Disenculturation: Differentiating the Gospel from Culture

Post Sermon Reflections

Welcome back to another episode of the Post-Sermon Reflections Podcast, where we help you apply Sunday morning learning to Monday morning living, as we connect others to the love of Jesus and help them live on gospel mission. In today's episode, hosts Donna and Audley dive into the concept of disenculturation, which is the process of differentiating the gospel from culture.

They explore Acts 15:1-21, where the early church faced the challenge of separating the gospel from Jewish cultural practices. Audley breaks down the passage, explaining how the apostles and elders debated whether Gentile believers needed to follow Jewish customs to be saved. Peter's declaration that God made no distinction between Jews and Gentiles sets the stage for understanding disenculturation.

Donna and Audley discuss how we might unknowingly add cultural preferences to the gospel, making it less accessible to others. Using examples from modern times, such as political ideologies and the movie "Jesus Revolution," they illustrate how cultural biases can become stumbling blocks.

Pastor Brennan's sermon emphasized the importance of recognizing and eliminating these biases to preserve the purity of the gospel. The episode concludes with a call to self-examination and a reminder to focus on the core of the gospel: faith in Jesus Christ.