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Book Title
Discipling in a Multicultural World
Author
Ajith Fernando
Publisher
Crossway
Release Date
February 28, 2019
Pages
Price
The
challenge of cross-cultural discipleship belongs not only to
missionaries but to all who call themselves Christians. Between
globalization, immigration, refugee crises, generation gaps, the rise of
the religiously unaffiliated, and many other cultural shifts, the world
in which we live and minister is a multicultural one, whether we reside
in Quito, Ecuador, or Quitaque, Texas.
Ajith Fernando’s Discipling in a Multicultural World
is by no means the final word on discipleship, cross-cultural or
otherwise. Nevertheless, the Sri Lankan church leader provides
principles that are both biblically sound and readily applicable in any
corner of our increasingly multicultural world.
For Fernando, discipling is parenting. Citing such
examples as Paul and Timothy, Peter and Mark, Martin Luther, and Charles
Spurgeon, Fernando leans heavily into the biblical notion of
shepherding for the theological foundation of “spiritual parenthood.” He
casts a vision of long-term and highly relational ministry in which
disciplers assume indefinite responsibility for their disciplees’
spiritual growth.
But while this metaphor of “spiritual parenthood” forms
the core of Fernando’s philosophy of discipleship, it does not
constitute the whole. “Discipling,” he adds, “is individual; but it is
not individualistic.” This one-to-one process occurs in the general
context of a small discipleship group, which is itself intimately
grafted into a local church and ultimately loyal to the universal body
of Christ. Like earthly parents, spiritual parents take primary
responsibility for their children’s growth, but they realize that this
growth requires relationships and insights beyond what they alone can
offer.
Fernando takes for granted that the goal of discipleship
is transformation, to “present everyone fully mature in Christ” (Col.
1:28–29). Accordingly, the second half of his book, titled “How
Christians Change,” covers everything from personal evangelism to study
habits. This is a welcome antidote to the semantically fraught debate in
discipleship-training circles that pits a knowledge-based approach
against an obedience-based discipleship. The Word of God (along with the
work of the Spirit and the fellowship of believers) is the means by
which Christians change, and obedience to God is evidence of that
change. To hold the two in opposition is to misunderstand both the
process and the purpose of discipleship.
Recognizing the cultural diversity and fluidity of the
contemporary world, Fernando attempts, in his words, “to be alert to
this challenge” as he outlines his philosophy of discipleship. However,
because he is so careful to describe postures rather than prescribe
gestures (to borrow terms from Andy Crouch’s Culture Making), he arrives at a set of insights versatile enough to apply far beyond cross-cultural discipleship alone. Discipling in a Multicultural World
certainly contains advice for those crossing cultural lines with the
gospel, but more importantly, it exemplifies a posture of cultural
sensitivity that would not be out of place in any discipling
relationship.
One of the key categories of transformation Fernando
describes is “evaluative transformation,” which involves evaluating the
beliefs and practices of the prevailing culture. He emphasizes the need
to discard those facets of culture that run counter to Scripture, giving
numerous examples of how this can be taught and practiced. (One example
concerns the cultural norms of lying and vengeance in his native Sri
Lanka.) As much as possible, however, Fernando advocates working “with”
culture, both affirming all that resonates with biblical orthodoxy and
exploring how different cultures shed unique light on the gospel.
In three chapters exploring the moral dynamics of guilt
and forgiveness, honor and shame, and power and fear, Fernando offers
guidance for teaching the biblical concepts of guilt and forgiveness to
believers living in cultures with strong honor-and-shame or
power-and-fear dynamics. Additionally, though, he shows how these
dynamics are themselves expressed in Scripture—and how disciplers can
frame their teaching and conversation in ways that affirm their
validity.
Overall, the posture Fernando advocates and exemplifies
is one of allegiance to Scripture and respect for culture. As such, his
example is a fine one for any cross-cultural worker seeking to avoid
imposing narrowly Western ways of thinking and living, but it is also
ideal for Western believers in ostensibly “Christian” cultures. In both
cases, culture is an inescapable facet of life and sanctification, and
well-discipled believers must be equipped to respond biblically and
redemptively to every culture they encounter.
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