Written by Brian Morykon, a contemporary writer.
When we think about culture shaping us, we’re often thinking at the scale of society. And, to be sure, there is a societal culture we all swim in. Some Christians attempt to shift this culture through aggressive and large-scale means. But Jesus modeled another way—a more patient and personal way. Wendell Berry said there are “no national, state, or county problems, and no national, state, or county solutions…. The large-scale solution to the large-scale problem, which is so dear to governments, universities, and corporations, serves mostly to distract people from the small, private problems that they may, in fact, have the power to solve.” Some cultures we don’t choose, but they still shape us deeply, like the country and family and body we grow up in. Some we can’t change but can choose the degree of our contact: celebrity and internet culture, for example. Some life-giving cultures are not permanently sustainable, but we can immerse ourselves in them for a season. Think of a retreat center. Or even a dilapidated car, which I’ve found to be quite an effective culture of humility at breaking down my need for others to think well of me. But there are a handful of cultures where we have a meaningful say: our home and neighborhood, our small business or micro-church. There are things we can do to make these places conducive to growing the life of God in the hearts of people. Spiritual formation happens through culture and community—the culture of a community.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. [Hebrews 10:24-25]
