While discussing Wednesdayâs post with a friend and colleague, he shared a story that demonstrates the need for cultural discernmentâwhat I called âloving judgmentââamong ministers of the gospel. My friend had spent the past few weeks speaking with a group of missionaries from a decidedly post-Christian nation. These missionaries were lamenting the state of the nation, giving as an example a recent church retreat at which half the attendees shacked up in cabins with…
At one point in his letter to Titus, Paul goes on a ârantâ that, were he to utter it in todayâs culture, would surely have gotten him dismissed from his apostolic post. He says to his young charge, âOne of Creteâs own prophets has said it: âCretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons.â This saying is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faithâ (1:12-13). These are strong…