First let me refer back to the side bar on your right where I give
the term “Third Culture”. If you have
already read that, then you will find a lot of recycled material in this blog. “Third Culture” has been used in various
ways. One “Third Culture” group “consists of scientists and in the empirical
world who through their work and expository writing, are taking the place of
the traditional intellectuals in rendering visible the deeper meanings of our
lives, redefining who and what we are.”
The most common use of “Third Culture” describes my personal
experience. The term was first coined by sociologist Ruth Hill Useem, professor
emeritus of sociology and education at Michigan State University. She used the
term to describe children growing up outside their citizenship countries
because of a parent’s work abroad.
Building upon her work, a “TCK or Third Culture Kid has is defined as, “someone who as a child has spent a
significant period of time in one or more culture(s) other than his or her own,
thus integrating elements of those cultures and their own birth culture, into a
third culture" Based on that
definition I am a TCK
However, I am on a mission to use the term “Third Culture” for a
much nobler purpose. It is my desire to
use the term to refer to God’s people who make up the true Church
(Theologically defined as the “Invisible Church”). In other words, the Church
is a 3rd Culture. Scripture teaches us that Christ redeemed us from
the curse of the law and the punishment of Hell, and through faith in Him we
become citizens of His Kingdom, receiving not only the full benefits of
citizenship in His Kingdom, but indeed the right to become His sons and
daughters. The moment, we step into this Kingdom we experience a new and
different culture. We are no longer in the kingdom of darkness, as we now live
in the kingdom of light. And that
changes everything!
The whole concept of culture can be confusing, so here is a simple
way to better understand it. Most of use
some type of computer. It could be the
traditional desk top, a laptop, a pad or many of our phones, most have a very
similar hardware. What makes each device
unique is the type of software that you decide to use. Though true Apple users
may say this is heresy, the basic hardware in an Apple computer is very similar
to that of a PC. What makes the big
difference is the software each uses. God has created all people with similar
hardware. Though each human is unique
all the way down to our DNA, we all have the same basic group of organs to stay
alive, and need hydration and nutrition to keep those organs running.
From the moment we come into the world[1]
our software is written and formed through every experience we face. Our immediate family and community have the
greatest impact on us as our brains software is constantly written and
re-written. Therefore, not only is each
human uniquely created at a DNA level, but we are uniquely cultured. Because we often confuse ethnicity and
culture, we fail to realize that two people of differing ethnicity or skin
color who grow up in similar culture can be more alike that two non-Hispanic
whites who grew up in different regions of the same country. If you don’t believe me, as the average young
white male from South Alabama what he thinks of the average young white male
from New York City!
I like to see the Church as a 3rd Culture, because as
God calls His people to Himself, He does a work of regeneration and graciously
gives the faith to believe. At that
moment there are no physiological changes, but God places in each us a new
“governing disposition” that through the work of the Holy Spirit, the Word and
Sacrament, begins to rewrite our cultural program. It affects
all areas of our lives and integrates elements of all cultures into one new and
better one, where there is no Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female (Gal
3:26-298).
A 3rd Culture Perspective lives with Revelation 7:9-10[i]
in mind, understanding and appreciating that
God gathers people from every ethnic and cultural group and brings them into
the new culture of His Son Jesus Christ. It is a perspective where birth cultures
are appreciated and respected as coming from God, but none are superior. It
seeks to have a deeper understanding of the Gospel, pays attention to culture,
our own as well as others, and then attempts to bring them together. It is a
perspective that “seeks first His Kingdom
and His Righteousness” and lovingly and passionately enjoys and glorifies
God in all we do.
My prayer is that is Blog will help you better appreciate living
in the 3rd Culture and will provide insights and encouragement along
the way.
[i] “After this I looked and there before me was
a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and
language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were
wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they
cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the
throne, and to the Lamb" (Revelation 7:9-10)