You are currently browsing the missional misfit weblog archives for the day 21. March 2007.
21. March 2007 by David Alexander.
my child is egocentric. The world revolves around him. Now this is nothing new. Child psychologists have known this for centuries. I was once told this. But it doesn’t really sink in well until 2.30 am when chaos breaks loose in the split second it takes for him to leave the comatose stage and realize he hasn’t eaten since 3 hours ago - or he needs his passy - or to be held - or burped - or diaper changed - or etc.
I fully expect him to grow out of this, to have his worldview expanded. To finally arrive at global perspective bliss where he is able to not only think of others first, but also understand their point of view. This is indeed maturity.
Generally Americans are considered egotistical ethnocentric monolingual narrow minded people. Having lived in a rural corner of a southern state, I would definitely agree that there are prime examples that would be defined as such. But it will always amaze me to find long standing church leaders who continue to think that all people would be comfortable attending their church. If that is the way it will be in heaven, then it should be so now. I can already hear Belinda Carlisle singing “we’ll make heaven a place on earth.”
I long to one day be part of a multi-ethnic church. I have seen some in action - read books by leaders and pastors of such. O the bliss of that glorious thought. However, it is missiologically impossible to have a multi-cultural one. I have observed that those that say they have one ignore that all ethnicities present have compromised bits of their own cultures to adopt a common church culture in order to find some sort of unity within the body.
What is needed are more partnering churches that would unite forces to provide a third culture that would reach third culture kids trapped in the middle of parental and host nation cultures. A regional multi-cultural network of missional churches. Now that truly would be “heaven on earth.”
If someone knows of one, let me know.
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