The 3D Gospel: Ministry in Guilt, Shame, and Fear Cultures (edition 2014)

If you are an evangelical Christian about to participate in a foreign mission trip, I urge you to read The 3D Gospel by Jayson Georges before you step foot in that new mission field. Why? The fact is you are not only about to step into another geographical region, you are probably about to engage a culture that is unlike your own.

The 3D Gospel explains why the world is composed of three basic cultural types as a result of The Fall: Guilt-Innocence, Shame-Honor, and Fear-Power. He then explains why the gospel message you proclaim in one context may be difficult for another to fully understand. (I am not saying God cannot use any explanation of the gospel to save, only that cultural understandings may hinder the lost person's ability to comprehend the importance of his or her lost situation). After an explanation of how the Crucifixion solves the problem in each of these cultures, for example, how honor can be restored to those shamed by their sin, he lays out key concepts and words to consider and gives examples of a gospel presentation in each cultural context.

My one complaint about the book is that it spend very little time on the gospel. I had hoped it would provide more than one example per culture, and perhaps tell of real-world experiences where understanding the culture had been applied.

Finally, I would also recommend The Messenger, the Message and the Community by Roland Muller for anyone considering a foreign mission trip. It is an excellent treatment on this same subject of entering new cultures as an evangelical Christian.. ( )

A Friend gave this to me and it is easy and fast read. I have been studying, researching this for a few years now. The Gospel as a diamond with different facets of global context makes meaning. The first example of the girl hiding in front of his uncle would make no sense to people in the most Anglo-Saxon sphere. I would recommend this to someone who wants to understand cultures from Christian perspective.

--Deus Vult
Gottfried ( )

A Friend gave this to me and it is easy and fast read. I have been studying, researching this for a few years now. The Gospel as a diamond with different facets of global context makes meaning. The first example of the girl hiding in front of his uncle would make no sense to people in the most Anglo-Saxon sphere. I would recommend this to someone who wants to understand cultures from Christian perspective.

--Deus Vult
Gottfried ( )