Contextualization and the Turtle Shrine.

To effectively contextualize our message within the culture we are working in, we must first become aware of how much our home culture has influenced us (and our ideas about the Bible).

Just as a fish does not realize it is immersed in water, people often do not realize the profound impact their home culture has on them. It is challenging to separate our deeply held biblical beliefs and practices from the culture that has shaped us. But to become an effective messenger, this is a critically important step. We must remove the elements of our gospel presentation that are coming from our culture rather than from God’s word, so we can adapt it accurately into the culture we are trying to reach.

In one of his excellent books on missions, David Hesselgrave shared a powerful example that shows the importance of leaving behind our home culture when we contextualize the gospel. He likened the gospel to a plant that is transported to a new location in a pot, which represented the missionary’s home culture. He explained that the missionary’s job is to transplant the plant (the gospel) into the new soil, leaving the original soil and pot behind. The message was that the gospel grows best when it is rooted in the new soil, representing the local culture.

Too often, missionaries refuse to adapt their approaches to the local people they are called to serve. Instead, they employ illustrations and methods that best fit their own home culture without considering how they will be perceived in the new culture.

When one of my wife’s family members from the U.S. was visiting us, a repairman asked for a torch. She immediately thought of a wooden stick with fire on the end. But in British English, the word “torch” means flashlight. The repairman didn’t consider his audience or contextualize by using a word that would accurately communicate what he wanted.

This incident provided some laughs, but it shows how easily our cultural assumptions can create confusion. When we assume that the recipient will understand our words, concepts, and metaphors in the same way we do, we run into problems and create confusion. Contextualization simply means we use words, metaphors, and illustrations that will communicate the same thing to the recipient as our familiar words, metaphors, and illustrations communicate to us. When the gospel is at stake, it is crucial to use accurate terminology and be mindful of cultural nuances. I strongly advocate maintaining Biblical principles while utilizing local culture and belief systems to illustrate those concepts.

Overseas missionaries are not the only ones who need to understand the importance of contextualization. American churches also need to present the message of God’s unchanging gospel in a way that is understandable in the changing culture of today’s world. However, many churches remain stuck in old methods and mannerisms. So, instead of keeping up with the changing culture, they are being left behind.

The gospel’s message will always be relevant, but it takes diligence and commitment to present it in a way that allows the audience to recognize its relevance. No one will ever present the gospel perfectly in any culture, but that does not mean we should not attempt to do it. We have been given the most precious gift known to the world; let us be bold, purposeful, and relevant as we seek to present it in a way that makes people want to accept it.

Visiting the Turtle Shrine

Bangladeshi Muslims often mix teachings from the Qur’an with local mystic practices. With a little work, anyone can learn about Islam from a book, but it takes a lot more time to understand Muslims from a specific area. This can only be accomplished by talking to local people and observing their events and practices.

One of my good friends in the city was a pastor’s son. He was eager to learn and teach about Jesus, obedience, and the gospel, so we enjoyed spending time together. On one of our outings, we went to the Shrine of Bayazid Bostami Mazar.

The mausoleum is a “holy” place in Chittagong where people come to feed large sea turtles. Although stories are inconsistent, some local people believe the turtles are reincarnated saints from long ago, and that if the turtles come to the surface to eat bread or meat from your stick, the saint will hear your prayers and answer them.

After visiting and feeding the turtles, people walk barefoot up a long staircase to the shrine of a dead “saint.” Folklore states the man buried there lived hundreds of years ago and did many good things for the locals, both in his lifetime and beyond.

We met people while we were there. They gave financial offerings to the Shrine and prayed to the “saint,” believing he would carry their prayers to God in a more efficient and effective way than they themselves could.

My friend and I shared God’s truth with some of the attendants, and although they were polite, they were not interested in listening.

I suppose, at least contextually speaking, it may not have been the best location to spread the gospel, especially while they were feeding their “turtle-saints” sourdough.