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Pelo Amor de Deus! For the Love of God!
Posted by
David Manske
,
12 August 2011
·
1328 views
missions immigrants
My passport is blue. My foreign-born son has a green passport. He was in 2nd grade, at school studying in a 2nd language, when his vocabulary list included the word, 'xenofobia'. I had to look up the word! Xenophobia is the fear and hatred of strangers or foreigners or of anything that is strange or foreign (Webster).
Is this a problem in American Christianity?
Ethnocentrism is a universal human trait - we all think we're superior to the next people group or culture. We make it into an 'us' and 'them' 'Limbaughian' discussion. Echo the NT phrase, Can anything good come from Nazareth? The degrading comments about being Galilean or even being an underprivileged fisherman, or shepherd (whose testimony was inadmissible in court), or even a sinner (think like a Publican).
Do we still think and act this way in the 21st Century American church?
The missionary apostle hit an apologetic peak at the Acropolis, preaching to an Athenian audience - a foreigner speaking to foreigners, seeking help from foreign gods. In his Acts 17 discourse, Paul states that, "From one man he [God] made every nation of men" and points the way to Christ.
Someone recently confided in me that she had difficulty caring about, showing compassion to and praying for her Somali neighbors. In her words, They are changing our culture, why should I love to them? I understand what she meant, and sensed the angst in her conversation...but culture is never static, it is always changing. The events of 9/11 brought cultural changes, education and medical science bring cultural change, fast-food consumerism influences culture (and overall physical health).
Embracing Jesus Christ brings personal and cultural change. As a new creature, with a renewed mind, I see others through new eyes. With a new heart I now have a desire to share God's passion - his love for people from every nation of men and women. As a local body of believers we live counter-culturally as we lift up God's values (Luke 9:23), making an impact on our own community and the entire Alliance family!
Is there a correlation between my acceptance of immigrant neighbors, missions and a biblical worldview?
Is this a problem in American Christianity?
Ethnocentrism is a universal human trait - we all think we're superior to the next people group or culture. We make it into an 'us' and 'them' 'Limbaughian' discussion. Echo the NT phrase, Can anything good come from Nazareth? The degrading comments about being Galilean or even being an underprivileged fisherman, or shepherd (whose testimony was inadmissible in court), or even a sinner (think like a Publican).
Do we still think and act this way in the 21st Century American church?
The missionary apostle hit an apologetic peak at the Acropolis, preaching to an Athenian audience - a foreigner speaking to foreigners, seeking help from foreign gods. In his Acts 17 discourse, Paul states that, "From one man he [God] made every nation of men" and points the way to Christ.
Someone recently confided in me that she had difficulty caring about, showing compassion to and praying for her Somali neighbors. In her words, They are changing our culture, why should I love to them? I understand what she meant, and sensed the angst in her conversation...but culture is never static, it is always changing. The events of 9/11 brought cultural changes, education and medical science bring cultural change, fast-food consumerism influences culture (and overall physical health).
Embracing Jesus Christ brings personal and cultural change. As a new creature, with a renewed mind, I see others through new eyes. With a new heart I now have a desire to share God's passion - his love for people from every nation of men and women. As a local body of believers we live counter-culturally as we lift up God's values (Luke 9:23), making an impact on our own community and the entire Alliance family!
Is there a correlation between my acceptance of immigrant neighbors, missions and a biblical worldview?
