What Does it Mean to “Contextualize” the Gospel?
July 1, 2008
David Souther
What does it mean to “contextualize” the gospel to reach other cultures?
To “contextualize” does not mean to change the gospel message: “Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead!” That message has reached cultures around the world for the last 2000 years and will stay the same until Christ’s return.
Instead, “contextualize” means “to place into context.” In regard to the gospel, it means to communicate the good news in a way that is relevant. This is vital in evangelism. Each culture looks at the world in a specific way. If we ignore a person’s background and worldview, we risk communicating a gospel that is misunderstood and distorted.
One of the most effective ways to reach other cultures for Christ is to use appropriate illustrations. Because the unsaved mind is not accustomed to thinking in terms of Scripture, illustrations can clarify biblical truths. However, it is important to use illustrations that relate to your audience. An illustration about a home run would make no sense to someone who is unfamiliar with baseball.
Research the culture you are trying to reach in order to understand their point of view. This will help you select illustrations that your audience will understand. Jesus provides a great example of this. He used simple illustrations and stories about fishing and farming; two subjects with which His audience was familiar. In the same way, we need to find illustrations that speak to the culture of our audience to make the terms of the gospel as clear and simple as possible.
Join the conversation with David at the Worldwide Hope blog.
Testimony: Duane Wessels
July 1, 2008
Duane Wessels, a You Can Tell It! master instructor for EvanTell, recently traveled to Nigeria and Ghana to equip ministry leaders to train their fellow believers in personal evangelism.
“The benefit of what God is doing is already evident. Church leaders are being re-energized to reach more and more unbelievers, not just fellow Christians. EvanTell’s new resources for children are enthusiastically received by the leadership. The demand is great. Thanks for your prayers.”
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