Comments on: Contextualization Goes Both Ways

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:31:19 +0000

Good Point. But it is sad that so many take that verse “being all things to all people” out of context. They think that if they want to reach people they have to act and dress just like them. I don’ think that is exactly what Paul had in mind. I see so many young pastors who are more concerned with how they look then what they say. The Gospel does not wear a three piece suit or a pair of faded jeans. The Gospel transcends cultures and hair styles, it is the Power of God for Salvation to all who believe. We need to be careful that the message does not get drowned out by the means. To start dressing a certain way to relate to a certain group of people is a form of hypocrisy. God wants us to be ourselves. We are not going to win souls by what we are wearing. But we will win souls by what we are wearing if what we are wearing is the doctrine of God. Paul said to “adorn the doctrine of God”. I think of David Wilkerson, a skinny hillbilly dressed in a suit in the midst of the toughest gang in Brooklyn, NY, The Mau Mau’s. Yet in spite of looking like a poster child for Geeks are Us, God used him to bring many murderers and drug addicts to Christ not because he put on a leather jacket and didn’t brush his hair, but because he put on the Lord Jesus Christ and was adorned with the Doctrine of God.

If you were raised in a culture that does not know the meaning of the word “hair brush”, then dress in a way that is true to who you are. Nobody expects you to wear a suit and tie. And vise versa, if you were raised a somewhat yuppie then don’t try to lose the hair brush and the loafers, for the sake of trying to be cool. God wants to use you just as you are. The greatest preachers are those who are not trying to act like somebody els, they have learned that the secret is not in how you look but how you live. The Message we need to preach is Christ not ourselves. I think if young preachers would focus more on the content rather then the costume, the church would be better off.

So wether you are a Geek or a Freak preach the Gospel and be yourself and God will use it for His Glory.

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:15:46 +0000

Great post Trevin. Wonderful.

By: Jeff

Jeff — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:43:00 +0000

Joey – The quote is from Lewis’ essay entitled “On Church Music.” It’s in the Christian Reflections essay collection. Although you can read the snippet I was referring to here: http://www.worshipandchurchmusic.com/cslewis.html

By: Justin

Justin — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:12:44 +0000

Fantastic post. This line is classic.
“I know people who brag about the fact that they do not own a suit and tie. I suppose they aren’t preaching many funerals yet.”

By: Brian

Brian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 03:14:15 +0000

A bit off the beaten path here, I’d add that I know of pastors who wear clerical collars as they are out about town, and they comment that they are often approached by folks wanting to talk/share. Naturally, in their civvies, no such opportunities present themselves. I think it important that folks have such visible reminders to shake them from their day to day struggles. Seeing someone dressed this way reminds us of greater things.

By: Les Puryear

Les Puryear — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:28:50 +0000

Nice to see the shoe on the other foot for a change.

Les

By: Paul Clutterbuck

Paul Clutterbuck — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:24:44 +0000

I must confess to a weakness in my style of dress, in that I almost always wear a suit in public, regardless of who I’m with. Occasionally people have challenged me about it, and one or two have said they appreciate my good dress sense, so I suppose it cuts both ways in terms of what people think.

One issue I do have is that the church I attend on Sunday mornings is fairly conservative, where semi-formal dress is the norm, but on Sunday nights I’m at a different church with a group of students in their late teens and 20s. I don’t go home between services, because I live 25 miles out of town and don’t have a car. That means I tend to dress for the morning service, and if I’m overdressed at night that’s just too bad for those who don’t like it. I find, though, that most of the younger people have come to accept me as I am, and that I feel uncomfortable in jeans and T-shirts.

I would tend to agree that judging someone on external appearance is a worse sin than being different from everybody else, as long as being different isn’t done out of pride or the desire to nark other people.

By: Trevin Wax

Trevin Wax — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:20:03 +0000

For the record, I absolutely despise ties. I think they were invented by Eve and are part of the curse. (Kidding of course.)

But if I’m heading into a funeral home or a dress-up church, or I’m going to stand in for David Letterman, Jay Leno, a weatherman or anyone on Fox News, I’d put it on so I look the part. All things to all people might mean that I sacrifice my hatred of the tie for a greater cause.

By: joey

joey — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 21:05:24 +0000

The missiologist in me says, “Absolutely, Trevin.”

Something I should probably spend more time in coming to terms with is that I am more than willing to “contextualize” to those who are significantly different than me but stand prideful when faced with people who are more similar to me. Would I dress like a country preacher to preach at a country church? Probably not – but I would, without question, wear pants in Thailand even though the weather would be much more tolerable in shorts. All that to say I have a lot to learn on this subject.

By: Danny Slavich

Danny Slavich — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 20:57:20 +0000

Trevin,

This is a great post.

Danny