February is

Black History Month. It's a way that African-Americans

keep alive their distinctive story in the America saga.

It's a good strategy for a culture. The monolithic

American culture rolls over little villages and hamlets

all over the world erecting McDonalds signs and

plastering the countryside with Coca-Cola signs. Before

long, a culture on the other side of the globe speaks

more the American economic system than of its own

traditions. The distinctive culture also forgets the

signs and symbols of its history. Do you know how many

young Black Americans are unfamiliar with "I Have A

Dream?"

Christian

missions knows all about that sort of thing. Those who

have read or seen "Hawaii' know about the dedicated

Americans missionaries who went to Hawaii not only to

present the Gospel but also to make Hawaii look and act

like Christianity in the United States. It was not a

pretty picture.

My wife and

I recently enjoyed the island of Jamaica for our 25th

Wedding Anniversary. On the Sunday we were there, we

attended a United Methodist Church. Get this: in Jamaica,

there was not a drum in our hearing, not a single island

sound in the place, and if you had just a little

imagination, you would have seen and heard John Wesley

and his church of his day. Sad but true.

Then, go

out into the streets and hear and see the sounds and

sights of the real Jamaica. What's wrong with the church

that we just can't set up the Gospel in the context of

the indigenous culture? Why do we have to change the

context in order the present the text? Jesus didn't.

Jesus embraced the culture of Judaism although he came

from heaven. He set up shop as a Jew even though his

family had no distinct nationality. He talked the

language of the people and used stories to which they

could relate. He honored their history and culture. Yes,

Jesus was a Jew, but before he was a Jew, he was the Word

un-owned by any culture.

So, to my

brothers and sisters of the African-American,

congratulations on Black History Month. We all need to

have an appreciation of our history. There's nothing

wrong with my growing appreciation of my southern White

history-although it intersected often with Black

History in the south.

But the

word from the Word of God is that there is one who is

above history, time, and culture. He is Jesus Christ. In

Him and Him alone do all things cohere-even our

different backgrounds, nationalities, and languages. He

is the Word for all languages. And He understands all

people groups. He is king of all tribal kings and lord of

all lands. It is in Him that our diversity becomes

beautiful-red, yellow, black, brown, and white!

Let's

celebrate February as Black History Month. But, let's

celebrate every month as God History Month.

The Rev. Dr. John

Hatcher is pastor of River's Edge Community Church in

Fayetteville.

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