enculturation

According to Wikipedia Enculturation is "the process by which a person learns the requirements of the culture by which he or she is surrounded, and acquires values and behaviours that are appropriate or necessary in that culture."  Whether this is the process I'm currently engaged in or if I'm seeking out Intercultural Competence I'm not sure.  The difference between those two phrases probably isn't that significant and neither one really captures the full essence of the mission we've embarked on.  

Incarnational is the buzz word going around the church world right now to describe what we are seeking to be and do.  To avoid going into a lengthy discussion of what it means to be incarnational let me simply say that being incarnational means that Jesus was serious when he told his disciples that he was sending them into the world in the same way that the Father had sent him.  It also means that in taking Jesus serious at that point a person realizes that their calling is to truly dwell in the place and with the people that Jesus calls them to, even as he himself did and does.  A significant part of the process of being incarnational means knowing the culture in which you live, whether it's native or new.  

To this end I've spent almost three years trying to acquaint myself with the culture of New Zealand and the city of Auckland in particular.  I've studied statistics and demographics, watched movies and listened to music, studied the history and a bit of the sociology of the country, and I've read the countries largest newspaper everyday for the past two years.  Some of this work has been very enjoyable and some has been very tedious, but all of it has been very important.  People are important, therefore understanding people is important. 

As we begin our ministry here it's crucial that we not simply be Americans doing things the way their done in the States.  We are not here as colonizers bringing our particular regional brand of Christianity.  Just as the Son of God became human in order to save humanity we too must become as Kiwi as possible in order to best reach Kiwi's.  This means we must be incarnational, or enculturated, or interculturally competent, or whatever you want to call it.  

In the Old Testament there is an account of an Israelite named Daniel.  He was taken into exile in the land of Babylon with many other Israelites.  Daniel and a few of his friends were trained for service in the courts of the king of Babylon and we are told something very interesting about their training.  We are told that instead of resisting Babylonian culture they actually sought to understand it.  At the end of their years of instruction the time came for their final exam and we find that they excelled.  Indeed, they are commended by the Babylonian king for having ten times the understanding, insight, and wisdom than any other person in Babylon.  They understood Babylon and Babylonian things better than any Babylonian.  The more shocking point of this story is that God himself is the one who gave them their great understanding of Babylonian culture.  While we're not in exile it is my prayer that God would give us the same insight, understanding, wisdom and learning with regards to the culture he's placed us in.  To this end I continue to read, watch, listen, interact, and observe trusting that he will use it all for his glory.