Students of Culture

I received an e-mail today from someone who was offering me tickets to what they said was a "Christian" Rock concert (quotation marks mine).  I thought this was interesting as for the last few weeks I have been doing a lot of reading, studying and thinking about culture and how we as followers of Christ are to be a part of it and engage it.

I know there has been a plethora of information published about this topic but it is still inescapable that the Christian world has created a culture in a response to the world at large. We have Christian Bookstores, Christian radio, Christian music.  I have heard people referred to as Christian artists, comedians, musicians, athletes, etc.  

In the  words of Makoto Fujimura Christian should not be an adjective

but a noun.

Why is it that we refuse to engage or be students of our culture?  Why do we instead erect these markets that so separate us from the world that it makes it virtually impossible to minister to and serve the lost?  What is out there that makes us insular and wanting to live in the bubble?

If we look throughout scripture Joseph engaged the Egyptian culture so much so that he rose to second in the kingdom.  Daniel was a student of the Babylonian culture that he achieved the confidence of the king.  Paul knew the Athenian culture and even saw beauty in it and how could he not?  All of these men, while fervent followers of God immersed themselves in their cultures and in doing so were used by God in amazing ways to change the world.

If there was ever a time for us as believers to shine a light by being part of and engaging our culture, its now.  We can't wait for the world to come to us, we are the ones that have to step out of our bubble and transform from adjectives to nouns.