10 How Shall They Hear?

Studying this lesson will help you:

• Define culture using Kwast’s four-layer model.
• Explain why understanding worldview is essential to effective cross-cultural communication.
• Describe what missionaries can do to communicate the gospel with sensitivity in cross-cultural settings.
• Explain how ethnocentrism shapes our perceptions and interactions with other cultures.
• Explain what it means to contextualize the gospel.
• Describe how a redemptive analogy works to help people hear and understand the gospel.
• Explain what can go wrong when surface-level behavior is not accompanied by conviction at the deep level of worldview.
• Describe the kinds of encounters that are needed to fully communicate the gospel.
• Explore the need to develop and utilize communication strategies for cultures that primarily consist of oral learners.

We have already seen that the gospel cannot be discovered by people; it must be disclosed to people. If the gospel were merely information, then perhaps God’s plan would have been to let sincere seekers ransack the created order and piece together ideas about Him. But the gospel is not just information. It is essentially an invitation to a relationship. That’s why God wants everyone to get a chance to hear His invitation. He sends messengers to convey that message.

If the messengers are not sensitive while conveying the message across cultural barriers, then the message becomes nothing more than intercultural noise. One stereotype of a missionary is that of an arrogant, imperious bigot who imposes Western beliefs on innocent cultures. No one wants to be involved in this kind of religious propaganda. Happily, this stereotype is largely false. Most missionaries work at great length to adapt their message to the heart of another culture.

The complexity of culture explains why the gospel “spreads” powerfully within a culture but does not “jump” easily across cultural boundaries. In this lesson we’ll explore what culture is and how we can better make the jump across the cultural boundaries that have long obstructed the advance of the gospel among the least evangelized. We’ll also explore how to communicate within different cultures at a deep, worldview level.

We will consider that people respond to the gospel in culturally shaped ways. What is true conversion? How does God change people without tearing them out of their culture? God wants more than a message conveyed. He wants a movement of obedience to Christ to flourish. How can new churches redeem instead of rejecting their home culture?

I. Understanding Culture

Lloyd E. Kwast presents a simple model of culture by taking a “man from Mars” approach, attempting to see features of culture from an outsider’s point of view. He identifies four different related “layers” of culture. The deeper layers affect and give shape to the outer layers.

A. Behavior. Behavior includes customs, products, and languages—just about any patterned way of doing things. This level of culture answers the question, “What is done?” or, in a more detailed way of asking, “What is the normal or appropriate way that things are done?”

B. Values. Much of behavior is dictated by a system of values: standards of conduct and judgment that guide what is good, best, or beautiful. The value system often overlaps with a given culture’s felt needs. “What is good or best?” is related to the question, “What is needed?”

C. Beliefs. This level of culture answers the question, “What is true?” A belief system, consisting of an array of ideas and cognitive patterns, shapes the decisions that turn values into actions. Sometimes theoretical beliefs can be held at the same time as a slightly different operative belief system. Theoretical beliefs do not usually affect values or behavior.

D. Worldview. At the heart of any culture is its worldview, answering the most basic question: “What is real?” The fundamental assumptions about reality often deal with questions about the core story: “Who are we?” “Where did we come from?” or “What will happen?” Often, the worldview assumptions are reflected in epic myths. Kwast says that in gospel communication, “sometimes a new . . . system of beliefs is introduced, but the worldview remains unchallenged and unchanged, so values and behavior reflect the old belief system” (p. 284).

II. Cultural Differences

Gospel communicators need to achieve more than a surface-level understanding of the cultures they enter. Awareness of these four layers of culture is essential for the gospel to be conveyed effectively in a cross-cultural setting. Paul G. Hiebert observes:

When we enter new cultures, however, we become keenly aware of the fact that other people live differently. At first we see the differences in dress, food, language and behavior. Then we learn that there are profound differences in beliefs, feelings and values. Finally, we begin to realize that there are fundamental differences in worldviews. People in different cultures do not live in the same world with different labels attached to it, but in radically different worlds. (“Cultural Differences and the Communication of the Gospel,” in Perspectives on the World Christian Movement, 3rd ed., edited by Ralph D. Winter and Steven C. Hawthorne [William Carey Library, 1999], 377)

A. Misunderstandings: Differences of Beliefs. If our impression of another culture is that it “makes no sense,” then we can be sure that we are not making sense to them either. The solution is to become a learner.

B. Ethnocentrism: Differences of Feelings. Early in life, we grow up as the center of our world. We are egocentric. We also grow up in a culture and assume that its ways are the right ways to do things. Ethnocentrism is based on our natural tendency to judge the behavior of people in other cultures by the values and assumptions of our own. Hiebert states, “When we are confronted by another culture, our own is called into question. Our defense is to avoid the issue by concluding that our culture is better. But ethnocentrism is a two-way street” (The Gospel in Human Contexts: Anthropological Explorations for Contemporary Missions [Baker, 2009], 196).

C. Premature Judgments: Differences of Values. Early reactions to the differences of other cultures can result in a negative assessment. Is cultural relativism the best alternative? Is every culture as good as any other? Every culture can be recognized for its value and integrity. But convictions about the nature of truth and righteousness require us to hold all cultures, including our own, under the judgment of biblical norms, affirming the good of human creativity while condemning the evil.

D. Cultures Clash When Worldviews Clash. Hiebert describes how two cultures sometimes clash as they meet one another. He encourages those seeking to serve in cross-cultural settings to take care to learn the culture at deep levels of belief and worldview. He offers his experience in India as an example: “Indian culture is based on deep beliefs in purity and pollution, which touch every area of life” (p. 303). He says that Americans must take care to “understand how Indians see purity and pollution and to reexamine our own beliefs of ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’” (p. 304).

III. Cross-Cultural Communication

The Willowbank Report urges us to contextualize the gospel with faithfulness to the original biblical presentation and with relevance to the new cultural situation. This usually means finding a unique way to present the gospel in every setting. There is no standard, universal way to express the gospel that is equally sensitive to every culture. God entrusts us with the responsibility to find the best ways to communicate His message. The Willowbank Report identifies two basic barriers that hinder the cross-cultural communication of the gospel:

• Responding to the message is perceived as a threat to the culture and society.
• The message is presented in alien cultural forms.

We’ll see these two barriers repeatedly in later parts of the course, using different vocabulary of acceptance and understanding. In a sense, the gospel is truly alien. No one could have figured out this plan of salvation; it is a supracultural message from God. The gospel does challenge and change aspects of every culture and society that it touches. But both barriers can be minimized. It is our responsibility to see that the gospel is understood and ensure that obstacles are not needlessly thrown before peoples responding to the gospel.

A. Without Understanding: The Gospel in Alien Cultural Forms. If the gospel is presented in foreign ways of thinking, the presentation may be comprehended in some way, but it often fails to reveal the message of Christ clearly.

B. Without Acceptance: Threatening Social and Cultural Consequences. If the gospel is perceived as wreaking havoc on the social structure or violating the cultural values of the recipient people, it is usually rejected by all but a few.

IV. Cultural Sensitivity in Gospel Communication: Contextualizing the Message

“Contextualization” refers to efforts to present the gospel within the context of cultural and social forms that are recognized by the respondent community. We can speak of contextualization in three different ways. It can refer to communicating the message itself in a local context. We can sometimes use the term “contextualize” to refer to messengers of the gospel identifying with the people to enhance their effectiveness. We can also speak of contextualizing movements. We will discuss the contextualization of movements in lesson 14.

At this point, let’s focus on the idea of contextualizing the message of the gospel.

A short section of the Willowbank Report beautifully describes the work of contextualizing the gospel “with an equal degree of faithfulness and relevance” (p. 363). Such wisdom and sensitivity require an “active, loving engagement with the local people, thinking in their thought patterns, understanding their worldview, listening to their questions, and feeling their burdens.” Clear and faithful gospel communication is not something missionaries do on their own. Instead, they work with local believers, so that “by common prayer, thought and heart-searching, in dependence on the Holy Spirit,” they “may learn together how to present Christ and contextualize the gospel” (pp. 362–63).

V. Learning the Culture: Finding a Redemptive Analogy Don Richardson asks the question that deals with the first barrier of alien ideas. “Often the gospel is labeled as foreign. How can it be explained so that it seems culturally appropriate?” (p. 305). Richardson calls for cross-cultural messengers to work carefully to learn the culture and history of the people to find ways that the message can be understood and received. He calls such a search a “culture probe.” He describes some points of contact, which he calls “redemptive analogies.” He gives examples that show how God often prepares particular peoples to hear and understand the gospel. Later in this lesson, we will call this kind of clear communication a “truth encounter.”

VI. Conveying the Message Clearly: Local Forms and Messengers

We turn now to two examples of how the gospel was imparted clearly and wisely so that movements were encouraged to flourish. Watch how missionaries work with local people to encourage relevant, powerful movements by addressing both barriers mentioned above: understanding and acceptance. Notice in both stories

• teams of missionaries were involved in training and support,
• the primary communicators were local people instead of missionaries,
• the art forms and communication settings were culturally familiar,
• the content of the message focused on Jesus as Lord, and
• the missionaries aimed to form multiplying churches.

A. A Key Leader. Dean Hubbard tells the story of Bhimrao, an Indian believer who found ways to present the gospel that were sensitive, understandable, and relevant. He framed the message around their frustration with socioeconomic oppression. He focused on Jesus as their rightful Lord who longed to bring them blessing. He chose forms that made sense, speaking their language and gathering them to make decisions together. If he had urged one-by-one conversion, it may have seemed threatening. But when many were gathered, choosing Christ together was seen as good for their entire people.

B. For “Jesus to Come Alive.” James W. Gustafson reports how Thai villagers presented the gospel with sensitivity to Thai culture. Their approach was designed to create a way for Jesus to come alive to the Northeast Thai. As you read the story, take note of how the message was framed not as a competing religion but instead as all about Jesus, who is above all religions. The expatriate missionary team helped locals gifted in “holy gab” to spread the message in many villages. The missionary team had people specializing in the arts present the message and celebrate in worship forms familiar to their culture.

VII. The Name and the Story of God When a locally recognized name for God is used, instead of importing a foreign word to designate God, it is more likely that the epic stories reflecting their worldview can be connected and corrected by the biblical story. God, of course, reveals Himself in the Bible. As we found in lesson 2, God’s “fame name”—how God wants to be known—is connected to the biblical story.

A. Using Indigenous Names for God. Richardson explores the important matter of what name is used to refer to God. He suggests that using indigenous names for God can help people make sense of the biblical story in which God reveals Himself.

B. A Breakthrough of Understanding. Brian Hogan discusses the crucial importance of using a culturally relevant name for God.

VIII. Communicating the Gospel in Culture Charles H. Kraft delves into the crucial matter of worldview to communicate the gospel in context, or to “contextualize” the gospel message. He regards worldview as a structured set of underlying assumptions. It is the deepest level of presuppositions upon which people base their lives.

A. Contextualization. To “contextualize” means to present something with regard to the cultural context. It means adapting ourselves and our presentation of God’s message to the culture of the receiving people.

B. Worldview. Worldview works like a river: Surface behavior is fairly easy to observe, but it is dynamically affected by the unseen undercurrent of the assumptions by which people govern their behavior. The term “deep-level culture” refers to worldview. We need to communicate the gospel with a biblical critique of people’s culture and worldview, but with profound respect for the only way of life that they have known.

C. Subsystems of Culture. There are subsystems of culture that are greatly affected by worldview. It’s tempting to present the gospel so that the religious parts of our home culture replace the religious parts of the local culture. This approach can only lead to a superficial expression of Christianity. Instead, the message must be directed so that the worldview is affected by the truth of the gospel. When the gospel affects the worldview level, it can powerfully influence every part of that society.

IX. Worldview Change and Conversion

The gospel can be likened to a seed that must be planted and grow in the soil of local culture. Unfortunately, missionaries sometimes bring the gospel as if it were a potted plant to be transported and transplanted as a foreign life form. Kraft extends this illustration to help us understand how the churches resulting from effective gospel communication almost always seem different from the churches of the missionaries’ home culture. He says indigenous churches can be likened to trees that bear similar fruit yet appear much different from the “trees” of the missionaries’ home culture. What is the responsibility of missionaries in the process of God transforming cultures by the power of the gospel?

A. Worldview Change. God intends to bring about good changes in cultures by the power of the gospel. One common mistake occurs when missionaries bring a surface-level change and fail to recognize that an alternate deep-level meaning has been applied to the change. The message of the gospel can be significantly warped. The better way to communicate the gospel is to bring understanding at the level of worldview assumptions. Missionaries can then work with local believers to find how God may be changing their surface-level culture of behavior.

Give particular attention to the analogy of the gospel sprouting and growing as a tree that on the surface may look different from the home church of the missionary but can be a beautiful expression of the same spiritual life. The term “dynamic equivalent church” refers to a church movement that has different surface-level characteristics but expresses the full meaning of the biblical message.

B. Allegiance Change: Conversion. Communicating the gospel is not merely a task of getting the message across. The gospel is not simply information to know about God. It is an invitation to follow God in Christ. In our pluralistic age, the vocabulary of conversion is being used less. But we need to be clear about how God wants people and their cultures to change as they follow Christ.

1. A Radical Turning. Conversion is essentially a change of allegiance, bringing people and their culture under the lordship of Christ.

2. Lordship Brings Transformation. Conversion should bring revolutionary change in three ways: worldview, behavior, and relationships. (These three areas correspond to the three areas of encounter explored by Kraft next.) Conversion should never deculturate a would-be follower of Christ.

X. Full Encounter

Charles H. Kraft outlines three encounters necessary to communicate the gospel. Most Christians recognize the need for “truth encounter” in gospel communication at the cognitive level. But there are other dimensions of encounter by which the gospel brings about change throughout an entire people. Kraft identifies these three encounters. He first indicates how Jesus was involved in all three types and then describes how they can be balanced and work together.

A. Truth Encounter Deals with Understanding. The vehicle of action concerning this encounter is teaching.

B. Allegiance Encounter Deals with Relationships. The vehicle of action here is witness.

C. Power Encounter Deals with Freedom. The vehicle is spiritual warfare.

Each of these encounters is progressive and may unfold in different sequences. Kraft suggests these three stages to illustrate the almost endless possibilities of the way God works to bring forth the transformation of mind, loyalty, and liberty that He intends. Usually, all three are a part of evangelistic efforts that bear fruit. Encounters of all three types should be viewed as part of the process of conversion.

XI. Classic Power Encounter

Read the short but thrilling account of a classic power encounter, told by John D. Robb. Would you have dared to pray as they did? What other options were there for the missionary team besides the course of action they took?

XII. Discipling Oral Learners

It is estimated that two-thirds of the people on earth today are primarily “oral learners.” This means that they learn best and their lives are most likely to change when communication comes to them in oral forms. The difference between oral and literate learning is much more than superficial forms or styles. Oral learners process information differently.

Completing world evangelization requires careful attention to ensure that the gospel is communicated and churches are multiplied in ways that oral learners can receive and achieve. Many mission organizations today are focusing on how to adjust their approaches to deal well with orality. An adaptation of a report prepared by the International Orality Network identifies five priorities to effectively disciple oral learning cultures.

A. The Word of God Made Available Using Oral Strategies. Certainly, recordings help, but translators are finding ways of linking translations with oral forms of the Bible.

B. Conveying the Gospel Using Oral Strategies. Chronological Bible “storying” has been effective in communicating the gospel in ways that the hearers can immediately use to tell the gospel to many others.

C. Discipling and Church Multiplying. Oral strategies are being used to multiply churches.

D. Oral Strategies Help Avoid Syncretism. Because people are more profoundly affected on the worldview level, there is much less risk of syncretism. When the gospel or doctrinal material is conveyed in ways only used in literate cultures, there is a much higher risk of a superficial grasp of the faith.

E. Using Oral Strategies to Reach “Secondary Oral Learners.” There are millions of people who may be part of a literate culture but prefer to receive and process information in an oral learning way.

XIII. Three Types of Cultures: Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures Jayson Georges presents three types of cultures in our world. Some cultures are driven by guilt for wrongs committed and seek forgiveness to restore innocence. In other settings, people seek to avoid bringing shame on themselves or their families, instead aiming to gain and sustain honor. In still other cultures, fear of evil powers moves people to search for rituals to withstand or overcome those powers.

The gospel offers a full narrative that offers forgiveness for wrongs, honor for shame, and power to overcome evil. Jayson Georges says that Acts 26:18 (the key verse for this lesson) addresses all three dynamics. In this verse we find that the gospel is at work to turn people “from the power of Satan to God [power] . . . receive the forgiveness of sins [innocence] . . . and a place among those who are sanctified by faith [honor]” (p. 317). Then Georges states that “these three strands of the gospel never function in isolation” (p. 317), but instead, wise cross-cultural workers convey the fullness of God’s goodness in Christ.

Conclusion of Certificate Readings for this lesson.

After studying this section you should be able to:

• Describe how the contextualization of the gospel can be faithful to the Bible while also being relevant to local culture.
• Explain why communicating the gospel in story form is valuable.

XIV. Understanding Culture Aids Contextualization Kraft summarizes some clear and powerful ideas about how a robust biblical theology of culture aids contextualization. The Bible is positive about culture. Scripture proclaims truth that transcends all cultures and is therefore relevant to every culture. Each of these five ideas below either points to biblical truth about culture or commends the use of the Bible itself in the ongoing process of contextualization:

• God loves people as they are culturally.
• The cultures and languages of the Bible are not special, God-made cultures and languages.
• The Bible shows that God worked with His people in culturally appropriate ways.
• God’s work within a culture never leaves that culture unchanged.
• We are to follow Scripture and risk the use of receptor-culture forms. We’ll explore the term “syncretism” in lesson 14.

XV. Communicating through Stories

Tom A. Steffen relates how he integrated stories into his evangelistic efforts. Storytelling can be one of the most effective ways to communicate the gospel on a worldview level. The story of what Christ has finished and will yet finish can be connected to the unfinished story of the hearers. Storytelling can become a practiced skill of gospel communicators. It is powerful and practical for everyone. Once again, notice the emphasis on the ongoing communication of the gospel beyond what missionaries themselves might convey. Storytelling not only conveys the message in a profound way; it makes it memorable and repeatable.

XVI. Transforming Worldviews through the Biblical Story To communicate the gospel effectively, cross-cultural workers need more than a point of contact to begin conversation or some clever way to hold interest. Stories are essential to connect on a worldview level. For the biblical story to be received and believed by a people, it must find a place and connection within their worldview. The most powerful and simple way for this to take place is to help people see how the gospel fulfills the longings and hopes of their people. This requires local storytellers who are familiar with the stories of the people as well as the great story of the Bible. D. Bruce Graham helps us understand that worldview is essentially a story. He tells of his experience in learning how to encourage local storytellers who were bringing about truth encounters in profound ways.

XVII. Communicating at a Worldview Level

Phillip Elkins tells how a team of missionaries found a way to communicate the gospel in keeping with the worldview of the Tonga people. Take special notice of two aspects of their efforts to grasp the Tonga worldview:

A. Understand Different Elements of Worldview. The missionaries worked to discover elements of the Tonga worldview that were foreign to their own. They did not immediately try to correct the worldview but instead sought to connect with the worldview at a point of felt need.

B. Understand Their Story. A common feature of the worldview of most cultures is an underlying, defining story or collection of stories. The story can be a mythical drama or a portion of a historical saga. It often recounts how the people group came to its present experience. For the Tonga, their defining story organizes their belief that a creator God lived with them at one time but has since left them. Gospel communication is effective when the biblical story is linked to the worldview story of the people.