Fm: Denny Wayman – Human Behavior

Counter-Cultural Assimilation<= /b>

by Denny Wayma= n

Identifying Christianity with a given culture has ca= used confusion within the church. Yet discipleship is a mentoring process that t= akes place within a particular cultural setting using that specific language. The inevitable packaging of the faith within that known form reproduces itself through the generations as existing Christians pass on more than just their biblical faith to those within their spiritual care. The result of this phenomenon has found African Christians wearing Western clothing and Asian believers singing American choruses. In the realm of corporate or congregational culture, we find liturgical worshipers struggling with the c= ulturally opposite charismatics, as well as the CEO-culture churches intimidating the viable yet smaller organismic churches.

This phenomenon of cultural assimilation has sparked increasing interest in the social sciences. Originally, this was seen as an “imperial cultural assimilation” in which the dominant culture, either by numbers or power, imposes itself upon a smaller or weaker culture= . But research now shows the process to be far more complex, involving some reinf= orcing aspects and mutual assimilation factors.

Applied to the church of Jesus Christ, we= recognize that not only has the church become assimilated into the dominant culture of the nation in which it exists, but the dominant culture is susceptible to b= eing impacted by the church as well. The concern in this process is whether cult= ural assimilation destroys the counter-culture presence that the Kingdom of God is meant to present throughout the world. For example, when a business-CEO model for corporate life becomes a part of the discipleship program, then t= he succeeding generations will create hierarchical systems of church governmen= t. On the other hand, a servant-leader model will create the opposite in those= participating in church life. The impact of these two contrasting cultures will permeate everything, including the methods of a church’s discipleship efforts.=

In the final analysis, a local church’s discip= leship program requires a thoughtful consideration of the cultures both surroundin= g the congregation and invading it. Questions must be asked, such as: into what culture are we assimilating a new believer? Is it a biblical culture with bibl= ical values or a mollified culture that is neither hot nor cold? Is the disciple= ship program presenting a truly counter-cultural way of life or has it lost its power and vision of a truly holy life? Is the call upon the new believer one that transcends the cultures of this world, or is it a process whereby we sanctify the American materialistic and individualistic culture? Or are the shame-based or anxiety-based cultures of other lands and locales merely “Christianized?”

The power of individual instruction and group expect= ation has been proven by social scientists to be the most effective way to change= the actual behaviors of human beings as compared to only changing their thinkin= g. If we are to actually live holy lives, then discipleship into the counter-cult= ure of the Kingdom of God will be at the = core of our church activities. Wisely done, discipleship can create future gener= ations of Biblical Christians who understand and confront the aberrant cultures of= our world, while being shaped and defined by the culture of the kingdom of God.