Acts 2:38, 41 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

A clear invitation was given, and those who accepted it were baptized. There are those who dislike the term, “accepting Christ,” equating it with “easy believeism,” but accepting, taking in, is clearly the term used here. However, it specifies that they accepted Peter’s words, which certainly included the message of repentance. We have no way of knowing if any of the 3000 mentioned here later fell away, and I don’t think Luke thought it was important. It is significant that these were people who had a foundation for understanding the invitation as it was presented. They knew what “Lord and Christ” meant! That’s not only an important distinction in countries like Japan, with essentially no Christian background in the culture, it is increasingly an issue in countries that historically have been saturated with the Gospel. People don’t know what it means for someone to be Lord, and they know Christ only as an expletive. It is ironic that “God,” “Jesus,” and “Christ” are used as expletives most in countries that have a Christian history. Evangelism must always be done in cultural context, using terms that are understood as they are intended, rather than as something else entirely. That is of course the biggest challenge of cross cultural evangelism.

Whatever else can be said about my ministry, it is certainly cross cultural! Born of and raised by American parents in Japan, I am what is called a “Third Culture Kid,” (TCK) with a personal culture that is synthesized from the two cultures I was exposed to. On top of that, I was steeped in Scripture from infancy, to the point that a Scriptural world view seems almost automatic. That’s certainly a different culture from most of the people around me! I must constantly be on my guard to see to it that my words are received as they are intended. My success rate at that is certainly not 100%! I need the constant help of the Holy Spirit both to understand what is being said to me and to express myself so that I am not misunderstood. That is a challenge not only in evangelism but in every relationship, even in the Church, where we supposedly share some foundational truths. However much I misunderstand or am misunderstood, I must not give up, but yield it all to God to sort out by His Holy Spirit.

Father, thank You for the training in this area that I’m undergoing right now, even though it is pretty distressing. Thank You for Your promise to work everything together for good for those whom You have called. (Romans 8:28) I pray that You would grow and mature each member of this body, using us to sharpen one another to be more effective tools in Your hands. (Proverbs 27:17) In the new year ahead of us may we grow in every area to be the church You want us to be at this point, preparing us to be what You want us to be further down the line, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!