No More Taboo: Addressing Racism and Culture in the ChurchExemplo

Day 3: “Christ”-ians vs “I”-ians, pt.1

The most vital duty of Christianity is the Great Commission. He commanded us to make disciples that resemble Christ, not disciples that look like “I.” Regenerated souls are not “I”-ians. Regenerated souls are Christ-ians.

It is not called “Caucasianity” or “Africanity” or “Asianity” or “Hispanity” or “Indianity.” It is called Christianity. What does that mean? It means that the disciple-maker’s focus fully concentrates into all things “Christ.” The apostle Paul wrote a Christian diadem  in 1 Corinthians 11:1 (NIV), “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Where Christ is Lord, our ideals must take a back seat. Where Christ is Lord, culture must take a back seat. And where Christ is Lord, our traditions must also take a back seat. We are not called as Christians to discover ourselves. Neither are we to reproduce miniature selves. We are, instead, called to deny ourselves and follow Christ (Matthew 16:24).

That does not imply we should ignore our cultural distinctives or traditions. After all, they make us unique in a diverse world. We all may have cherished cultural heirlooms we’d love to keep intact as Christians, so long as they do not violate the commandments of God, the unity of the Church, or the love of Christ—either towards Him or our brothers and sisters.

It simply means that no one culture should force, or try to assimilate, all other cultures to that of their own. The dominating culture in the body of Christ is, and should be, a Kingdom culture. Observe Christ’s prayer, “...thy Kingdom come.... in earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10 KJV). Jesus, in this model prayer, highlighted our chief aim: God’s Kingdom. God’s culture. Heaven’s identity above cultural identity. Christians must maintain the disciple’s most vital duty: make more versions of Christ. Not more versions of “me”.

The Kingdom culture is to assimilate the indIvidual won to the temperament, methods, and mentality of Christ—to cultivate Kingdom fruit. For as many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. And gleaning from Christ, He preferred Kingdom activity above cultural dominance (John 6:38).