As to your question, I think you can gain an appreciation for a culture by learning about them, but you cannot gain an accurate understanding of a culture without knowing them. Knowing about them may include visiting their culture for a vacation, reading books about their history, challenges, and successes. Knowing them is more intimate, and it is much more difficult. I wouldn’t think you coul know a cluture without spending a lot of time with the people of that culture, and even then, although you are starting to know them, your understanding is only partial.

To answer the question, I would answer ‘D’ to ‘A’, in that order (changing a few things of course, like part b of option C.

@meriwether - I don’t think loving them and “what am I supposed to say to point them toward Christ” are mutually exclusive. In fact, I think they’re one in the same. To love someone is to point them to Christ. You point them to Christ by being Christ to them, talking about Christ to them, teaching them about Christ, etc. I do agree that we shouldn’t “worry” about the end result of the conversation, but for those that don’t know the first few steps in how to engage someone, either of their own culture or of another, telling them to just love isn’t going to result in anything. Which, by the way, is why the overwhelming majority of christians sit on the pew on Sundays and do nothing to live out their faith during the week…but I think I’ve already written about that.

I don’t know, maybe we’re saying similar things, but I know that Margie’s advice has to be the beginning. We have to have a broken heart for those around us.

James covers this in Chapter 2 of his book/ speech. Simply love people (not so simple), based on your faith, meeting the needs of those who need the Lord. I know that seeking to learn how to love people starts with a deep introspective analysis on how we view/ treat people (making sure it is in accordance with God’s Word), but it transforms into a love for people that only Christ could have given you. What a great thing to have. This is where James 2 comes in. What good is it to know how to love without demonstrating that love to people we come into contact with daily, our mission if you will. At this point, it is not our job to worry about the end result of a conversation (whether or not we gave someone enough information to get saved), we can rest in the comfort, for that particular instance, that we were able to be obedient in loving someone who was not like us.

1. I disagree, I believe we have the know how, we just choose not to care (ouch). It’s not convenient.
7. I hear pastors all the time mention this, and there seems to always be a focus on being effective at work. I would disagree with his assesment, only to add that we ignore this teaching. I believe it is taught and ignored, as are many other biblical truths. I think this could be many pastors’ greatest frustration.

9. One also needs to be very careful that the ’spiritual’ and or theological books they are reading are sound, and that their basis for action is the Word. I believe there are too many who quote books instead of scripture.

10. Not sure about this one, most actual believers I know would readily admit the disconnect (I think). Not sure where he got that information.

Loving and serving others is hard. It takes selflessness and obedience (and we are selfish and unobedient), which is all the more reason we need to change our behavior. I’m excited to see where this goes.

Question for another day: Does God need us to make him ‘relevant’, or is he, through his scriptures, just as relevant today as he has always been?

Our busi-ness IS our mission…we are to work in the name of Jesus and by the power of God’s Spirit, our Sunday is our day for physical rest. We’ve GOT to get this…sales, IT, PT, truck driving, teaching; these are our missions.