Amanda Wells Ministries

Culture, Sub Culture and Trends - Whats the difference and is there a difference?

In the past months I have consistently heard around church, this statement, 'Who is dictating the culture in your church?'

In essence it sounds feasible even plausible, even to the point of me deciding to try and create a different culture in my church, dismiss the oldies, fire the pastor (he is too old) and create a whole new set of programs in the belief I am changing the 'culture' of my church!

So lets try and unwrap this subject of culture, sub culture and trends and see what, why and how they effect us. Also look and see if the church have an impact on the culture of our City and nation and if so how?

What is Culture?

In anthropology the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another. The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought on a society.

Subculture.

Sociology.

a. the cultural values and behavioral patterns distinctive of a particular group in a society.

b. a group having social, economic, ethnic, or other traits distinctive enough to distinguish it from others within the same culture or society.

Trend.

To tend to take a particular direction; extend in some direction indicated.

A general tendency or inclination.

So lets now try and uncouple ourselves from all those meanings.

Firstly, why are we developing a 'culture' in our churches in the first place? If culture is an action that effects society and is passed on from generation to generation, may I ask the rather obvious question here? Whatever we create today will be a behavior or belief that will be passed on down the generations. Could I also add how large is our church, that that group has the ability to persuade and influence the populous? Isn't the bible clear on what we pass down  -  the Word of God alone?

In saying that, why as a church are we creating a culture on the inside of a building instead of changing the culture that is in the populace of our city?

Could we really be saying that we are trying 'trends' and progressing with 'trends' that cause us to create a sub culture?

Why is the church intent on creating within itself, as a group, that keeps trends and creates a subculture that in essence has absolutely no impact on the society we live in?

Is this what we are really called to do? Isn't the church called to go into all the 'world' ? Greek word kosmos, which means constitution, order, government, world affairs. Doesn't Matthew 28 v 19 say, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost Nation Greek ethnos, coming from the word Ethnic... which means a people group of a PARTICULAR CULTURE.

So why is the church now no longer going into society and teaching society and changing society's culture but we are now staying within our walls and we believe that our few hundred people is our world whose culture we are to change?

Does this make sense yet?

So we have churches saying what's your culture?

Are the youth playing the music?

Do you have a cafe?

Is the interior modern?

That is NOT culture it is a trend because the only people you are affecting is your few hundred NOT society's beliefs, and in 30 years will be different!

Coffee in itself is not a culture - it is a trend that formed a culture!

What do I mean? In the generations prior to the 70's, women had tea/coffee in the home, around the kitchen table. It was the place to catch up and its main purpose was because the family kept us at home, as a woman was a homemaker. Then the feminist move caused women to go out of the home, get second jobs and a coffee shop culture was created around women outside the home & family So for church to just have a cafe does nothing to affect the culture in society except get people to mix - this is NOT a culture its a trend!

In the 80's we girls wore spiral perms, big hair, huge shoulder pads, etc but the trend disappeared (thank you Jesus) some are still stuck in the 80's trend but it was not a culture because we haven't passed it down to our children. So if in the 80's we waved flags in church, played timbrels it is not a culture until it has an impact on society and is passed down the generations.

It is a trend and we just may be stuck in it, but don't say its a culture - its NOT!

Can trends become culture?

The answer is yes and no.

On their own ... no.

But if we look at the Bikini, it wasn't simply because a woman wore one on Bondi beach! The bikini followed the feminist move and it was birthed out of that 'culture' The Beatles hairstyle was a 'trend' but the hair wasn't the change of 'culture'. Their clothes, style and statements made them trend-setters but it was birthed out of the growing social awareness that saw their influence extend into the social and cultural revolutions of the 1960s. They therefore, had an impact on politics and the economy, and changed the culture within society, but it wasn't their hair it was the belief beyond the hair.

Culture affects society. Culture molds the intellect and understanding (mind) of our society and therefore has an impact on the way society behaves in the future. What therefore are the mind molders that create and shape our future culture that is passed down to the generations affecting the way they think or act? Education ( schools, universities etc) government ( left or right) media, arts and entertainment, family religion, business Look at Censorship, the Hayes office censored all TV and Hollywood, till Hollywood produced a movie called 'The Clockwork Orange ' in the 1970's and created such a stir the culture changed and censorship no longer was deemed necessary. Was it the movie, no it was the political revolution that was occurring in the nation & the movie took advantage of the change USA always had God in schools, and government places, until Madalyn Murray O Hare took advantage of the decline in society's family values and created a culture of secularizing America's education system.

Rosa Parke took advantage of the climate of racial unrest and slavery and created a new culture where all men are created equal by refusing to give up her seat on a bus. It wasn't just the act but the reason for the act that changed the culture So in saying that it isn't the long hair, the bikini, the bus that creates culture but the reason behind these acts that cause the acts to effect society and bring change The church is called to change society, to be the cultural change in society. Tell me how is this done if 300 people sing loud songs, wear trendy clothes and no longer wave flags.

I hate to burst your culture bubble but all you are doing is setting a trend and at most becoming a sub culture So in essence whether a pastor is 28 or 82 has no effect on society's culture!!

The Beatles were teenagers.

Rosa Parke's was 42.

Madalyn Murray O hare was 55 when she managed to change the christian values of a nation into atheist beliefs.

So coffee before or after church isn't shaping culture, old or young pastor, isn't shaping society's culture, youth in band isn't shaping society's culture. It is just keeping up a trend that is forming a sub culture in your small group of members that has no effect on your city or Nation.

So whats the answer?

Certainly the church needs to keep up with trends. No business, company or group can expect to press into the future by antiquated ideas but lets be real, where not, as a small group WITHIN a building 2 days a week, changing the culture at all. Its what we do and affect and what that affect has on society in the marketplace that will change the culture in our Nation. Sure, keep up the trends to keep us a compelling group of individuals that make the church enticing to join. Lets keep the culture talk where it belongs - with the CHURCH affecting the MARKETPLACE, be intelligent about the marketplace and look to what crucible is in the marketplace that we can use to bring societal change.

If you want to add a cafe, lets not fool our self that I am changing culture, because if I don't recognise the belief I am not going affect the whole. I hope this note makes sense, and perhaps by uncoupling ourselves from fallacy's it allows us to align ourselves as an effective church impacting our city while keeping with the trends in today's generations.

Lets get on with being the impacting church in the marketplace that effects the values of the generations tomorrow and realise old young, black paint or blue, coffee before after or in coffee shops IS NOT culture but just keeping trends.

Where is the church in the mind molders of our society? Where does this leave the bible in all this 'culture' spin? Where does it leave 'honour your mother and father ' in this spin?

To me it seems the church has become so obsessed in 'trends' we have forgotten that our next generation are living in a culture that we have left to go to the 'dogs'!!

Be Blessed!