The 3D Gospel by Jason Georges
Many of the people reading my blog are from the West– not the Western US, but the global West. Most of us then, approach life through a cultural lens of guilt and innocence. We see wrongs that need to be “righted.” If you are an American, think of how much our country is built around the idea of “Equal justice under law.” Our lens influences our perceptions about the world and the way we work across borders. This is the topic of The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guild, Shame, and Fear Cultures by Jayson Georges.
The premise of Georges’ book is that there are essentially three types of cultures, and they determine how we receive information, like the Gospel. He provides some great charts throughout the book showing how each of the cultures view grace, salvation, the sovereignty of God, and other aspects of the faith. One of the best examples is how each of the cultures is seeking to answer a particular existential question. For Guilt/Innocence the question is “How can my sins be forgiven to be assured of my salvation?” For Shame/Honor the question is “How can I be a part of the community to be respected?” And for the Fear/Power culture the question is “How can I access the power to control life?”
For the practitioner reading the book, which is less than 90 pages, they will begin to see why it is that some denominations have flourished in certain parts of the globe, while others have not. It also becomes clear that certain types of gospel presentations are better suited to particular audiences rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
I would highly recommend The 3D Gospel to anyone who plays a part in an international missions organization, missions committees, or lay people with a desire to have an impact across the globe. You can purchase the book here and read more by Jayson Georges here.
