Gospel Communication Research Paper

Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary

The Role of Culture in Gospel Communication
(The Gospel in Missions)

GLST 650 LUO
Vernon L. Langley
Dec. 14, 2012

Introduction: The Bible says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” (Romans 1:18 KJV) Now let’s hear what Martin Luther utters concerning this verse of scripture, “Do you hear this general judgment against all men that they are under the wrath of God? What does this mean, but that they merit wrath and punishment? He assigns the reason for the wrath by saying that they do only that which merits wrath and punishment- that they are all ungodly and unrighteous, and hold down the truth in
unrighteousness.” (1) This is an obvious fact; that all humanity separately from Jesus Christ is destined to face the wrath and chastisement of God. The detail in which Paul articulates gives no room for uncertainty that all humanity will face this conclusion when he or she is separated from the salvation that can only be found in Jesus Christ. The necessity to carry the Word of the gospel to the “ends of the earth” has vital significance for a people found in a condition of separation from God. Nevertheless, the inquiry is submitted, “In what way does one share the gospel message in a dissimilar culture?” “In what ways does one steer clear of the perils of syncretism when sharing with a different culture?” finally, “What does it indicate when one actually executes the Great Commission?” The Call to “Go” It’s extremely significant to establish a meaning for the term missionary and to ascertain if missionary is a collective call for all Christians or an explicit call to some. Olson says, “Frequently one hears it said that every Christian is a missionary; that is, that every Christian ought to be a missionary. The little chorus puts it, “Be a missionary every day!” It reverberates, but this kind of unclear thinking places a haze over the topic. Every Christian cannot be a missionary, nor should be.” (2) Afterwards Olson states, “A missionary is specifically called of God for to a separate office.” (3) For the reason that the exact word missionary is not written in the Bible, one must examine the Latin word, mitto which indicate “I send”. Olson describe an equivalent to the Greek expression for apostle which is (apostolos) that imply “messenger or representative”(4) even though apostles as one imagines them during the time of Jesus, may not be present in this modern culture the assignment of being launched by God is at present very much alive. Kane offers a description of missionary that correctly identify the term after he says, “In the traditional sense the term missionary has been reserved for those who have been called by God to a full-time ministry of the Word and prayer (Acts 6:4), and who have crossed geographical and or cultural boundaries (Acts 22:21) to preach the gospel in those areas of the world where Jesus Christ is largely, if not entirely, unknown (Rom 15:20).”(5) At present the characterization of a missionary has been made clear, it’s vital to identify what a missionary is called to achieve. The Great Commission Matthew chapter 28 verses 19-20 state, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (KJV) Despite the fact that this vocation is pertinent to every Christian; in support of the subject matter at being reviewed, this research will look at this verse of scripture rigorously through the eyes of a missionary. As previously confirmed, the missionary has responded to the command to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations” but on the other hand what is by the term, “making a disciple”? Another question is, how can one perform this task in a way that crosses customs? Maqhthz (mathetes or follower) commonly denotes “learner, in the NT this term becomes almost a methodological idiom for the disciples of Christ.” (6) Consequently, missionaries are producing “disciples of Jesus” within every country of the world. Carson says, “The dawning of the new age of messianic authority impels his disciples forward to a universal ministry he himself never engaged in during the days of his flesh. His promotion to universal authority serves as an eschatological marker inaugurating the beginning of his universal mission.” (7) Carson also says, “To disciple a person to Christ is to bring that person to accept Christ as his or her teacher. Disciples are those who hear, understand, and obey Jesus’ teaching.” (8) This verse instructs the believer to put together followers of Christ and to instruct them about God and reminds one that Christ is with His disciples for all time. The Word of Jesus is worldwide and His pledge is absolute. Once the missionary performs the assignment of creating “followers of Jesus Christ” they are commanded to baptize or (baptizo, which denotes plainly to place under water) (9) in the name of the Father and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Mounce says, “In the early church baptism accompanied the proclamation of the gospel from the beginning of the church’s mission (Acts 2:37-41). It required repentance (2:38) and was administered in the name of Jesus (22:16). Baptism is one of the two main sacraments adopted by all branches of Christianity.”(10) Lastly the missionary is to teach/tutor (didasko) the new converts. Mounce says, “In the gospels, Jesus is usually the subject of teaching.” (11) For that reason Christ has commanded missionaries to be faithful to preach the genuineness of the Gospels, and while performing this He reminds followers “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” With this verses investigated, what function does culture play when lecturing the gospel?
The function of Culture in the Gospel: In every culture, interactions with people are the most excellent tool used to construct a stage to execute the Great Commission and the greatest way to put together associations is by helping others. Elmer describes helping as “the ability to relate to people in such a way that their dignity as human beings is affirmed and they are more empowered to live God-glorifying lives.” (12) A number of things ought to be distinguished about this description. First, missionaries have got to relate to people in other cultures. This begins once the missionary humbles themselves and are taught to welcome the multiplicity of culture. Kraft says, “We have continually reverted to the assumption that becoming Christian means becoming like us culturally.”(13) Afterward Kraft says, “When, after New Testament times, the church required everyone to adopt Roman culture, God raised up Luther to prove that God could accept people who spoke German and worshipped in German ways. Then Anglicanism arose to show that God could use English language and customs, and Wesleyanism arose to let the common people of England know that God accepted them in their culture.” (14) Having understood that the task of the missionary is to value culture and esteem culture, the question then becomes, what is culture? “Culture is a native’s way of life, their plan for existing, and their method of dealing with their natural, material and societal background.” (15) God fashioned culture, God formed diversity, and one way or another in the center of diversity and dissimilar cultures, God formed mankind into one through Christ. Apostle Paul says, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”(Acts 17:26-28) The Greeks that thought all non Greeks were archaic and barbarian. No culture is higher than any other culture, no culture is valued above the other culture and for a Christian to come into ministry with an superior frame of mind is nothing more than opposing biblical doctrine and discourteous. The missionary have got to take Kant’s suggestion when he says, “The way of Jesus is, however, to honor a people’s culture and its incorporated worldview, not to wrest them from it.” (16) The question then becomes, how does a person revere another person’s culture without conceding the gospel? The greatest biblical illustration of this can be found in (1st Corinthians 9:19-23) which says, “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel 's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (KJV) These verses of Scripture are frequently used to rationalize changing the meaning of the Gospel message. The person who reads and comprehends this perspective of Scripture and the existence of Paul understands this different. Apostle Paul was ultimately put to death because of the reality that he would not adapt the Gospel to the cultural environment. It’s critically vital that the missionary by no means concede the truthfulness of the gospel to make it more appetizing. These verses on the other hand represent the admiration Apostle Paul had for all people of different cultures. The Apostle by no means permitted his “practice” or his “liberty in Christ” to get ahead of the gospel and he never subjugated his “liberties” in cultures where the gospel was not yet established. Apostle Paul was dedicated to making himself a “servant” to every culture he came into contact with in order that he would be able win some of those folks to the gospel. Apostle Paul comprehended the significance of serving people. MacArthur made this remark concerning those passages, “Paul was willing to give up all his rights and privileges, his position, his rank, his livelihood, his freedom- ultimately even his life. If it would further the spread of the gospel, Paul would claim no rights, make no demands, insist on no privileges.” (17) Culture ought to not manipulate the valiant message of Jesus Christ, however the missionary have got to reverence the multiplicity of culture and rejoice it with the people they are serving in the gospel. Apostle Paul articulated this comparable assurance in 2 Timothy 2:10 when he said, “Therefore I endure all things for the elect 's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.” (KJV) Paul was so anxious regarding winning folks to Christ at any price that in Rom. 9:2-3 he said, “That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh:” (KJV) these verses of scripture disclose the spirit and objective of this striking missionary, the Apostle Paul. Besides serving and the capability to communicate to different people, Elmer gives the one who reads numerous other major components about dispensing the gospel to folks of a different culture that incorporates; thoughtfulness, education, confidence, approval, and honesty. Elmer deems these to be necessary ingredients in becoming successful in giving out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Hazards of Syncretism: One principal difficulty is that the contemporary missionary has forsaken the technique of the early church and has looked to “modernize” outlook on ministry. In his remarkable book, The New Testament Order for Church and Missionary, Alex Rattray Hay says, “The history of modern missions shows nothing that can compare with the world-wide conquests of a very smaller group of laborers during the first century of the Church.” (18) Previously in the same chapter, Hay says, “Looking beyond local successes and leaving aside enthusiastic reports and optimistic prophecies, let us consider the facts as they are. Although, undoubtedly, there has been reason for encouragement at times and in some regions (for the Gospel is still the power of God unto salvation) on the whole the results have been far from satisfactory. They ought to have been much greater. We have a right, considering the teaching of God’s Word and the recorded experiences of the Early Church, to expect much greater progress and the manifestation of much greater power.” (19) This is mainly owed to syncretism. Syncretism is described as “the mixing of Christian assumptions with those worldview assumptions that are incompatible with Christianity so that the result is not biblical Christianity.”(20) Countless missionaries find it difficult to balance when it comes to respecting people from a different culture and observing diversity and conceding the Christian’s basics belief. A lot of missionaries start out with an excellent objective and end up compromising the truth of the gospel. Question, how does one discover equilibrium? The key is to identify man’s custom vs. the accuracy of God’s Word. The Reformation took place for the reason that a small number of people recognized that the line linking man’s judgment about the matter and God’s Word was indistinct. The only way to stay away from the hazard of syncretism is to read and become acquainted with God’s Word. The story of Timothy is capable of illustrating to the missionary how to best stand unyielding on the knowledge of God’s Word. At the Church in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul commissioned Timothy to set out and preach the Word of God. The Church of Ephesus was packed with priest who preached a counterfeit Gospel and many did not endure sound doctrine. Timothy’s vocation was to step out in, love and devotion towards folks and to give them the pure Word of God. Timothy has got to be vigilant concerning conciliation. Working within a ministry whereby one is continuously tackling counterfeit teachings and stuff that is very much contrary to Christianity can start to wear a person down. Consequently, the Apostle Paul addressed two manuscripts to Timothy of encouragement to remain strong in the truthfulness of the Gospel. Paul said to Timothy, “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.” (2 Timothy 4: 2-5, KJV) Apostle Paul, showed respect to diverse cultures and national diversity, he also understood the threat of syncretism and the significance of preserving the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The job to observe diversity and adhere to unconditional truth is biblical, but it’s not a simple undertaking. One ought to not get exhausted in giving out the gospel of Jesus Christ and one must bear in mind that He said, “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.”(John 6:44, KJV)
The responsibility of the Holy Spirit: Once again observing the meaning of a missionary is, “One who’s sent”. It’s critically vital that the missionary keep in mind the duty in which they are christen into. It’s not to “save” or “transform” a person. That’s the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. The word of God says in, (John 16:8-15), “And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me; of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.” (KJV) The responsibility of the Holy Spirit has got to be recognized and respected. Hay proposes, “Increasing emphasis has been placed upon human wisdom, human plans and organization, and correspondingly less upon the wisdom, gifts and power of the Holy Spirit.”(21) The ministries function or the answer for missionaries in reply to that which the Bible instructs is established in (1st Corinthians 2:1-5) that says, “And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man 's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” (KJV) The compassion of the missionary should be similar to that of Apostle Paul’s compassion. The significance of one’s responsibility is a necessary component in respecting other cultures, evading syncretism and devotedly declaring the Word of God. The disregarded duty of the Missionary: The ultimate goal of this research is to highlight the overlooked responsibility of the missionary that is to pray. Prayer has the ability to cover a large amount of errors that one will create when ministering cross culturally. Piper says, “Life is war. That’s not all it is. But it is always that. Our weakness in prayer owes largely to our neglect of this truth. Prayer is primarily a wartime walkie-talkie for the mission of the church as it advances against the powers of darkness and unbelief. It is not surprising that prayer malfunctions when we try to make it a domestic intercom to call upstairs for more comforts in the den. God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ advances in the world.” (22) Prayer is the most vital assignment given to every believer and especially to the missionary, but sorrowfully it’s the most disused chore of all. In the words of the late Dr. Jerry Falwell, “Nothing of eternal significance happens apart from prayer.” Prayer gives Christians the opportunity to depend on the Holy Spirit, Hay says, “All true prayer is guided by the Holy Spirit. We pray with the understanding but the heart and mind must be yielded to the Holy Spirit that He may be permitted to reveal God’s will directing us as to what to pray.” (23) Carmichael had this to say regarding the responsibility of prayer in her ministry, “We grew into a kind of prayer that is, for us at least, very helpful. We ask to be led by the Holy Spirit from point to point, each prayer leading on from the preceding prayer till the particular subject laid on our hearts has been dealt with, and we have the assurance that the Lord will complete all.”(24) Prayer is the assignment that ought to take place prior to, throughout and once the job of the missionary is concluded. Additionally Piper says, “Prayer safeguards the supremacy of God in missions while linking us with endless grace for every need.” (25) John 15:16 says, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” (KJV) once the missionary is directed by the influence of the Spirit of God in prayer God will begin to move through them and assist in changing cultures.
Apologetics in Preaching and Teaching: Dr. Mohler describes apologetics as “the duty of setting out the truthful assertions of Christianity and arguing for the distinctive honesty of the Christian faith, must inform every preacher’s understanding of his job in a postmodern age.” (26) (Acts 17:16-34) provide a representation of the Great Commission declaration corresponding to an apologetic dispute, A dispute in protection of Christian authenticity. In that verse of scripture Apostle Paul is situate at the heart of apologetic servicing in first century Athens. This city was the most academically refined culture of that time, but its magnificence was receding. Although Rome retained political and armed forces superiority, Athens is the ultimate in areas of artistic and academic authority. The focal point of Paul’s trip to Athens is his message to the group of philosophers at the Areopagus, which is identified as Mars Hill. Numerous ideologies as it relate to preaching and apologetics become apparent when one reflects upon (Acts 17:16-34). Initially, Christian declaration in a contemporary culture start in an aggravated spirit (Acts 17:16). Apostle Paul saw the spiritual puzzlement of the Athenians and his concern prevailed over him. The spectacle of a city filled with idols held him in anguish, and that anguish bowed to the declaration of the gospel. Paul’s verified that he dwelt with an episode paroxysmos; a paroxysm, at the scene of so much spiritual mystification. Athens was academically refined in an area where the world’s earliest and largely famous academics had deliberated. Within this country were, Pericles, Plato, and Socrates, although the Apostle Paul was not intimidated with the dull beauty of this town. Paul beheld men and women that did not have a Savior in their lives. This verse tells one that the appropriate outlook of Christian apologetics starts out with spiritual apprehension, not in a logical arrogance of contempt. Christians advocate Christ not for the reason that Christianity is simply a higher perspective or worldview and not for the reason that one has been adequately intelligent to clinch the Word of God, but for the reason that one has met the Savior, Christian’s has been claimed by God’s Word, and have been changed by the replenishing of the mentality. The believers teaching are not an issue of scholarly arrogance but of spiritual disquiet, because of a fading humanity that pine away in spiritual bewilderment. The United States is a country overflowing with idols of self consciousness, material reassurance, emotional deliverance, sexual elation, aspirations, control and accomplishments, New Age spiritualities and on a mission for individual accomplishments, and personal transcendences. Anderson says, on no account has any civilization made accessible to its common people such a smorgasbord of realities. Never before has a communications system like the contemporary mass media made information about religion, all religions obtainable to so many people. Never has a society allowed its people to become consumers of belief, and allowed belief all beliefs to become commodities. (27) Conclusion: It’s enormously complicated to advance in lecturing and preaching God’s Word and not including one’s own conjectures and pre- thoughtfulness within the duty. The missionary have got to continually subsist according to (Romans 12: 1-2) which says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV) After the missionary or any believer advances he’s or her ministry and public walk with the Lord God using this method, that individual will be able to perform missions and rejoice with other cultures in a manner that Jesus would love.

Footnotes: Bibliography:
(1) Luther, Martin, J. I. Packer, and O. R. Johnston. The bondage of the will. Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1957.

(2) Olson, C. Gordon. What in the world is God doing?: the essentials of global missions : an introductory guide. 5th ed. Cedar Knols, N.J.: Global Gospel Publishers, 2003.
(3) IBID
(4) Strong, James, John R. Kohlenberger, and James A. Swanson. The strongest Strong’s exhaustive concordance of the Bible. 21st century ed. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2001.
(5) Kane, J. Herbert. Understanding Christian missions. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1974.
[6] Mounce, William D.. Mounce’s complete expository dictionary of Old & New Testament words. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2006. [7] Barker, Kenneth L., and John R. Kohlenberger. The expositor’s Bible commentary: abridge edition. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House, 1994.
[8] IBID
(9) IBID
[10] IBID
[11] Duane Elmer
[12] Winter, Ralph D., and Steven C. Hawthorne. Perspectives on the world Christian movement: Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey Library, 1999.
[13] Ibid
[14] Ibid
[15] Winter, Ralph D., and Steven C. Hawthorne. Perspectives on the world Christian movement: Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey Library, 1999. [16] John MacArthur Ashamed of The Gospel
[17] Hay, Alexander Rattray. The New Testament order for church and missionary. 2d ed. Argentina; Audubon, N.J: New Testament Missionary Union, 1947.
[18] IBID
(19] Winter, Ralph D., and Steven C.
Hawthorne. Perspectives on the world Christian movement: Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey Library, 1999.
[20] Hay, Alexander Rattray. The New Testament Order for Church and Missionary. Temperley, Argentina: New Testament Missionary Union, 1947. [21] John Piper. Let the nations be glad!: the supremacy of God in missions. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1993
[22] Hay, Alexander Rattray. The New Testament order for church and missionary. 2d ed. Argentina; Audubon, N.J: New Testament Missionary Union, 1947.
[23] Carmichael, Amy. Things as they are; mission work in southern India,. London: Morgan &Scott Ltd., 1903
[24] Piper, John. Let the nations be glad!: the supremacy of God in missions. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Books, 1993
[25] R. Albert Mohler, He is not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World (Chicago: Moody, 2008), 123-124.
[26] Walter Truett Anderson, Reality Isn’t What It Used to Be (San Francisco: Harper and Row,1990), 188.
(27) Robert Wuthnow: After Heaven: Spirituality in America since the 1950s (Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press, 2005), 139
(28) All Scripture text was taken from the King James Version of the
Bible:
Bibliography:
Anderson, Walter T. Reality Isn’t What It Used to Be (San Francisco: Harper and Row, 1990), 188.
Hay, Alexander Rattray. The New Testament order for church and missionary. 2d ed. Argentina; Audubon, N.J: New Testament Missionary Union, 1947.

Kane, J. Herbert. Understanding Christian missions. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1974.

Luther, Martin, J. I. Packer, and O. R. Johnston. The bondage of the will. Old Tappan, N.J.: Revell, 1957.

Mohler, Albert R. He is not Silent: Preaching in a Postmodern World (Chicago: Moody, 2008), 123-124.

Mounce, William D.. Mounce’s complete expository dictionary of Old & New Testament words. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2006.

Olson, C. Gordon. What in the world is God doing?: the essentials of global missions : an introductory guide. 5th ed. Cedar Knols, N.J.: Global Gospel Publishers, 2003.

Piper, John. Let the nations be glad!: the supremacy of God in missions. Grand Rapids, Mich. Baker Books, 1993

Robert Wuthnow: After Heaven: Spirituality in America since the 1950s (Princeton, NJ: Princeton Univ. Press, 2005), 139

Winter, Ralph D., and Steven C. Hawthorne. Perspectives on the world Christian movement: Pasadena, Calif.: William Carey Library, 1999.