I love studying culture.  So it was EASY to love the readings this week for our Perspectives Exposure series.

We were in Chapter 4, called "Cultural Exposure: How Can They Be Heard?"

Here are my thots:

1. "Introduction"

• 
  Whoa! Moment #1 — "A Hindu woman was told ‘Jesus has come to give you eternal life.’  From her point of view, believing in continual reincarnation, she replied, ‘But I want to get out of eternal life."  (Now, I can totally see it, but I never connected the dots before.)  Image courtesy Ross Taylor.

2. "Understanding Culture"

• Favorite quote — "Everyone has a culture.  No one can ever divorce himself from his culture."  (Culture is like a set of unconscious-assumptions that everyone has.)

3.  "Culture and Cross-Cultural Differences"

• Whoa! Moment #2 — "Among the Siriano of South America, men spit on each other’s chests in greeting."  (Hey Ben!  Let’s add this to our Sunday service!  Actually, I wonder what about US looks ridiculous to them?)
• 
  Hmmm Moment #1 — "The problem arises when an American meets an Arab and arranges a meeting for 10a.  The American shows up at 10a…the Arab at 10:45a, the ‘right times’ according to [their cultures].  The American feels the Arab has no sense of time (false), and the Arab thinks Americans act like servants (also false)."
• Whoa! Moment #3 — "Bridesmaids…originally used by non-Christians to confuse the demons who, they thought, had come to carry off the bride."

4. "The Viable Missionary: Learner, Trader, Storyteller"

• Favorite quote — "So the missionary must become an insider, at least to some extent, if he hopes to avoid these negative reactions to his presence and become a valuable person in the community."

5. 
"Concept Fulfillment"

• Favorite quote — "How can [we] explain the gospel so it seems culturally right?"

6. "The Missionary’s Role in Culture Change"

• Favorite quote — "Change is almost always initiated by someone within the cultural community."

Post your thoughts/ideas/questions from the readings here.  And keep listening for God’s "still, small voice!"