Creating Culture

Culture is such a powerful tool in shaping the paradigms that people possess. I grew up overseas as a Missionary Kid and I have discovered that the older that I become the more the thoughts that ramble through my mind have been shaped by the myriad of experiences I have been through. Being exposed to the poverty in the Philippines has created an incredible understanding of seeing through the fog of materialism that resides in so many in the United States. Living in Eastern Europe has helped me to appreciate a thirst for knowledge and history. There is a hunger to understand where people are coming from, for we are products of our experiences in life. All of this has become the culture of my life. I can't help but think about the calling that God has placed upon the Church to reach a lost and dying world. I heard a term coined a while ago that stood out to me as profound yet simple. A post modern term that we could use for missionary is nothing more than a Cultural Architect. Culture will dictate response. If someone is from an abusive background, the culture of their life will reflect how they treat relationships unless an intervention takes place. That is exactly what the work of the Church is all about. We are called to create culture! It is amazing to think that we possess the ability to create culture. The Bible says that we were made in the image of God. One of the things that separates us from the animal kingdom is our ability to create! Far to often I have seen the church sit back and allow circumstances to dictate culture, but we are called to create culture! Far to many of us allow life to happen to us instead of us creating the life we are called to! Revival does not just happen, but it is birthed out of someone taking the time and energy to create culture through spiritual warfare. That is what intercessory prayer is, creating culture in the spirit realm long before we ever step foot into the natural arena. I believe that one of the deficiencies of the 21st century church is our lack of understanding into the power that we possess to create culture in the Spirit. We show up hoping that God will move. We place time and energy into the production, but we lack the investment into creating culture! God, help us move into the dimension to understand that we possess the power to create culture that will shape the destiny of the church!
When I was a pastor I learned a principle that was rather humbling, Creating buzz and excitement from the pulpit bring temporary energy, but it will not sustain and change culture. Becoming a true cultural architect requires an understanding of a slow, methodical, and intentional process that we go through! For example, to create the culture of embracing a burden for world missions in a church, it requires exposure to missions opportunities. It has to be more than a one time rally cry for missions, but people have to internalize responsibility for culture to be created and sustained! I will blog more on this later, but for now think about how you can create culture in your world today! In what dimension of your life do you need to change the culture that exists and skillfully create a new culture?