Missional Church
The topic material expresses the relationship between the gospel and culture hence must exist as contextual and relevant to the prevailing culture. As per Guder and Barrett (1998), contextualization plays a significant part in this system, which involves studying and understanding the context carefully by the church. Moreover, modern life in North American critically influences how people perceive the truth based on scientific and logic methods (Guder & Barrett, 1998). Influence and power originating from diverse institutions result in shaping the identity of individuals hence submerging personal freedom into a broader context of corporate interest. However, the concepts of modern self influence people and their institutions like Christians and churches (Guder & Barrett, 1998). Furthermore, development in technology and techniques profoundly affects the culture of people and their institutions like church seating arrangement, lighting, and sound in the church. Nevertheless, postmodernism resulted from shifting from modernity in recent decades. As a result, western societies shifted in terms of style, mood, and perspectives (Guder & Barrett, 1998). Moreover, culture’s means of truth determination, the definition of the self as well as changing and shaping the society offers various opportunities and challenges to the church. According to Guder and Barrett (1998), globalization has accompanied multiple cultures in North American countries like the United States and Canada hence which challenges churches to exist as a social community, which creates unity among different cultures.
Contextualization exists as the most valuable part of the topic material. Contextualization would enable individuals to understand the different cultures hence effective evangelism in the multicultural system. Furthermore, it would enhance coping up with various cultural changes and trends in the postmodern era that get profoundly influenced by development in technology. Personally, incorporating the contextualization in everyday thinking and practice would offer significant benefits. The culture exists as dynamic in nature hence contextualization would enhance understanding and adjust to the changes in cultural practices.
The modernity created the culture of self-contained individualism hence discerning the truth as well as knowledge, which provided the channel for achieving personal freedom. Moreover, modernity changed the face of various aspects such as social, political, and economics hence affecting the structure of different societies of the North American countries like the United States and Canada (Guder & Barrett, 1998). Modern self guaranteed people their freedoms and rights, leading to constructed identity. However, postmodernism comprises various technological developments leading to globalization that directly or indirectly affects different cultures. Similarly, other factors such as simulation, power, desire, economics, as well as differences affect the cultural systems due to various factors experienced in the postmodern era (Guder & Barrett, 1998). Moreover, such development in technology would significantly affect the emerging generation due to globalization hence changing and new trends expected in a different culture of the North American region.
References
Guder, D. L., & Barrett, L. (1998). Missional Church: A vision for the sending of the church in North America. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing.