Posts in category Ministry Thoughts

My Increasing Sense of Cultural Angst

Jan03
2010 Written by Warner Smith

As a Christian I increasingly feel disconnected from my own culture. A brief word of explanation before I continue.

The technical terminology E-1, E-2, and E-3 is used to differentiate the cultural distance across which evangelism occurs . E-1 (evangelism one) refers to monocultural evangelism. Both E-2 and E-3 involve cross-cultural evangelism, with E-3 crossing a more radical cultural bridge than E-2. E-2 and E-3 evangelistic ministries require different strategies, different planning, different gifts, different training, and different insights than E-1 ministries.

In the minds of most Christians leaders in America, the field of evangelism specializes in E-1, while the field of missions specializes in E-2 and E-3. I have earned a Ph.D. in Evangelism so that means I should have some expertise in accomplishing E-1 evangelism. Traditionally this meant the kind of evangelism that would most often be accomplished in the church and its surrounding community. Imagine my angst as I become more and more aware of the need for the church I lead to engage in E-2 and even E-3 evangelism. This means that I need an additional degree in Missiology.

Think about the cultural distance in your own family. It is not uncommon for individuals to have educational, political, economic, and generational cultural distance in their own nuclear and extended family. In my own family I have relatives who are M.D.’s, Ed,D.’s, D.V.M.’s, and Ph.D.’s, many others have Master’s degrees, Bachelor’s Degrees, and High School diploma’s. Others did not finish High School. (By the way the wealthiest member of my family did not finish High School). Politically there are very conservative, moderate and and very liberal members of my family. Economically we are all middle, upper middle class and above. Religiously, my family is primarily unchurched, with many committed evangelical Christians. Reaching my diverse family would all be E-1.

Today in my community, however, I am coming into contact with displaced northerners who have had the good sense to move south, and individuals from around the world. For example my neighbor across the street is from Wisconsin, and my next door neighbor is from Trinidad. Our predominantly white Anglo church has members from Haiti, Cuba, Columbia, and Peru.

It seems to me that the cultural distance is increasing between many of my son’s generation (teens and twenty’s) and me. This distance and the speed for which I need preparation to respond to it is also increasing.

I have just ordered two books to help me respond to this in my primary task of preaching. One is written by my friends Ed Stetzer and Richie Stanley, Lost and Found: The Younger Unchurched and the Churches that Reach Them. You can order your own copy if you at http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Found-Younger-Unchurched-Churches. The other book, Vintage Church: Timeless Truths and Timely Methods is by Mark Driscoll can be found at http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Church-Timeless-Truths-Methods I will let you know what I learn on a later post.

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When Did Being Cool Become a Requirement for Ministry?

Dec15
2009 Written by Warner Smith

I recently told someone who does several youth events annually that someday he would no longer be cool. Further I explained he would not be able to pinpoint when, how, or why it happened, but he would most certainly know that it had happened.

Like many in ministry I was once a youth pastor. It was then that I first encountered the advantages being cool has for ministry. I learned that I could effectively use my positive experiences from being popular in high school to my own ministry advantage. This was also when I first learned the limitations and problems associated with a “coolcentric” ministry philosophy.

1. Coolness changes rapidly and capriciously.
As a male who came of age during the Carter and Reagan administrations, my preppie look and jock physique made being cool in the early 80′s easy for me. Something happened, that changed what was called cool. The punk rock movement changed the definition of cool in my circle.
2. By definition everyone cannot be cool.
As someone who came to faith in Christ while in college I discovered that many of my cool friends were not interested in being inclusive of my newly made (non-cool) church friends. Please note that during this time much of our college life was spent separating ourselves into Greeks or Geeks. (This was before Bill Gates made being a rich geek cool). The church is the only institution in our society where everyone (cool or not) theoretically has the opportunity to be accepted. While we do not yet meet this potential at the very least it should be a ministerial goal.
3. The pride that is necessarily associated with being cool is spiritually problematic.
After my salvation I remember that as I grew spiritually I had to face my own pride. Being considered cool within your circle of influence can be used by Satan to lead you away from the cross-bearing necessary for spiritual growth and obedience.

The moment I had my greatest cool crisis was when after my wife became pregnant with our third child I purchased a minivan. Driving off the dealers lot I new I had permanently emptied my cool tank.

4. Is Christlikeness considered cool?

Here’s the thing I have learned. Being a devoted follower of Christ, a Dad, and happily married makes me the coolest I have ever been. This coolness, however, now hidden under almost totally grey hair and a less than athletic physique, is less and less visible to the world.

This makes me question why so many who do ministry today continue to seek coolness. Perhaps a better goal for our natural maleness would be to seek godly authenticity.

5. Can coolness and godliness coexist?
I know that many who are occupied with being cool are missiologically engaging a culture whom they are trying to reach for Christ. My point is two fold. First, we need to remember that the world we are engaging is increasingly pagan! Therefore, while we definitely need to proceed, we need to proceed cautiously. Secondly, the natural desires in each male to be popular (cool) and accepted on a manly level by other males can lead to pride, arrogance, and non-Christlikeness. We need to be careful not to allow our natural self to lead us astray.

Personally I need to be reminded not to forget that godliness is not optional for ministry but is foundational for ministry. I am increasingly aware that I need to pray and ask the Holy Spirit to help me be more accepting of all people (cool or not) while at the same time becoming increasingly vigilant in keeping myself unspotted by the world (even at the expense of my own personal coolness).

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