we were adopted you might say. The husband and wife had both studied at a US university and had known the love of an American family who served as their adopted host family. This Malaysian couple wanted to extend the same love toward my family—to the point that they let us see who their family really was. They invited us to their home for a Christmas dinner but warned me that some of their extended family were not Christians and things might get a little uncomfortable at times. Tongue in cheek, I was told that Americans aren’t the only people who have that drunk uncle that likes to get loud at family events. I was struck by their vulnerability as they did not try to hide who they were. We were truly treated as family.

      Jesus showed us what it must be like if we are to truly immerse ourselves in another culture. The incarnation is our model for ministry. Yet, we must remember that Jesus incarnated as we never can. He was the 200 percent God-man, fully God and fully man (Phil 2:5–8). We can never fully enculturate as Jesus did. He lived in the culture, but was without sin. Jesus incarnated as Savior. We only point to him; we cannot save anyone ourselves. Yet, to be accepted as a local, to speak the language, to be called brother or sister as Jesus was must be our goal.

      The Life of Joseph

      God allowed Joseph to experience severe hardships, but did so for the good of the kingdom (Gen 50:20). Joseph was betrayed by his own family and sold into slavery, yet he ended up in the house of Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh and captain of the guard (Gen 37:36). Rather than sulk in bitterness, Joseph went to work learning the ways of the Egyptians. The Lord was with Joseph and he prospered in what he did. Because he understood local customs and did his job well, he found favor in the sight of his master and was promoted to a position of influence (Gen 39:1–6). Joseph spoke the local language and knew how to lead according to local customs. He even took an Egyptian name—Zaphenath-paneah (Gen 41:45). Joseph had adjusted so well that he continued to gain influence until he was placed over the whole of Egypt and given the Pharaoh’s signet ring, signifying the ability to make decisions in the name of the Pharaoh himself. Interestingly, Pharaoh noticed Joseph’s faith and said, “Can we find a man like this, in whom is the Spirit of God?” (Gen 41:38).

      Things did not always go well for Joseph, but we find in him a model for full involvement in a foreign land and people. Joseph did not retreat or isolate himself from local life. He fully learned the ways of the Egyptians, yet never compromised his faith, to the point that the pharaoh clearly saw Joseph’s faith in God as the reason he was successful. Joseph served Egypt, an enemy of his people, for the good of the kingdom and God’s name and fame were magnified as a result. I know an American who lived in Indonesia and ran a scuba-diving tourist company. This man is a Christian and had been having a hard time connecting with the locals, who were Muslims. One day, as happens all too often, an overloaded ferry capsized and many people died and much property lay at the bottom of the channel. This American Christian volunteered his diving services to the local government and offered to retrieve bodies and recover as much property as he could. The government was so thankful that they no longer hindered his ministry and allowed him full access to any resources he needed. This man, and Joseph, show us that when we fully engage local life and use our God-given gifts, God is glorified and we have a more effective ministry.

      The Life of Moses

      Moses grew up in a powerful Egyptian household, presumably speaking their language and receiving a local Egyptian education (Acts 7:20–22). As with Joseph, Moses rose to a place of power and influence among a people who were traditional enemies of God’s people. Moses could have lived a life of comfort and ease, but he never used his status as an Egyptian for personal gain. While fully immersed in Egyptian culture, Moses never lost his Hebrew identity. Moses confronted the injustices of the culture, though not in the most ideal manner. The Bible tells us that Moses “went out to his people and looked on their burdens” (Exod 2:11). He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of “his own people,” and took action.

      Moses benefitted from a good education, knew the local language and customs, but retained his Hebrew identity. He lived among the people but still made an attempt to sort out the sinful components of the culture, such as Egyptian privilege over the Hebrews.

      The Spies Check Out the Land

      God’s people were about to make a big move, and the Lord thought it wise to give them an idea of what they were getting into. God told Moses to “send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel” (Num 13:1–2). Moses wanted to know what the land was like, what the people were like who already lived there, and what kind of crops might grow best (Num 13:17–20). The spies went on a forty-day mission trip, so to speak, did their research, and brought back the report. The land was fruitful and fertile, but there were challenges. They saw large fortified cities and strong peoples (Num 13:25–29). Essentially, the researchers brought back a description of the peoples, and where and how they lived. They produced an ethnography.

      It was important to God and to Moses that Israel know something of the land and peoples they were going to encounter. In this manner, they could best prepare to enter the land successfully. While we no longer engage in physical warfare for the kingdom, we do engage in spiritual warfare. It is СКАЧАТЬ