Connecting beyond our walls . . .

About 30 years ago H. Richard Niebuhr wrote a critical book about a the necessary Christian approach to mission and ministry in the wider culture.  The book was called Christ and Culture.  In it he lays out five basic approaches:

1. Christ against culture:  a withdrawal model of removing oneself from the culture into the community of the church.
2. Christ of culture:  an accommodationist model that recognizes God at work in the culture and looks for ways to affirm this.
3. Christ above culture:  a synthetic model that advocates supplementing and building on the good in the culture with Christ.
4. Christ and culture in paradox:  a dualistic model that views Christians as citizens of two different realms, one sacred and one secular.
5. Christ transforming culture:  a conversionist model that seeks to transform every part of culture with Christ.

Here is an illustration taken from Tim Keller’s book Center Church that illustrates how Neibuhr’s different approaches make sense:

Think of a particular cultural product – say, a computer.  The “Christ against culture” person may refuse to use it because it undermines human community.  The “Christ of culture” person will adopt it fully, assured that it is something God has brought about.  The “Christ above culture” person will adopt it but only use it for the purposes of evangelism and Christian teaching.  The “Christ and culture paradox” person will use the computer with some wariness and take great care not to indulge too deeply.  Finally, the “Christ transforming culture” person will study the effects of computers on human relationships, communities, and character and then develop particular ways to use computers that do not undermine but instead support human flourishing as the Bible defines it (Keller, 5473-5480)

I find this topic to be very fascinating and critical to our approach to mission and ministry.  Jesus made the call very simple.  The Great Commission is to “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:18-19).  In that spirit, the Great Commandment is to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 22:37-39).

While both of those pieces are quite simple and support one another, there is no shortage of debate about what all the different implications mean and where we should draw the line. 

As a Christian are there certain things I cannot or should not do or places I should not go to connect with people far from God?  Are certain clothes, hairstyles, language, artistic expressions, entertainment choices, political positions, etc. that must be avoided?  How should I live as a teacher, a doctor, a businessman, a plant worker, etc. who follows Jesus?  What contribution can and should I be making as a Christian in my profession, neighborhood or city?   

Which of the different Neibuhr approaches make the most sense to you?  How should it affect your personal approach to the culture you live in?  How should it affect the church’s mission and ministry that you are a part of?