Paul's Methods of Mission in Multi-Cultural Context

"I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I mightsave some."

1 Corinthians 9:22, N1V



In 1 Corinthians 9:20-23, the apostle Paul outlined his strategy for reachinghis world for Christ. Paul was a true on mission Christian. He planned everymove that he made. He worked with different language groups as he carried outhis many missionary journeys to the known world of that time. In this passage,Paul shared his strategy for success in his mission. What is a strategy?



1. All Things ...



Paul said that he had become all things to all people. This means that heidentified with who people were. He tried to understand them. He was sensitiveto their needs and desires. When he went to a Jewish synagogue, he acted like aJewish man. He was careful to behave in such a manner that would not offendtheir religious and cultural traditions. When he went to the forum in Greece, he wasa philosopher and engaged in their favorite pastime-debate. He first gained abasic acceptance of people, so that they would listen to what he had to say.



Different people see you in different roles or even different personalities.Your friends may see you as a husband, IBM executive, and golfer or perhaps awife, mo and "soccer mom." ......



2. To All Men ...



As a citizen of Rome,Paul could go anywhere he wanted. Roman citizenship had its privileges. Muchlike our U.S.citizenship, Paul's citizenship opened doors for him to enter into many of theplaces he traveled. Paul had friends on every social, racial, and economiclevel. He was a friend of servants in Caesar's household. He knew Romansoldiers, governmental officials, slaves, and slave owners alike.



Paul loved everyone, just as his Master had. Before God miraculously saved him,Paul had been known by many as a killer of Christians. Yet after hisconversion, he became known as the apostle to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone whowas not a Jew).



Although Paul was a Jew, he reached out in love to everyone without prejudice.



For the Jews of Paul's day, even talking to Gentiles was not acceptable, muchless building relationships and sharing the gospel. Many Christian Jewsbelieved that Gentiles must first become Jews before receiving Christ. In otherwords, they thought the world should first become culturally like them beforethey could share the gospel with them. But Paul was the missionary. He crossedboundaries in order to "become all things to all men." ……



3. By All Means ...



Paul worked as a tent maker so that he could make a living in a way that wouldallow him the freedom to travel. Certainly he could go from place to place andsell his tents in the open markets of the cities. This put him in busycommercial centers where he could begin relationships with people from acrossthe known world. Many of the cities where Paul ministered were centers ofcommerce. Paul's skill provided an avenue that allowed him to meet people forChrist. He chose a trade that followed him to travel to people who needed tohear the Good News. ……



4. Save Some



Paul was not convinced that all people would embrace the gospel. In fact heknew that many would not. He had seen crowds get angry, he had been put inprison at time, but he was optimistic that a consistent strategy of being “allthings to all men” would pay off with new souls for the Kingdom of God.It is a given that not all people will believe the good news of Christ. But itis also inevitable that many will believe, we need not only to be consistent inour planning and in our doing.”