21.30 Setting the Table of Christ and Culture (Part 4)

Indigenous Faith

In this, their last episode addressing the first part of the quote defining the Redeeming of Culture's philosophy, Craig and LaDonna Smith offer their biblically based response, based exclusively in the Scriptures and from human history as the gospel spread around the world, eventually reaching the shores of Native North America some 500 years ago. When North American Indigenous people come to Christ, do they have to abandon all their cultural and traditional ways, only to be replaced with Euro-American cultural practices, as what the Redeeming of Culture movement contends? In a revealing look at European cultures, the Smiths unpackage historic animism among many of these nations before coming to Christ. Indigenous people, like all cultures worldwide, need to evaluate their cultural and religious practices in light of God's Word, and not human philosophies. The Scriptures are authoritative to the believer in Christ, regardless of ethnicity and sin-stained cultures that mark and shape every human being before coming to Christ. Everyone from every culture, biblically speaking, is called by God to abandon any allegiance to the false gods and sacred objects of their ancestors, if they are to live biblically healthy lives. You don't replace your sin-stained culture with the sin-stained culture of another people group, but embrace a whole new way of living that is outlined in the pages of God's Holy Word! This important Setting the Table series is critical to understand all the rest of the Indigenous Faith teaching that the Smiths will be presenting in upcoming editions of this podcast, and can be found in Craig's insightful Indigenous Faith book, and his six-part DVD and Audio CD teaching series. All these helpful tools are available at their website's online store. You can find them at tribalrescue.com. Craig and LaDonna pray that these foundational truths will be understood and embraced by you, dear friend, as you seek to discover the principles of living out a God honoring Indigenous Faith.