Phan - Cultural Sensitivity

Peter Phan, in Christianity with an Asian Face, Asian American Theology in the Making, speaks of issues facing and important to the Asian American Christian community. Aside from the generalized manner in which such a work would necessitate, Phan’s analysis of this culture appears both academic and insightful. Phan suggests several struggles faced by Asian Americans, oppression, injustice, poverty, social barriers, have allowed them to sit in solidarity with those facing similar issues. In addressing ministry to these cultures, Phan emphasizes the importance of giving consideration to how members of these cultures are enculturated and establishing relationship appropriate to cultural values.

When considering activities of outreach from my personal religious experience I think of “Gospel Meetings” held at congregations twice a year. These were weeklong meetings, somewhat of a carryover from old southern tent meetings, intended to reach into the community with a series of lessons and lectures, Bible classes and sermons, on Bible topics, often discussing doctrine or topical studies. The Saturday before the meeting began we would meet at the building and canvas the area, handing out pamphlets, talking to people, knocking on doors, and hanging flyers at businesses. Due to the location of our congregation we would walk through neighborhoods where “cultures” of people seemed to be. What we called “little China” was an apartment development which housed about 90% Chinese immigrants. “Little Africa” was the mostly black community, “little Mexico” was the street where mostly Hispanics lived. As kids we thought we were being clever, as teenagers we knew not to call them those names in front of our parents, and finally as college students we realized we got very little response from those communities.

Considering how the points made by Phan in his research makes me consider what could have possibly been done more affectively in my congregation growing up. While we were very interested in explaining ourselves to the community around us, we did very little to allow aspects of the community around us to explain itself to us. Or congregation was primarily white, upper middle class Christians; our members who were minorities did represent each of the populations in the community and the percentages we equivalent, but even still, the traditions were very much those of upper middle class Anglo Americans. While I do not recall it ever being a point of contention, I now wonder if it was, and even if it truly was not, I must believe the lack of time spent learning and discussion the cultures in the community created a situation where opportunities to reach people were lost.