*DAILY DEW 4/DECEMBER/2022* *The Church’s Mission to Make Culture* (III) _Key Bible Text:_ *"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."* (2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)) _Bible Insight:_ Throughout history some of the most culturally influential Christians have been pastors, planters, and missionaries. They saw that the church is critical in redeeming and creating culture that honors God and blesses the world. For the same reasons, planters and missionaries today must understand the culture around them, promote efforts in cultural renewal, and teach national believers to do the same. To do this, church planters must be three things. _1. Planters Must Be Exegetes of Culture_ Because the gospel is not tied to any earthly culture, it can find a home in any cultural context. Nevertheless, every culture retains elements that the gospel will challenge, transform, or perfect. It is the planter’s job to know which is which. To be an effective missionary, therefore, church planters must understand both the gospel and the cultural values of their context. That is why they dedicate much of their time to learning a new language as well as a new way of life. *The goal is not only to understand the people they hope to evangelize but also to discern what discipleship looks like in this particular context.* _2. Planters Must Be Experts of Culture_ A little over a century ago, pastors were recognized writers, artists, and societal experts. When people sought to understand a particular political philosophy or the underlying message of a specific piece of artwork, most knew they could look to their pastors. The same proved true for many of history’s great missionaries. *Missionaries like William Carey were church planters, pastors, translators, anthropologists, and social reformers.* Today, however, missionaries and planters are saddled with accusations of cultural ignorance, at best, and cultural imperialism, at worst. *To change all this, pastors and planters must again read widely and deeply.* They must listen well and observe closely. But above all, they must learn to love the people they are called to serve. *To be an expert in culture really is to be an expert in the people who live in a certain time and place.* _MEDITATION:_ *“The whole world is a theater for the glory of God, and we should treat it as such.”* *#Dayton_Hartman* *#Daily_Wisdom_for_living* *#Becoming_More_Like_Jesus* *#The_Rise_of_An_Army* *#Daily_Dew_Devotional* *#Guest_Message* *#Hello_DECEMBER* ❤ Links To Visit: *Register4HTP2022:* https://bit.ly/HTP2022_ACTIVATED *FB Pages* https://www.facebook.com/DavidJoshuaEgbochuo/ https://www.facebook.com/thedavidgen/ https://www.facebook.com/THEREVIVALCORPS/ *Telegram Group:* https://t.me/joinchat/NzXQlVc9Hx7LfaRSnh9fHg Feel Free to Share with Friends. God bless you.