Stereotypes

Communication. Cultural context. Gender differences. How do we take what research is telling us and use it to be effective ministers of the gospel?

As one author writes, “Complexity is hard, simplicity is easy. To deal with complexity we often revert to simplicity—we tend to categorize and make judgments based on that categorization.” And as a result, stereotypes are born.

So what should our response be as Christians? Should gender take a front seat in directing outreach efforts, or have we tried to oversimplify a complex issue and created stereotypes along the way? Is the gospel easily presented in a male-female format, or have we tried to categorize and methodize what God intended to be mysterious?

This week, we’ll try to wrap up this debate and discover just how important gender is to missions.

Week #4: “If the primary purpose of the church is to spread the gospel and the responsibility of each believer is to share a witness, then Christians must learn to effectively communicate His word with men and women. […] Therefore, effort should be made to adapt to gender communication differences so the gospel will be clearly understood. It would be tragic for the Word of God to be muffled by the words of men.”

This writer clearly believes that while gender differences do exist and that clear communication between the sexes needs to be taken into account, both men and women are held accountable to be witnesses to all people. Therefore, men evangelizing only men, and women reaching out only to women completely misses the point of God’s diverse Church.

But just maybe…attempts to better communication to enhance ministry should not stop at gender. As one theorist writes, “Men are different from women. That would seem to be self-evident. They are different in aptitude, skill and behavior, but then, so is every individual person. So why do we make such a fuss about it? It seems not unreasonable to suggest that the sexes are different because their brains are different, but then no two human brains are the same.”

So although gender differences may exist, maybe we should approach each person as an individual—no matter what his or her sex might be. Isn’t this what Jesus did? Just think of the many different ways Jesus reached out to both men and women: the disciples, the Samaritan woman, Mary Magdalene, the rich young ruler, and the list goes on.

So how important, really, is gender when it comes to sharing the gospel? Do you see one’s sex as a valid indicator of how to reach out, or should you evangelize everyone in the same manner? Have we missed an important element in this gender and missions conversation?

If so, share your perspective! Join us in solving this missions mystery (and many more!).

http://www.gender.org.uk/about/00_diffs.htm