Addressing Cultural Issues as Shepherds | Shepherds Network

In this two-part episode, Pastor John Carter and Dr. A.R. Bernard of Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, NY how to address the grey matters present in culture when crafting messaging. While it is important to craft relevant and relatable messages, it is more important to ensure that what we are teaching in our pulpits is grounded in the integrity, longevity, and truth of the Bible.

Key Highlights:

Balancing Truth and Grace in Ministry: As pastors, we carry the responsibility to be the salt and light of the world. We’re called to preserve society’s moral integrity while illuminating truth with compassion. Our goal isn’t to overpower the culture but to influence it gently, preserving what’s good while pointing to Christ.

Crafting Culturally Sensitive Sermons: Our sermons must not only remain rooted in Scripture but also address the real-world challenges our people face. We must learn how to speak into cultural issues like race, identity, and marriage with wisdom, avoiding unnecessary offense while still maintaining the integrity of the gospel.

Navigating Public Ministry in the Digital Age: With live-streaming and social media, we’re now preaching to much larger, unseen audiences. This makes it crucial to communicate with thoughtfulness, knowing that our words are not only heard by our congregation but are open to the wider world’s interpretation and critique.

Balancing the Prophetic and Pastoral Roles: As ministers, we walk the line between speaking hard truths prophetically and shepherding our people pastorally. There’s a real need to offer biblical truth with love and hope, especially when addressing divisive issues. Finding this balance ensures we’re not just convicting but also healing and guiding.

Addressing Cultural Tensions with Care: Our world is more divided than ever, and we’re constantly asked to speak into those tensions. Whether it’s racial issues, politics, or moral debates, we need to help our congregations see these matters through a biblical lens, offering them a path forward that fosters understanding and unity, not division.

Ensuring Relevance in Sermons: Relevance in preaching means more than addressing trendy topics—it’s about ensuring that what we say helps our people live out their faith practically in their daily lives. We need to speak in a way that connects with their experiences, offering them godly wisdom that applies to their marriages, work, and community involvement.

Building Relationships Across Differences: In ministry, it’s crucial to build relationships with people who think differently from us. Engaging with these perspectives gives us greater empathy and helps us address difficult topics in a way that brings healing and understanding, rather than deepening divides.

Creating Safe Spaces for Dialogue: As leaders, we need to create environments where people feel safe to discuss tough issues. This kind of space—where different opinions can be shared respectfully—can lead to healthy dialogue and growth, both for our churches and for us as pastors.

Ministering in a Politically Charged Climate: In politically charged seasons, we’re tasked with guiding our people to think biblically rather than politically. While it can be tempting to lean toward one side or another, our calling is to stay focused on biblical truth and help our congregation engage with the issues through a gospel-centered lens, maintaining unity in the body of Christ.

Additional resources:
Rev and Rabbi podcast - https://wabcradio.com/podcast/the-rev...
Dr. Bernard - https://arbernardnews.com

Scripture References:
Matthew. 28
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