The Church And Cultures

Why should the church be concerned about cultures? Louis J. Luzbetak began to answer this question twenty-five years ago with the publication of The Church and Cultures: An Applied Anthropology for the Religious Worker. Reprinted six times and translated into five languages, it became an undisputed classic in the field. Now, by popular demand, Luzbetak has thoroughly rewritten his work, completely updating it in light of contemporary anthropological and missiological thought and in face of current world conditions. Serving as a handbook for a culturally sensitive ministry and witness, The Church and Cultures introduces the non-anthropologist to a wealth of scientific knowledge directly relevant to pastoral work, religious education social action and liturgy - in fact, to all forms of missionary activity in the church. It focuses on a burning theological issue: that of contextualization, the process by which a local church integrates its understanding of the Gospel (text) with the local culture (context).

In Church Culture Vs Christ, author Saphina Carla sheds light on common ideologies that have supplemented the Christian faith. In it, she discusses her own faulty beliefs that had to be readjusted by Christ and not by church girl culture - a culture of cosmetic Christianity that can often prioritize false piety, over transparency and truth. Her goal is to make taboo church topics - - not so taboo. The goal is to remove the pressures of perfection when it comes to women of faith and to restore biblical truth in places where it's been set aside for shallow formulas. Above all, her goal is for Christ to be glorified. Saphina Carla is a writer, blogger, and Christian content creator. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and is of Haitian descent. She started her journey of salvation at nineteen years old after God delivered her from an abusive relationship. Her aim is to promote biblical truth while providing a safe space to have authentic dialogue within the church, especially as it relates to the taboo and the uncomfortable.

Once upon a time, Moses had had enough. Exhausted by the challenge of leading the Israelites from slavery to the Promised Land, Moses cried out to God, "What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? . . . If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me" (Exodus 11:11, 15). If that sounds hauntingly familiar to you, you may be the senior pastor of a contemporary church. The burden of Christian leadership is becoming increasingly unbearable--demanding skills not native to the art of pastoring; demanding time that makes sabbath rest and even normal sleep patterns seem extravagant; demanding inhuman levels of efficiency, proficiency and even saintliness. No wonder pastors seem and even feel less human these days. No wonder they burn out or break down at an alarming rate; no wonder the church is missing the mark on its mission. In Creating a Missional Culture, JR Woodward offers a bold and surprisingly refreshing model for churches--not small adjustments around the periphery of a church's infrastructure but a radical revisioning of how a church ought to look, from its leadership structure to its mobilization of the laity. The end result looks surprisingly like the church that Jesus created and the apostles cultivated: a church not chasing the wind but rather going into the world and making disciples of Jesus.

When church and culture look the same... For the many Christians eager to prove we can be both holy and cool, cultural pressures are too much. We either compartmentalize our faith or drift from it altogether—into a world that’s so alluring. Have you wondered lately: Why does the Western church look so much like the world? Why are so many of my friends leaving the faith? How can we get back to our roots? Disappearing Church will help you sort through concerns like these, guiding you in a thoughtful, faithful, and hopeful response. Weaving together art, history, and theology, pastor and cultural observer Mark Sayers reminds us that real growth happens when the church embraces its countercultural witness, not when it blends in. It’s like Jesus said long ago, “If the salt loses its saltiness, it is no longer good for anything…”

Theologian Joyce Little examines the current conflict between American secular culture and the Catholic faith, with a view to enabling Catholics to understand why it is that such a conflict necessarily exists and what is at stake for both Catholics in particular and all Americans in general. The book focuses most specifically on the feminist movement, because feminism exemplifies in so many ways that relativism, subjectivism and individualism which characterizes the thinking of so many Americans today. Little argues that the secularism of our times is fundamentally anarchic and nihilistic and, as such, constitutes a frontal assault on the Catholic faith. Many Americans do not recognize the nihilistic character of the popular secular culture. Because secularism so often clothes itself in a host of catchwords which Americans find so appealing, the destructive character of secularism is not immediately obvious to them. Little shows why those who employ such language are wedded to a view of reality that is fundamentally chaotic and meaningless. The book emphasizes the importance of the dogma of the Trinity, and explains the trinitarian character of reality and the implications which flow from the fact that God is triune both in himself and as Creator. Little explains that the key conflict today is between the secular exaltation of human power and the Christian witness to a divine authority which transcends all things and demands our allegiance to it.

“Scot and Laura do an amazing job of teaching us what a good church looks like.” —Beth Moore What is the way forward for the church? Tragically, in recent years, Christians have gotten used to revelations of abuses of many kinds in our most respected churches—from Willow Creek to Harvest, from Southern Baptist pastors to Sovereign Grace churches. Respected author and theologian Scot McKnight and former Willow Creek member Laura Barringer wrote this book to paint a pathway forward for the church. We need a better way. The sad truth is that churches of all shapes and sizes are susceptible to abuses of power, sexual abuse, and spiritual abuse. Abuses occur most frequently when Christians neglect to create a culture that resists abuse and promotes healing, safety, and spiritual growth. How do we keep these devastating events from repeating themselves? We need a map to get us from where we are today to where we ought to be as the body of Christ. That map is in a mysterious and beautiful little Hebrew word in Scripture that we translate “good,” the word tov. In this book, McKnight and Barringer explore the concept of tov—unpacking its richness and how it can help Christians and churches rise up to fulfill their true calling as imitators of Jesus.

Does your life matter? How can you make a difference? James Emery White shows how you can live a life of significance at the front lines of what God is doing in the world today.