Spanning Culture

Here is a another Bob Robert's post on being missional.

My view of missional may almost be, as they would say here in Asia, a Christian view of yen and yang where opposites are necessary. I learned a long time ago that the global defines the local. The local rarely leads to the global, but when we engage globally, the local most often wind up coming, which was the case with us. In thinking about that and all the meetings and relationships I’ve been in the past week, I am struck by all the people and situations totally opposite of me and my context, yet, I’m here trying to engage them at the point of their context, not mine. It takes me out of my culture, but when I’m back in my culture I see things I never would have seen had I not gotten out of my box.

Missional is exemplified by Christ who left His home, His security, His everything to identify with us--so far from Him. It’s Him crossing a massive expanse for us. I’ve had to do a lot of spanning the past few days, and, though, at times being made somewhat uneasy--at all times recognizing God with us guiding us and pushing us to think differently.

Here are some of the ironies:
-Praying in Dak Lak for the leadership of Vietnam with a group of Vietnamese pastors and diplomats, with our pastors and diplomats, that God would guide the General Secretary and the Prime Minister as they lead the nation. A nation that is officially atheist.
-Listening to officials and others talk about how they all have family altars in their homes. I’ve concluded that Vietnam is an incredibly spiritual nation.
-Being asked to partner with Buddhist to help them engage society.

I could go on. I will only say that when I’m spanning far enough that I have to let go of my grip and hold on to Him to keep from falling. Only then do great things truly happen.