21 Jan Meeting My Neighbors

My roommates and I moved into a new neighborhood just in time for the holidays so we decided to make treats for our neighbors as a way to introduce ourselves. Lest you think I’m awesome at meeting my neighbors because it is my job to be culturally engaged let me assure you, I am not. It took me 7 months to meet our last neighbors and we moved 4 weeks later.

I’m telling you this because I know “being culturally engaged” is hard. It’s my job and it is still difficult for me at times. I get caught up in work, soccer, friends, and before I realize it I am living in a bubble without even trying.

It’s easy to see being culturally engaged as an event-be it a mission trip, day of volunteering, or something to check off the to-do list. Culturally Engaged as an event would be easy. I could schedule time, mark it off, and feel good about my spiritual life because I was living out a core value on my time and in my own way.

Instead, I think culturally engaged is more a lens through which I view my life as opposed to an event. Yes, there are events. Yes, at times planning is required. Mostly though, opportunities to be culturally engaged arise because I am looking for them. This requires more intentionality, flexibility, and unknown on my part, but also requires more reliance on the Holy Spirit to guide my steps, interactions, and words because I am more dependent on his work and not my own agenda.

I think a lot of us don’t know where to start or how to fit “being culturally engaged” into our already hectic lives. There are several steps we can take to live out this value, but we will always have unknowns.

Step 1: Pray. Our good deeds, kind words, eloquent defense of the Gospel will not lead anyone to salvation. In fact, we may be doing more harm than good. As John Piper said: “”If repentance toward God and faith in Jesus does not precede our good works, then the works themselves are part of man’s rebellion, not part of his worship.” Our actions and motivations must be checked by prayer. Prayer also places accountability back on ourselves; we know God is faithful to His word, now we must be faithful to ours.

Step 2: Start small. If you’ve never run a 5k before, it is foolish to run a marathon without training. So it is with being culturally engaged. If you’ve never intentionally been culturally engaged start by volunteering at your child’s school. If that doesn’t kill you, start talking with teachers and other parents. What are the relational and physical needs? Who is hurting? Who is excited? Allow God to bring people into your life, wherever you are, and be willing to step through doors that He opens.

Step 3: Recruit friends. Most activities are more fun with friends. Talk with a neighbor and coordinate a block party together. Ask another parent to volunteer at the school with you. You can ask someone with whom you would like to build a relationship or ask another believer to join you for encouragement. Regardless, your work will be multiplied because you are working together.

Step 4: Take risk. This may be a personal soapbox, but I think many of us are afraid to taking risk in our lives. We dismiss the crazy risk takers of Scripture because they were “Super-Christians.” We forget Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack, and Abednego, probably still teenagers, visibly and defiantly defied the King’s orders, knowing they would live only by the grace of God:

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

For some, risk may mean moving our families to another country. For others, risk means admitting you are a believer. For some of us, risk is inviting your neighbors over for dinner, knowing they believe differently.

Regardless, we (and I very much include myself in this “we”) all have steps we can take to grow in our faith and engage our culture. For many people, we are the voice of the church – what are we saying with our words and actions?