MARCH FOR JESUS
May 5, 2009 - Nagoya
The MARCH for Jesus was organized by a group of Brazilians and called out to around 1600 people to join the March on April 5, 2009.
Knowing nothing, understanding not a word, except of sometimes a phrase pop out, "いえすは、あなたをーあーいーしーてーる！”(Jesus loves you), many people joined in the crowd. A crazy move, you can say it is for Jesus, or you can say it is for the love towards Japanese people.
Yet, many thoughts started to flow in even I enjoyed the fun that I have in the march. Is this a prophetic movement that resembling Joshua and the Jews walked around the Jericho city for seven times, and the wall collapsed which signified "Not by strength, not by might, but by the spirit of the God?" But the organizer didn't seemed to have much thoughts about that.....
The worship afterwards... I've been to more "louder" worship, more "crazy" worship, yet there was none such as this that made me feel so alien... this is difficult to explain, and I hope the readers don't get me wrong with this comment.
It is hard for me to criticize the event when I see so many efforts and good wills that had been put into it to make this come true, yet, accept of this passions to shout and the fun of it, i can't help to feel that it is more of a CULTURAL CRUSADE than a Jesus crusade.
I have no against with the passions that our Brazilian brothers and sisters have for the Japanese, and I respect that. Yet, I think cultural sensitiveness is needed in presenting Gospel to any nation. It reminded me about Corey Grinder's message, "when we bring the message of Jesus Christ to people, we often brought our whole package of culture across the bridge!" It is important for us to realize that our duty is not getting Japanese to know and to accept the our God, but to know that Jesus is their God. We really need to get ourselves back to the feet of Christ, be silent, and listen to His voice and touch His heart... for what does He wants for Japan? and be careful that we are not just doing what we think that is right.
Cultural crusade is not really welcome in any culture I guess...... and I am speaking from a perspective of a third party who have a crazy background in this circumstance...... how well was the acceptance of the street people about this MARCH? Is this a March for Japan? or a March that just a group of people who are crazy for their God?
Nevertheless, this gives us (People who have same visions) a good idea lot of thoughts if we would like to have in the next march.... perhaps we can have a more indigenous Matsuri Walk for Jesus? A more indigenous way, that we can identify God in ways that we can comprehend, in ways that we are once again ensure: Jesus is not a foreign God, but our GOD.
2 comments:
I love this article, Roseline. I especially agree with your words,"I think cultural sensitiveness is needed in presenting Gospel to any nation." Hope to find out more effective ways which help the Japanese know Jesus is their God!
>Cultural crusade is not really welcome in any culture I guess......
Thanks for the video!
I was a non-Christian for many years before I was saved, as I am Japanese who have some cross cultural experiecens that God set on my life, I totally understand what you say, and have been trying to share about the order (秩f序）and consideration(配慮） and respect all people who were born with a God's dignity, based on Bible and Paul's teaching with Americans in US, Brazilians and other communities in Japan.
For example, some years ago, when I saw a news on TV that some of Christians who had a demonsration parade in front of Imperial Palace(皇居）in Tokyo by shouting, "no more Emperor system!", I felt so sad.
But, the marching didn't have the same charactor of the demo in front of Imperial Palace, and only one thing that I can say according the Bible teaching is, especially in this end time, no one can bring any criticism toward any of works by God's workers, unless they do things away from Bible.
And... for exampl, even if the marcing was done by only Japanese with Kimono with Japanese worship songs, people who are stil spiritually blind can't really find the truth of Jesus, and might have the same impression still...
So, what I mean is that everything is done by the Holy spirit, not by our way of thinking, and we really don't know what God really would do...
So, I would thank these Brazilians or other missionaries to pray for Japan rather than judging them, so we can move on by the guidance of Holy Spirit with godly love, understanding and wisdom together. In the midth, God gives us a chance to talk about the things what missionary shold know.
I have been working on it. If you could pray with me about the issue, it would be great!
Post a Comment