Profanity

We must at all points translate the gospel into the language of people.  We must share the Good News in direct and indirect ways.  Direct-speaking, teaching, conversation, electronic media, billboards, etc.  Indirect-demonstration of godly behavior, ethics, selflessness, humility, prioritization, holiness, martyrdom, etc.  An uncommunicated gospel is a hidden treasure that cannot be appreciated.

The gospel has a nature, a flavor, a distinctiveness.  When we do the work of translating the gospel into the language of any people group, we must keep the nature true.  While we endeavor to translate the message, we work diligently to not change the gospel.

We, the modern American evangelical church, have gone to great lengths to translate the gospel into the language of the American culture.  We have marketed a successful Jesus, a self-actualized Jesus, a best friend Jesus, a coach Jesus, an entrepreneur Jesus, a hip Jesus, a counter-cultural Jesus.  Jesus has become a spiritual Barbie.

I actually have no issue with our "translation" of the gospel and Jesus into our culture.  That has been the task of every evangelist since the beginning of the church.  We want to share a message that is relevant and understandable.  With this, who could argue?  I must say that some variations of Jesus do not fit as well into the Scriptures as they do our culture.

I believe the Body has a certain quality about it that is unique as well. Peter reminds us that we are aliens and strangers in this world. We are distinct. We are different. We don't fit in.  We are peculiar.

One of the distinctives of God's church is holiness-that separateness and disconnectedness from the common or ordinary that marks the new creation.  There is a sacred character and quality of God's people that should not be lost in our translation of the gospel.  Our message must malleable; but our nature must remain immutable.  We may dress up the church, but we must never change who we are.

I have great concern when we make the church seem as common as a theater, ordinary as a lecture hall, similar to a self-help program, cozy as a coffee shop, or multipurpose as a gymnasium.  If you think my beef is with architecture, you are missing my point.  (I honestly don't care and don't even think it is that important where we meet although I do believe there is benefit in sacred architecture which is another post for another day.)  My heartburn comes from our tendency to change the church as we translate the gospel.  The use of unacceptable language, inappropriate methods, incongruent stylizing, and syncretization with secular culture profanes God's holy church, His bride.

When the vehicle of communication changes, great care must be taken to ensure that the vehicular change does not impact the translation.  Could it be that we lose some of the gospel when we change who we are in order to communicate our message? 


How much of our nature can we exchange for the hope of greater acceptance of our message?