Mix-master-belong-Jesus-Christ

One of the great things I love about my church is our cultural diversity. I love that people from India, mainland China, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Iran and Australia can meet together in the name of Jesus. One of the benefits is that we learn about each others culture. Recently, I've been trying to learn a few pidgin phrases. Goodbye in Solomon Islands pidgin is 'look-m-you-behind'. I also discovered that the Papua New Guinea pidgin name for a helicopter is 'mix-master-belong-Jesus-Christ'. I'm not quite certain if this is because Christian's were the ones riding in them, or it has some deeper eschatological meaning.

Another side benefit of cultural diversity within churches is the realisation that no single culture has the right to the name 'Christian'. We are all different and we each express our love for God depending on our cultural heritage. Yet there are also sinful aspects of every society - culture just being the name we give to the way a group of people live in rejection of God.

Unfortunately in Australia I've witnessed a tendency to split our churches and congregations along cultural lines. Part of me says this is great; we naturally relate to people like us, so this is a good way of proclaiming the gospel of the Lord Jesus to specific groups of people. But another part of me hates this. It robs me of a chance to serve others, for all to be enriched through learning from each other, for the opportunity to set aside my cultural baggage when it gets in the road of fellowship, for the chance to embody to our community that our unity in Christ and in proclaiming forgiveness of sin through Jesus overcomes all cultural hang-ups.

I understand that when there are language barriers there is great wisdom in preaching the gospel to people in their mother tongue. However I feel wherever possible the goal should be a regular combined gathering of the entire body, regardless of cultural heritage. In fact, regardless of age or gender. We may need to make some adjustments. We might need to turn down the guitar amplifier, sing a few hymns, allow our islander friends to clap to the music. But I believe we would be much better off for it, and much better prepared to welcome all who would come into our fellowship.