Spanish 
Part 2 of 3 of "Culture Shift" from the Spring 2015 VISION Newsletter
Changing culture is difficult and time consuming. It is an ongoing process requiring spiritual discipline, teaching, and patience. To move forward, we must identify the barriers that dilute, replace, or distract us from the Gospel of Christ. Here are a few short thoughts.
Personal preferences:
Sometimes a congregation will be influenced by a strong personality; perhaps that of a minister. Their culture likes and dislikes become generally accepted as though part of the Gospel. To conform to human preferences is an unnecessary obstacle to salvation. Jesus made it quite simple: I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me (John 14:6). That’s pretty definitive.
Ethnic values:
Every ethnic group has its own cultural preferences. They celebrate certain character traits that can be quite admirable. However, the danger exists once again when they become a pseudo requirement that is superimposed upon the believers. Growing up in a German household I learned to appreciate cleanliness, order, punctuality and respect for authority; all good traits! But they do not appear in the Gospel as requirements for salvation. I must be careful not to expect them from my brother and sister or to judge them if they see life differently than I do. Jesus caused quite an uproar when He intentionally broke cultural norms and embraced all sorts of socially unacceptable people. He loved messy people with dysfunctional lives. He sacrificed His perfect life for them.
Old Testament Values:
This one can be confusing at times. We venerate the God fearing patriarchs and heroes of the Old Testament. We teach our children how they were blessed by God for their faith, loyalty and obedience. But their culture was not ours and we must make certain distinctions. In our Covenant, the New Covenant made possible by the merit of Jesus Christ, grace must replace judgment and love must replace (become) the law.
-LRK