Bursting the Bible Bubble
Nestled comfortably within a Bible bubble, my small hometown of 2,000 people stands sheltered from the outside world. Like many small towns, it is ornately dressed with homogenous perspectives and personalities. It seemed as though every single soul had assimilated with the same sort of traditional “Christian” perspective. Our culture was covered in Christianity, and we lived free from adversity. It seemed as though everyone at least knew of or believed in God. In an attempt to burst my bubble, I moved to central Arkansas to begin my college career. The southern cultural context was new to me, but the built-in bubble of homogenous perspectives and personalities resembled that of my home. Still seemingly free from adversity, I found myself continually culturally comfortable. My bubble was bound to burst.
This summer I moved to Colorado. Once again, I entered a new bubble. Bubbles encompass us, sheltering us from the world outside and preserving the priorities, perspectives, and privileges within, but the nature of this Denver suburb bubble has been unlike the Bible bubbles of my past. No longer is my context primarily Christian, but rather I am in a city that is starved of Christianity. This new Colorado culture clashes in every way with the small, sheltered towns of my upbringing. In fact, this area is one of the least religious cities in the United States. Acceptance of any and all ideas is everywhere, and that acceptance is loud. I no longer make up a majority. The tension is real. I am challenged, conflicted, and confronted by a culture foreign to me.
Standing as a minority with priorities that are starkly different from those surrounding me, I have asked myself whether I must embrace or reject the culture in front of me. How must I react to these radically different views, habits, and mentalities?
All of us are submerged into a particular cultural context that we engage with every day. Every culture has characteristics that challenge the way we think, act, and live, but how are we as Christians called to live and lead in these contexts?
Reverting back to my initial question, I think that choosing between embracing or rejecting is not the central aim of the Christian response. If we embrace the culture, we may falsely encourage a standard or habit that is against our beliefs, but if we reject that culture we build up walls and create enemies with the very people we are called to seek and serve. Instead, I want to offer a third option, one that is in and for the culture around us. As Christians, we have been entrusted to live as ambassadors for Christ. We must live our lives knowing our citizenship is in heaven, but our mission is on earth. Therefore, we take on the responsibility of leading and loving as imitators of Christ in any context we find ourselves in. Our words, actions, and lives must point back to Christ. We should not run from cultures that clash with what we believe but rather live on mission to help direct those around us to live obediently in faith and commitment to Christ. Our aim is to proclaim, with our words and deeds, the love that Christ has shown us and the life that we have been called to. How might we do this in our particular contexts?
One woman I met a few weeks ago in a Bible study shared how this became a reality for her. Prior to getting married, she and her husband committed to living separately. This decision drew a drastic difference between their relationship and the normal relationships around them. As their friends learned of their decision, they would often ask why they chose to live that way. They were confused and curious about the life that she was living since it was so different from their cultural norm. This opened the door for her to share Christ with them.
In our cultural contexts, we must be willing and ready to live lives that are drastically different from those around us. We should not be alarmed by this, for the Bible tells us that we live like foreigners in this world (1 Peter 2:11). It is normal to be uncomfortable. It is normal to feel countercultural because the reality is that the kingdom of Christ is not of this world.
Read this passage from Philippians 3:17-21 through the filter of confronting culture:
17Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. 18For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (ESV)
The challenge of confronting culture is a joint effort. We first must join together in leading Christian lives amidst adversity. We will be confronted with people who have priorities and perspectives far different from what we believe. It will clash. But we cannot stop there. In response to the clashing of culture, we must stand firm in our calling. Through our actions, we embrace our identity as ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). We do not hide, nor do we abide in their worldly ways. Instead, we live by example in order to point others to the ultimate example which is found in Christ: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, ESV).
In cultures that clash with Christianity, it is even more pressing that we are steadfast in our faithfulness and commitment to Christ because when we embrace the Spirit that is within us, others will see and experience the power of Christ. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live lives worthy of our calling. As we represent our Heavenly Father, others will be impacted by our choices as they see the life and teachings of Jesus manifested in our lives. This is our calling in any and every context. I pray that we will embrace this calling entrusted to us in our own context and allow the character of Christ to inform our actions and transform our culture.
