“Go and Tell” to Invite Others to “Come and See”: Cultural Complexities in Evangelism
“There is one who will never betray you.” I was sharing the gospel on the streets of France through a chalk art ministry. One twenty-something woman in the crowd seemed captivated. Even in her postmodern context, she understood betrayal. Who will make all things right?
“Equipping godly servant-leaders for the proclamation of God’s Word”: That’s part of the mission that guides Dallas Theological Seminary. That “equipping” refers in part to gaining skill in expositing all sixty-six books of the Bible, but it also includes learning to communicate the message to all people, across all cultures. As God proclaims his message among the nations, he invites us to participate. Working on mission with God, we’ll find that the good news connects to what people in each culture regard as most meaningful. In Zimbabwe, where who you are is defined as whom you’re related to (people typically introduce themselves as “I am mother of . . .” or “I am cousin to . . .”), the gospel message says, “You can be related to God.” Now that is good news!
Identifying those connections, however, can be challenging. What we find most meaningful in the gospel might not prove the connection that resonates with someone else. Difficulties in sharing the gospel vary by culture and can depend on external factors outside our control. Though we want to share the gospel openly, some locations warrant caution and creativity.
As evangelists, we invite others to “come and see” as we “go and tell” (Matt 28:18–20; John 1:39–50). Depending on the cultural milieu and access, we would share the gospel in both ways, hospitably inviting others to “read” our life of faith and also proclaiming the message explicitly. Our personal testimony can be the best method of sharing the gospel, supplemented by a host of other strategies, such as storytelling (emphasizing images and metaphor, especially in predominantly oral cultures) and digital evangelism. In cross-cultural evangelism, our challenge is finding ways that connect to the hearer to share the message. All earnest students of the Bible must consider the context of the text, but anyone sharing their faith across cultures faces the additional challenge of understanding the contemporary context of the hearer. We establish connection through awareness of a community’s history, including its differing (and deeply held) cultural values.
People sometimes picture culture as an iceberg, an onion, the water in which we swim, or the air we breathe. A classic anthropological definition sees culture as a “pattern of meanings . . . by means of which [people] communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life.”1 Cultural diversity is expressed in a range of varying spectrums. Understanding the ranges of possible meanings within cultures prepares you to present the gospel with greater cultural relevance. For example, different cultures make different uses of direct and nonverbal communication styles.
Sharing the gospel effectively involves understanding the ways a culture conditions people to communicate, understand themselves, or interact with others—and responding appropriately within that context. Consider these examples that demonstrate such cultural complexities:
As the youngest female child of a patriarchal family steeped in Confucian filial piety, my Asian friend has not been taken seriously in her attempts to share the gospel with people in her context.
Smiling broadly, a Persian man readily accepts the gospel and receives baptism at a church in Oklahoma during his brief visit to the US. When questioned by his son about the authenticity of his decision, his father replies, “I’m everything to everybody.”2
After returning to his country of origin, an international DTS alumnus mentioned that his ministry ideas were discounted because he was now perceived as “too American.” Another graduate says, “They didn’t want to listen to what I learned, you know, who I am now. They just wanted [who I was] four years ago.”3
Novel aspects of your culture can draw others’ curiosity. An African student shared with me how, because of the white skin color of the messenger, he was drawn to hear how humanity’s premier “Ancestor”—Jesus Christ—spilled enough blood for all sacrifices.
In some countries, one’s religious and national identities can become conflated, obfuscating how to authentically live a particular faith apart from one’s citizenship.
People raised in a country that has been saturated with the gospel can struggle to understand it apart from their cultural upbringing. I shared the gospel with a woman who, almost offended, replied, “Of course I’m a Christian! I was raised here.”
If we can explain the gospel message in a way that a five-year-old can easily grasp (“God created us and loves us. We ran from God. God sent Jesus to rescue us. We accept what Jesus did for us.”), then we can tailor the communication method of this good news to the cultural clothing that best relates to the hearer. For people from honor–shame cultures, the gospel message would more aptly be something like this: “God created you. Our sin dishonors God. Jesus takes our shame so that we can be honored among God’s family.” Our incarnational presence in the lives of others is vital, following our Savior’s pattern.
Whether serving in your country of origin or abroad, do not neglect the privilege to “go and tell,” inviting others to “come and see.”
Here are three opportunities specifically for North American Christians.
Expand Your Enclave. As a pastor’s wife, adjunct professor at a Christian university and a seminary, and employee of a mission agency, I could easily remain ensconced in a Christian “bubble.” I must take intentional steps to avoid this “Christians-only” dilemma. For everyday services, for example—hair styling, auto repair, lawn care—I seek those who are not professing Christians. For my hobbies or social networks—hiking, fitness, Facebook parenting group—I select nonreligious entities. Most importantly, I have met nearly half of the residents of the fifty-five homes in my subdivision. Only three are professing Christians, and my family is the only one that regularly attends church. Whether sharing baked goods or remembering birthdays, taking part in garage sales or helping with construction projects, knowing my neighbors lets them observe me on a daily basis and allows me to share the message of Life with them.
Acknowledge People’s Pain. Readers of DTS Magazine likely steward higher education levels and greater wealth than a lot of other people.4 This privilege may insulate us from understanding the social and economic difficulties and lack of access to resources that others face. Additionally, understanding why an individual embraces a particular minority identity is enlightening, even though you may not affirm their beliefs. Seeking understanding shows that you express genuine interest in them. Imagine what it’s like to be a member of a minority group enveloped in a majority group culture. What are the challenges in feeling unseen and unappreciated? Have past injustices been acknowledged and addressed? Learn to be aware of, and even anticipate, the pain others may hold.
Leverage Migration. For millennia, God has used migration as a tool to spread the message of salvation. Almost 300 million people live outside their country of origin, and over half of these reside in Europe and North America (nearly 20% of all migrants live in the US).5 Christians make up almost half of all migrants worldwide. Consider the gospel implications! Take a quick peek at the demographic composition of your county, and you will find former residents of nations that may have afforded less experience with the gospel. What you learn about direct speech and nonverbal cues, as I mentioned earlier, really comes into play in your interactions with people who are coming from a different place than you.
As gospel bearers, we must do our best to share the message of God’s love in terms others can best understand. We should be eager students of their cultural background in order to connect well. The Haitian Creole word for compassion can be translated as ke nan men—literally, “your heart in your hand.” It’s to be personally moved to extend oneself vulnerably toward another. Look with the kind and generous eyes of our Lord Jesus, who received us with grace before we were made new (Rom 5:8). Let us move into those places where we can share our lives in the hopes of sharing God’s salvation. As Psalm 34:8 reminds us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” This is our invitation to others. Knowing Jesus is worth more than anything I could gain or lose, and sharing the shalom that Jesus brings is the best news we can share (Rom 1:16; Phil 3:7–10).
1 Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Cultures (Basic Books, 1973), 89.
2 Daniel Nayeri, Everything Sad Is Untrue: A True Story (Levine Querido, 2020), 331–336.
3 Jenny McGill, Religious Identity and Cultural Negotiation: Toward a Theology of Christian Identity in Migration (Pickwick, 2016), 155.
4 Rakesh Kochhar, “Seven-in-Ten People Globally Live on $10 or Less per Day,” Pew Research Center. See also the Global Wealth Report 2024 and the World Inequality Report 2022.
5 “International Migration 2020: Highlights,” United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, 2020, https://www.un.org/development/desa/pd/sites/www.un.org.development.desa.pd/files/undesa_pd_2020_international_migration_highlights.pdf.
About the Contributors
Jenny McGill
A Fulbright recipient, Jenny McGill (PhD, King’s College London) has worked in international education and intercultural consulting with clients and students from over sixty nations, having directed the International Office at Dallas Seminary for ten years. She served as a regional dean for Indiana Wesleyan University and is an adjunct professor at both institutions. With interdisciplinary lenses, she researches the intersection of faith, culture, and identities. Travel for ministry, study, and research has taken her to thirty countries on six continents.
Contributors
