Hudson Taylor said that Missionaries should live and dress like the people they seek to evangelize. Is this just squicky cosplay?
I grew up in a Southern Baptist Church that elevated the idea of missionaries above all else. There almost seemed to be a hierarchy of Christians. Sure, you could respond to the Great Commission as an ordinary believer who occasionally invites others to church or tells them about Jesus. If you were really serious about saving the lost and were a man who felt the call, you might become a pastor or evangelist. Taking that to radical extents, you might become a “home” missionary. This meant that you stayed in the US but worked with a population different from your own demographic. At the top of the list were the “foreign” missionaries—those who moved to other countries to share the Gospel.
Incarnational Missions
Taylor’s approach to missions in the China of the 1800s was called “Incarnational Missions.” He suggested that just as Jesus left the glory of Heaven and put on human flesh in the incarnation, Western Christians should leave the glory of their own home to put on the guise of a foreign national. It was recommended that they learn the language. (Most did—though, my Uncle Carl, a missionary to Hong Kong, never gained full proficiency and relied on an interpreter for the length of his ministry.)
Besides learning the language, Taylor instructed his missionaries to adopt local customs, mannerisms, and styles of dress. In essence, he instructed missionaries to become one of the people. Just as Jesus became one of us to care for humanity, missionaries should become “one of them.” This way, the people will see and feel how much they are loved and will accept the missionary’s teaching.
“Missions” Aren’t Just in Another Country
Of course, we know that “missions” aren’t just in another country. Christians who follow the Great Commission and its related scriptures know that Jesus commanded his disciples to carry the Good News from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and the ends of the earth. Bible scholars may debate whether Jesus commanded the disciples to “Go!” or whether he said, “As you go….” Believe it or not, this makes a difference in interpretation. But generally, they agree on the principle that Jesus outlined concentric circles of evangelism.
Concentric Circles of Evangelism
Jesus sent his disciples from Jerusalem (their home base, filled with fellow Judeans) to Judea (the familiar countryside). From there, he said they should expand to Samaria (filled with half-Judean people whose religion was similar but different). After that, they should extend the Gospel to the farthest reaches of the globe.
But you don’t have to travel to follow this concentric-circles model. As a Baptist pastor, I told my church members that they could follow this model without ever leaving their hometown. Instead of involving religious travel, these concentric circles of evangelism prompt believers to move out of their comfort zones to people who are less and less like themselves.
Wearing a Harley Jacket for Jesus
This means a white suburban soccer mom might begin her evangelism efforts among other white suburban soccer moms (her Jerusalem). Then, she might move to suburban soccer moms of color (her Judea). These successes might prompt her to meet and share Jesus with moms of the other team from the other side of the tracks. This could be her Samaria. Finally, her “ends of the earth” might be stopping in at the Harley Davidson shop on the other side of the tracks and purchasing a jacket while admiring the bikes and inviting people to church. Our missionary mom has expanded her influence while never leaving her hometown.
The Need for Disguises
Pushing yourself beyond your limits can be scary. This is where disguises come in. Each concentric circle of evangelism allows Karen to expand her influence beyond her comfort zone to engage in relationships with people who are progressively unlike herself. Disguises help her feel confident when she engages in conversation with people she would have nothing to do with if it weren’t for the Great Commission. If she’s good at dressing like the people she’s trying to convert, she might convince them she’s sincere. Plus, her country club friends driving by might not recognize her once she puts on the Harley leathers. Added bonus.
Hudson Taylor wasn’t wrong. Whether you’re talking about traveling to another country or remaining in your hometown, adopting the clothing, language, and mannerisms of people you’re trying to convert will probably make you more successful. But will it make you more Christlike?
Jesus Was Unashamedly Himself
I know I probably sound cynical when I talk about missions. It’s just that the very idea of the modern Western missionary effort is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Not once do you see Jesus donning a costume and pretending to be someone he isn’t to gain an audience with someone who wouldn’t give him the time of day otherwise.
Yes, he engages with people outside his culture. Read the stories of the Samaritan Woman at the Well, the Centurion’s Faith, or the Syrophoenician Woman’s Faith. Jesus was unashamedly himself in every encounter. Whether you’re at home or abroad, Jesus doesn’t expect you to be anything other than who you are, either.
Good Relationships Involve Sharing
That said, good relationships always involve sharing. I live in a country other than the one where I was born. Even though the two countries speak the same language, I’ve adopted some of the customs and mannerisms of the culture where I live. It’s natural to become like those you spend your time and energy loving.
If you find yourself surrounded by people who are different from yourself, you should develop quality relationships based on love and respect. When someone says, “Have you tried this new food or music or clothing?” you should accept the invitation—especially if that offer welcomes you into a new type of family.
For example, as a teenager, when I helped my friend from another country perfect his English and learn American customs, he gave me a cherished garment from his home culture. I’ve worn that same garment (or progressive replacements) for thirty-five years. It’s not a disguise to make me appear foreign. Neither is it a tool to gain inroads into a community so I can evangelize them. It’s a symbol of belonging, cross-cultural family, and solidarity. What it isn’t is cultural appropriation.
Is It Cultural Appropriation?
Cultural appropriation isn’t just when people from one culture adopt and adapt the style, dress, music, art, mannerisms, language, cuisine, or other distinctive features of another culture. It isn’t as simple as that. Cultural appropriation involves ulterior motives, like adopting these things to convince people that you care about them so they’ll be more vulnerable to your evangelistic efforts. It also happens when members of a dominant culture steal aspects of a less empowered society so that those in power can profit or take advantage of the new acquisition.
Not all cross-cultural sharing is appropriation. A lot depends on the motivation of the person or group engaging in this behavior. Cross-cultural sharing is bound to happen in healthy relationships. Appropriation, however, always has a transactional tone (even if that transaction is one-sided). When missionaries dress up like it’s Halloween to convince people from another culture to trust them, that’s worse than squicky Christian cosplay. It’s cultural appropriation.
Evangelism Can Be Squicky
Not to mention how squicky evangelism can be in the first place. Don’t get me wrong—I’m all for sharing your faith with others in the proper setting. If you have a relationship with them, and they’re interested, what you say should be non-coercive and culturally sensitive. But very often, evangelism is the opposite of that. It’s designed to scare the hell out of people or to push our religious agenda on them whether they want it or not.
Evangelists, missionaries, ministers, and everyday Christians can be aggressive and arrogant when we think the whole world needs what we have. Often, the unspoken commerce of evangelism is the export of Western culture and goods. Throughout history, missionaries have been unwitting (or sometimes witting) ambassadors of empire and trade. So, a little bit (a lotta bit) of humility is called for if we find ourselves in a position of sharing our faith. We must learn from the abuses of evangelism and not repeat them.
Authenticity, Not Appropriation
In the end, Hudson Taylor was right—in a sense. If you spend your time in another culture, you’re going to learn to love the people. So, you’re probably going to begin to dress, speak, and act like them, too. But that should be a natural outgrowth of your relationship with those people—a change of your heart as you become more like them. It should never be a manipulation tactic to make them want to become more like you.
Whether you’re across the globe or across the street, there are ways to share your faith with genuine respect, integrity, and love for the other person. The best way is to do what Jesus did—be completely yourself, without agenda or expectation of the other person. Be open to learning, listening, and loving others as they are. Because we reflect the heart of Christ through authenticity, not appropriation.
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