By Fenny Wibowo - November 1999
The word “Ghetto” came from Venetian word “geto” (pron, je-tto), indicating the site of a metal foundry. This word used by the German Jews to the area of settlement for the Jews in the 16th century. The first area assigned to the Jews was called “Ghetto Novo” (New Ghetto) probably because there was a new foundry there. It was developed to protect them initially. It also served to preserves their cultural, social, and religious heritage. They have their own way of dressing, their kind of food, their way of relating, etc. Basically they create a wall around them. It would be very difficult from people outside their ghetto to be accepted also.
Let’s take a moment to look at our
community, ICF. Are we considered ourselves as a ghetto? Or do we
act or think as a ghetto? That we actually make people go away because of
our action. We only spend most of our time with friends who share same
hobbies, like the same food, enjoy certain music, etc. Have we heard
people saying that we are 'off' that we keep people away from making friendship
with us?
The tendency of being a ghetto
What makes us creating these walls around us?
These are some reasons that could come up:
 | For personal protection: what if I am in
contact with temptation or I want to protect the church member from bad
influences
| It's easier, less work than hanging around
with non-believer
| Theological weaknesses: I don't know how to
respond to their questions
| It's dangerous: it's a dangerous area,
people there are violent
| I am happy with my circle of friends now,
it takes a lot of time and effort to build new relationships, I don't want
to get out of my comfort zone
| Etc. | |
I don't know about you, but certainly the reasons
could be different for each one of us. Take a moment to think what the
reason might be for your own tendency.
The danger of Christian Ghetto
What would be the danger of Christian being a
ghetto? Mainly there are needless cultural barriers that people have to
encounter before they understand or hear the message of Christ. It hinders
people to be part of our community. It certainly would be a huge barrier
for people to across this needless cultural barrier to come to know Christ.
For us, we may have unrealistic view of the world. We can be completely out of touch with the real issue in our contemporary world. Here what Chuck Colson wrote: "What's at work here, I'm afraid, is a ghetto mentality. Christian readers only by Christian books, written by Christian authors, written in Christian language, produced by Christian publishing houses, sold by Christian bookstores. We no longer seem to care that we are out of the mainstream! But that's no way to influence our culture."
In 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, Paul wrote,
"For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so
that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to
those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the
Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without
law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law
of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I
became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so
that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel,
so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. "
Paul is willing to become all things to all men,
that he may save some people. Yet Paul clearly stated that his limit is in the
area of moral issues that he is under the law of Christ. So, we would
never compromise ethical or doctrinal issues or let the culture defines people's
needs.
In John 15:19, Jesus said that we are chosen
to be out of the world, because we are not of the world. But also in John
17:18, as the Father sent Jesus into the world, Jesus have sent us into the
world. So certainly we are not become the world, but we want to influence
the world. If we want to make impact to the world, it won't work with
disclosing ourselves from interaction with the world.
So?
How can we break ourselves from our ghetto and be
into the world? Meet new friends, making a deeper relationship with our
acquaintances, pray for open doors, pray for boldness and clarity to speak, read
books - of course on spirituality and the Christian life, but also books that
deals with topic that our non-believer neighbors care about, watch news, stay in
touch with the contemporary cultures, go to movies, etc.
It is very encouraging to see several of our brothers and sisters in ICF have recognized this need to tear down their own walls and have done something about it. It does need our extra efforts and creativity, and the wisdom and strength from God.
Let’s not let ourselves get stuck in a
Christian ghetto. Let’s get 'unstuck'!