A few years ago I had a discussion with a seasoned leader, and we were chatting about the need for indigenous leadership within our missional movements. Their answer was quite interesting, and sparked a season of reflection. When I asked how we can ensure more indigenous leaders are identified, trained, and released within their contexts he sipped his coffee, looked me in the eye and said, “What makes you think that indigenous leaders really know their own culture and are the best position to understand it?” It made me stop in my tracks because I’d never once considered that there is something about being an outsider that gives helpful ‘insider’ perspective. It’s akin to the saying that if you want to know what water is like, don’t ask a fish. What spun out of this is a thread of thought I have coined the ‘Reece Witherspoon Approach.’ Now Reece Witherspoon is not a missiologist as far as I know, and most of the movies that I base my understanding on may not have her in casting, but when I think of this genre she is the person that pops into my head - let me explain…
In these movies the intention is to portray main characters immersed in new cultures that are wildly different than their own, discovering humility and flexibility to gain acceptance. I have this stock image of Reece Witherspoon as a high flying executive in a cowboy bar in the deep southern United States, lamenting the lack of Cosmopolitan cocktails and the mud on her designer shoes. Eventually, and through a series of hijinks she learns to appreciate the community and it’s culture, and they learn something from her. This leads to a mutual respect and adoption in to the community - in spite of their obvious differences! Now, I haven’t studied these movies in great details, but as I’ve thought about it, tons of movies follow the same pattern. On this note I’ve found Mike Cosper’s book helpful thinking through some of the themes in movies and how this relates to the Gospel (https://www.crossway.org/books/the-stories-we-tell-tpb/)
We might assume that the most effective messengers of the Gospel are those deeply embedded within a community, possessing an innate understanding of its intricacies and customs. However, as I have read historical accounts of God breaking into different cultures and contexts a strange phenomenon often emerges: the outsider, someone seemingly disconnected from the cultural itself, can sometimes be the most effective catalyst for Gospel work within that community. This paradoxical dynamic indeed highlights the universal nature of the Gospel message and the transformative power it holds. At first glance, the concept of an outsider engaging deeply with a community for Gospel work may seem counterintuitive. After all, cultural barriers, language differences, and unfamiliar customs could potentially impede effective communication and understanding. Yet, history and contemporary examples alike offer compelling evidence to the contrary. One notable example from history is the Apostle Paul. Though himself a Jew, Paul was also a Roman citizen and a Pharisee, a unique blend of identities that positioned him as both an insider and an outsider to various cultures. His journeys throughout the Greco-Roman world brought him into contact with diverse communities, where his outsider status paradoxically served to open doors for Gospel proclamation. Unencumbered by local prejudices or entrenched social norms, Paul was able to share the Gospel message with boldness and clarity, transcending cultural barriers and transforming lives. Indeed sometimes he took flak from both sides as he stood on the side of Jesus.
Similarly, in modern times, missionaries often find themselves thrust into unfamiliar cultural contexts, but their outsider status can become a strategic asset rather than a liability. Removed from the biases and preconceptions of local people and communities, these missionaries bring a fresh perspective to the Gospel message, free from the baggage of cultural familiarity. Their presence serves as a catalyst for dialogue and exchange, inviting members of the community to reconsider their own beliefs and assumptions in light of the Gospel. That sense of ‘outsider ignorance’ is forgiven by a local community but enables conversation to spark. It’s a pointing out of the obvious that is either assumed or ignored by a local community, but once raised allows for robust discussion.
Moreover, the outsider's perspective can foster empathy and understanding in ways that insiders may struggle to achieve. By approaching a community with humility and openness, the outsider demonstrates a willingness to learn from and engage with the cultural richness of the community. This posture of receptivity often fosters trust and respect, paving the way for meaningful relationships to form and Gospel seeds to take root. This sense of culture being ‘the way things work here’ or ‘the way they’ve always been here’ are chipped away at by an outsider asking why this is the case. Often times it’s met with a shrug, and a whispered confession that they wish this wasn’t the case, or that things were different. In that vein, the outsider's unique vantage point enables them to identify and address issues within the community that may be overlooked by insiders. Freed from the constraints of tradition or societal expectations, they can speak prophetically into situations of injustice, oppression, or spiritual need, advocating for positive change and transformation. In doing so, they embody the prophetic tradition of challenging the status quo and calling people to a deeper understanding of God's kingdom. Of course, this will be met with push back - ‘you don’t understand, you are just a naive (insert outsider identity here).’ Yet, these are helpful pursuits in our relationships.
However, the outsider's advantage in Gospel work does not negate the importance of cultural sensitivity and contextualisation. While their outsider status may provide initial opportunities for engagement, long-term effectiveness requires a commitment to understanding and honouring the cultural distinctives of the community. This involves learning the language, immersing oneself in the customs and traditions, and building authentic relationships based on mutual respect and trust. All of us have cultural baggage, and indeed this approach can come with a complete lack of humility as outsiders can appear to be saying ‘why do you guys do this stupid thing here, while in my country we have this all figured out!’ A quick reflection will enable us to see the planks in the eye of our country and cultures! Although we can see this approach in history, we also have missionary clothes being placed on quite underhanded colonialism. We are serving Christ’s Kingdom, not our own. The outsider must approach their role with humility and a willingness to listen, recognising that they do not have all the answers and that God is already at work within the community long before their arrival! They must resist the temptation to impose their own cultural preferences or theological frameworks onto the community but instead seek to discern how the Gospel message can be faithfully communicated within the cultural context.
In conclusion, the phenomenon of outsiders engaging deeply with communities for Gospel work highlights the universal nature and transformative power of the Gospel message. While insiders may possess valuable cultural insights and connections, outsiders bring a fresh perspective and a unique ability to bridge cultural divides. By approaching their role with humility, empathy, and cultural sensitivity, outsiders can serve as effective catalysts for Gospel proclamation, fostering dialogue, understanding, and transformation within diverse communities. Ultimately, the Gospel transcends cultural boundaries, inviting people of every nation, tribe, and tongue into a reconciled relationship with God and one another. Maybe we should all aspire to “Reece Witherspoon” ourselves as outsiders in a strange culture. It might be more of a missiological position that we have previously thought!
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