Follow me on a mental pilgrimage...
Jim was a bright average guy who enjoyed eating the best grub in town. One day Jim heard that there was an amazing Mexican restaurant he had to visit. Filled with anticipation he planned to visit the restaurant the following day. Upon his arrival he noticed that there were no signs, and your order was placed at a small window outside. Jim walked up to the small window and the clerk asked "What would you like to order?”.
With excitement in his eyes, Jim said I will take a number 5. This was the number recommended by his friend for the best enchiladas in town. Jim sat outside at a table waiting for his meal to be delivered. Ten minutes passed and the waiter arrived, but he had a turkey club on his tray with a bag of chips. "What?" Jim said loudly. Again Jim spoke to the waiter "This is not what I ordered; I ordered a number 5, chicken enchiladas". The waiter noticing that Jim was upset quietly said... "Sir, you do know that this is a deli shop right...? Jim had gone to the wrong restaurant.
This illustration is a simple way to communicate that even a phrase that two people speak can have different meanings. Ordering a number 5 at the deli shop is a completely different order at a Mexican restaurant. In the same way not knowing the culture of a new land and communicating before you are ready can have disastrous results. You must know the culture as well as the language so you are able to see "through their eyes" not yours. Only then will you be effective in accurately communicating your message.
In America evangelism tends to be a race of points on communicating the gospel. We work through it as quickly as possible because in most cases we may never see the individual again. I am learning that I will have to pace myself in Papua New Guinea. Effective communication of the gospel to others will look like diligent cultural understanding. The message cannot be lost in translation, or worse, misunderstood and added to their religion rather than being in opposition to it.
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