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What are some aspects of Christianity, as you practice it, that may be the result of your culture more than of the gospel? Have you seen churches of a culture other than your own expressing the gospel differently than you? In what ways?
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19 Replies
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As a Nigerian practicing Christianity, aspects influenced by culture may include vibrant worship styles, communal practices, and specific leadership structures. In contrast, churches from Western cultures often emphasize subdued worship, individual faith journeys, and different theological themes, such as social justice. These differences illustrate how cultural backgrounds shape our expressions of the gospel while remaining rooted in its core message.
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Women are forbidden to be lead Pastors in my church. I live in a very conservative area where there are a lot of Amish and Mennonite people. They dress plainly, the women wear coverings on their hair, the men wear hats. They follow many traditions. The Old Order Sect of Amish and Mennonite do not have electric in their home. The travel by horse and buggy, they have steel wheels on their tractors so they are set apart from the world.
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Yes, I am sure that there are some parts of my conservative community that enter into my practice of worship. Leadership by men, dressing up for church, being submissive to male authority are all a part of the culture where I live. While these things are not entirely wrong, or even wrong at all, they can have a negative impact on the women who are part of our congregations in our area. Women sometimes do not feel welcomed to lead or preach or teach in our area. But I know, when God calls, He uses both men and women.
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The way we do the sacraments, Communion. Following the Gospel, would require particular type of wine and bread, unleavened. We take wafers or other cracker type bread and juice for wine. As we worship Jesus, the sacraments are the body and blood of Jesus. The wine and bread symbolize these two elements. Other cultures practice beliefs that the bread and wine actually become the Lord. I have not noticed the other Churches I have visited do Sacraments or Baptism. I can only speak for the Vineyard.
We baptize with water and Spirit. The Pastor tells the participant that they are baptized by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit just before going under water.
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Since moving to Asia I have come to see how things I was taught were Christian are really just Western. Big ones that stand out are way we would sit in pews without anyone interacting, and how we took communion by silently passing trays or standing in a line. The denomination (which they would insist is not a denomination) that I fellowshipped with insists on these practices to the point that any slight deviation has caused church splits. I find this so sad because it does not reflect the Bible as I read it, nor does it convey the message of the gospel.
As I fellowship in international settings now, I still see some Western influence, but I also see how different cultures affect the way in which people worship. I often see different styles of songs in different places that closely resembles the culture. I also see village homecomings and thanksgivings, a cultural practice, that have become part of the church. In Thailand, one of the things that stands out to me is the way social heirarchy affects the spread of the gospel – it is very countercultural for a younger person to teach an older person, so sharing the gospel is not typically done from younger to older.