Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Evangelical
The Gospel with an Accent (by Sam Chan)

The Gospel with an Accent (by Sam Chan)

Last updated on: April 6, 2016 at 7:04 am by Brad Vaughn

The Gospel with an Accent (by Sam Chan) 2016-04-06T07:04:52-07:00 Brad Vaughn

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Today’s guest post is by Sam Chan (PhD, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School), a theologian, preacher, author, evangelist, an medical doctor. He is a public speaker for City Bible Forum. He writes and gives talks from the Bible about life, faith and work. He blogs at drsamchan.com. Follow him on Twitter @drsamchan.

This is my first blog on Jackson’s site. I thought I might raise a question – to which I certainly don’t have the complete answer – but will hopefully explore in future posts.

First, consider the following fictional parable:

Adam was excited finally to be a Youth Pastor with a small church in Southern California. After growing up on a farm and studying in Midwestern America, this would be his first time on the West Coast. He was looking forward to the sunshine, walks along Venice Beach and watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean.

At the Youth Group, Adam meets a girl called Jane, who is 15. Jane is Asian-American. Her parents come from Taiwan, but Jane grew up in America. Her father stays in Taiwan to work, while her mother lives with Jane and plays the role of “Asian Tiger Mom.” Jane studies for hours and hours every day. She doesn’t play any sports or go to summer camps. Instead she attends tutoring for her Math. Jane’s ambition is to go to Harvard. And one day, she will become a doctor.

As her Youth Pastor, Adam confronts Jane. He warns her that study has become her “idol.” She needs to repent from this. And she needs to realize that there is more to life than Harvard. And being a doctor may be a worse thing to do because it will make her rich and worldly. In fact, if she’s really serious about following Jesus, she should give up her dreams of being a doctor and be a missionary instead. Or better, become a Youth Pastor!

At the Youth Group, Adam also meets a boy called Jack, who is 15. Jack is a thorough Californian “dude.” Jack wears boardshorts all year round. He doesn’t enjoy high school. Once the end-of-school bell rings, Jack immediately jumps on his bicycle and rides to the beach to go surfing. Jack’s ambition is to leave school when he turns 16, take up a laboring job, so he can surf everyday with his buddies.

As his Youth Pastor, Adam confronts Jack. Adam warns Jack that surfing has become his “idol.” He needs to repent from this. And Jack needs to realize there is more to life than the beach. And dropping out of high school is a terrible thing to do because Jack will be wasting his God-given potential to study. In fact, if Jack is really serious about following Jesus, he should stop surfing and apply himself at school. That way he can get into a college and one day get a decent-paying job. Or better, become a Youth Pastor!

Preaching the Gospel or Culture?

Did Adam give them the Gospel or did he give them his own culture? Can we see what’s happened? Adam has asked Jane to be like Jack and Jack to be like Jane! Worse, Adam is actually asking them to be like himself.

Many Christians are like Adam. They merge their own culture with the Gospel. This is what missionaries call syncretism. In doing so, when they evangelize, they don’t just give the Gospel. They also impose their own culture upon the convert. By doing this, Christians ask people not only to convert to Jesus, but also to convert out of their culture into another culture—usually the Christians’ culture*.*

Just like Western missionaries long ago forced Africans and Asians to wear Western clothes, Christians today force converts to leave their old culture and join the Christians’ culture.

Our question is this: how can Jane be a Christian and still be an Asian-American? How can Jack be a Christian and still be Californian Surfer Dude? This is the challenge of contextualisation.

Do you have an accent?

When I was an Australian living in the USA, Americans would often say to me, “Oh, I love your Australian accent!” Then they would ask, “Do I have an accent to you?” But, of course they had an accent—an American accent! But more amazingly, they didn’t realize they have an accent—the whole world has an accent except for them!

I also met Americans who told me that they have a neutral accent. A Midwesterner told me that the Midwestern accent is a neutral accent. That’s why they try to find newsreaders with a Midwestern accent rather than a Southern or East Coast accent.

Another time, a Californian told me that the Californian accent is the neutral accent. That’s why movies are made in California, because the Californian accent is neutral to the whole world!

Not only are they saying they have a neutral accent; they’re saying that they have a normative accent. Theirs is the universal accent for the whole world!

Many Christians act the same with their culture. We don’t realize we too have a culture. So, we can’t hear our own “cultural accent.” We cannot taste our own “cultural flavoring.” The way we dress. The Christian songs we sing. Our views on education, work and health.

And so we impose our culture, along with the Gospel, as if it is normative and universal.

Contextualization

Sam Chan

Previous Post

March 30, 2016

Four Reasons We Need Contextualization

Next Post

April 7, 2016 Missiology and EMQ Review "One Gospel for All Nations"

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Atonement Biblical Theology Book Reviews China Chinese Church Chinese Culture Chinese Language Collectivism Contextualization Culture (General) Ecclesiology Evangelism Gospel Honor & Shame (Face) Interpretation/Exegesis Justification/Righteousness Missiology Mission Methods One Gospel for All Nations Other Practical Contextualization Reading Romans with Eastern Eyes Resources Romans Salvation (General) Saving God's Face Seeking God's Face The Cross in Context Theological Contextualization Theological Education Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many chapters does the book of Judges have?

Select your answer to see how you score.

25 23 19 21

Books by This Author Books by Brad Vaughn

See All Titles »

The Gospel with an Accent (by Sam Chan)

Preaching the Gospel or Culture?

Do you have an accent?

Related articles

How many chapters does the book of Judges have?