The necessity of Cross-Cultural Evangelism

BY REV STEPHEN BROOKS

Since the unlawful death of George Floyd in May 2020, there has been a greater awareness of long-standing racial disparities in British society. For some it is all too much, and there has been an increase of Black people leaving the UK to live in the Caribbean and Africa. For others the response has been to leave White-led congregations to return to Black-led, Black-Majority churches (BLBMCs).

Coming out of a global lockdown, every church is under enormous pressure to become more relevant to its members and the local community. One of the greatest challenges for the Black-led, Black-Majority church today is how to become a multicultural ministry.

In response to this challenge, several Black-led, Black-Majority church denominations facilitated a Youth Evangelism programme. The initiative was piloted in Birmingham over three days in August. Young Christians were supported by senior leaders and positive role models, like Rev Les Isaac and Bishop Wilton Powell (pictured below). The weekend was designed to develop young people to gain an understanding of ethnic identities in the area of Cross-Cultural Evangelism. In my opinion this is one of the most effective ways to break down the walls of racism.

The Bible is the best cross-cultural tool we have; it is the world’s bestseller with the most translations of any book. The full Bible is translated into 717 different languages (Wycliffe Bible Translators). A member of any culture can use the Bible to relate to God and to other people. Differences are normal but the devil seeks to exploit this in both Christian and secular settings.

The Bible talks about strongholds where certain sins dominate a region:

Sexual perversion dominated Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 1:7). Intellectual pride overtook Athens (Acts 17:18). This type of stronghold of sin requires divine intervention to destroy them. When one is ‘born again’, a person becomes a ‘new person’, following a new master, with new goals and values (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Both the Old and New Testaments evidence that God is actively involved in cross-cultural ministry and commands us to reach out to every ethnic group. “It is too small a thing for You to be My servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make You a light for the Gentiles, that You may bring My salvation to the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 49:6, NIV).

The Church has been multicultural since the day it was born on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:5-11).

Cross-Cultural Evangelism is not a ‘nice-to-have’; it is necessary for the Church not only to be relevant to the African Caribbean diaspora, but to other cultures at large in the communities they exist. Paul exemplifies this in his first letter to the church in Corinth:

“To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:20-23).

Today, most Black-led Black-Majority churches are very active in online evangelism via YouTube TV channels, social media platforms and live streaming of services. This is to be commended, but the core aspect of Cross-Cultural Evangelism is all of the below: • Cup of cold water – expressing tangibly who Christ is in practical help • Invitational – “Come with me” • Prophetic – “The Bible says” – often identified with street evangelism • Apologetic – point-by-point logic – often exercised in home group Bible studies • Testimonial – “One thing I do know: I was blind but now I see” – expressed within a church service • Relational – everyday evangelism as an exemplary life to family and friends • Most importantly – but being practised less and less – is to verbally share the

Gospel with an unbeliever.

We are not just to live holy lives. Christians must not forget that evangelism requires a verbal proclamation of the Gospel, i.e. to give a complete and intentional witness to the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, calling unbelievers to become disciples of Jesus Christ by repenting of their sins and placing their faith in Jesus Christ (Acts 10:42, Romans 10:15, Ephesians 3:8 and 2 Timothy 4:1-2). “Jesus did not say that the whole world should go to church, but He did say that the whole Church should go to the world.”

REV STEPHEN BROOKS

Mount Peniel Church, Stafford

www.mountpenielchurch.org.uk