Coming out to Colorado made me question this idea of culture. I thought I had a grasp on it before, but my perception of it has once again been challenged.
The Merriam Webster dictionary defines culture as "the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time." I never really thought too hard about it until now, but an infinite God is probably one that transcends culture. Nobody in this world can say that they can do the same; their idea of transcending culture would be tainted by the notions and concepts from the culture that they were raised in. This only adds to the mystery of God.
I found myself checking out different churches and finding each to have its own culture. Having gone to Newsong for so long, a church that revels itself in a culture of reaching out to other cultures not like its own, I found it a little difficult to feel like I belong in churches here where the culture is a little more... static. Not ever-changing, and not ever-evolving like I felt Newsong was.
Not feeling like I belong is not the church's fault. The fact that I'm not used to the various patterns and rhythms of different churches doesn't make them bad. In fact, I'm slowly beginning to realize that this is all the better for me and my growth in Him. It challenges me to think "who am I worshiping? Is it the people? The culture?"
Or is it God?
What does it truly mean to come back to the heart of worship? I don't think it's a specific mood, seating arrangement, or song (sorry, Chris Tomlin). It really begins with an encounter with a love that transcends all culture. What does that look like? I'm still trying to figure out for sure myself.
Culture is a good thing. Jesus preached in parables that related to the culture at the time. But the points that were being conveyed weren't bound to the culture at the time.
I don't entirely know what I'm trying to get at. All I can say is that despite the struggles and the trials, I'm experiencing God in very different scopes of light since I've been out here. I'm hoping it'll become more clear as my time here progresses, but for now, I want to keep the eyes and ears of my hear attentive to the adventures to come.
