Welcome to my world! – actually its your world too! I am talking about the culture we live and minister in – this blog is all about culture, communication, and vibrant Christianity. A few years back, when Tammy and I were just getting started at Cape Cod Church we were at a “Pastors” conference somewhere in the deep south – on an elevator ride we got talking to another ministry couple – I asked the obligatory “where you from?” and our elevator partners responded “Alabama – how about you?” to which I responded, “Massachusetts”. Without missing a beat Mr. Alabama responded “Oh, Missionaries?” :-)
That was an important conversation – a reminder of what we ALL really are – Missionaries!
There is a lot of chatter about the secular society we live in (especially in places like MA - which are envisioned as more secular that most – but more on that in a moment) – here is why it matters – what we broadly define as the secular culture is precisely the group that God loves and has called us to love as well. A major component in that “love” is understanding who we are reaching out to. For all of our talk about reaching our culture – most of it is just talk – simply because our understanding of the culture is jaundiced. We filter our world into 2 groups – “Our Guys” and “Those Guys” ….then, and here is the kicker…we do ministry that only speaks to “Our Guys” operating on the assumption that “Those Guys” are so alien that only the random exception is reachable.
16 Years here on Cape Cod have shown me a few things about “Those Guys”….
1. Most aren’t as “liberal” as you think they are. (Politics is a weak indicator of spiritual receptivity)
2. Some are looking for a “Hypocrisy Fight” (at the first whiff – your done!)
3. They are afraid you might be like the “ones” they read about in the NY Times (Don’t be the caricature !)
4. They are quicker to embrace Christ than the Christian sub-culture (Separating the two takes wisdom and courage)
5. Fear, Insecurity and dysfunction are universal (We all have it – be honest about yours and they will let you help them with theirs)
Ok – thats my contribution….Lets hear what do you have to add?
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