Glocal is a new, trendy word. It means being mindful of both local and global considerations. Since businesses never want to be left behind, it’s not uncommon to hear expressions like ‘think globally, act locally’ in everything from adverts, to corporate strategies and vision statements. Being trendy, caution is required. We aren’t merely trying to be cool or relevant. But let’s not diss everything that appears to be novel. In fact, I think there is some real value for believers in the glocal outlook.
How might gospel workers minister locally (obvious) while thinking globally (not so obvious)?
This might not be immediately obvious. Thinking globally but acting locally makes sense for car manufacturers and fast-food chains. Respectively, cars will be sold worldwide yet they’ll also have design features to meet local criteria such as emission standards and which side of the road people drive on; the Golden Arches of McDonald’s is almost universal, yet they offer geographically-specific menu items that cater to local tastes. But how might gospel workers minister locally (this is fairly obvious) while thinking globally (not so obvious)?
Some readers might be thinking that a glocal perspective is a nice aspiration, but supremely impractical. In fact, some might go further. Aren’t we called to a specific place and time? Don’t we simply plough our efforts into the same sheep, week after week? Isn’t all this talk about the bigger picture a distraction? Now, I’m not suggesting there’s anything wrong with faithfully plodding along. Many pastors are barely keeping their heads above water. Only, without the broader perspective our world and outlook will keep getting smaller. And this, I’ll argue below, is unhealthy.
My “Aha” Moment
It’s July, 1989. We were in a very remote part of Namibia—Africa’s most sparsely populated country—on a short-term mission trip. We saw cattle kraals and rudimentary huts and, beyond that, vast wilderness, for thousands of kilometres. The locals were keen to listen. The evangelist was explaining that some of his friends had come from Windhoek; others had come from Cape Town (this was us). The locals were astonished. “There are ‘Jesus people’ in Windhoek! Even Cape Town?”
‘What?’ I thought. ‘We were meant to be saying this about you guys, out here in the middle of nowhere.’
We tend to think our church and community life is the standard.
Undoubtedly these good people thought that their church, and their worship services, their community life was the standard and entirely normative for all things relating to the gospel and Christian ministry—as we tend to. This was humorous, yet profound. It showed up our own prejudices and blind spots. It was paradigm changing.
A Tough Assignment
Another contribution to this shift in my own thinking came when I was asked to preach on tithing—in a squatter camp. That is, I was invited to exhort some of the poorest of the poor in South Africa to rethink their financial giving. I was terrified. And it immediately raised a raft of questions, problems, and challenges. Quite simply, I thought the notion crazy. So I left it for a while. But that time given to stewing over it didn’t rid me of my questions and uncertainties; if anything, it raised more.
I realised I would be a fool not to consider how this different context challenges my own thinking.
Of course, this topic must be taught. Furthermore, we must consider what God has to say about giving in the Bible. But surely the place and context ought to make a difference in delivering those truths. As I pondered this, I realised I would be a fool not to consider how this context challenges my own thinking and assumptions. Taking this further, those challenges to my own thinking should also affect how I preach and teach the same text on my own turf.
In this way, a more global—or glocal—perspective brings balance and correction. It informs and enriches the ministry in our local contexts; and reveals our blindspots and pride.
The Glocal Guards Against Becoming Tribal
The Christian scene in the West is marked by horrible division. Culture wars rage unabated. Cancel culture has become normal. Of course, this is reflected in the church. Big time. Many of the blogs, articles, podcasts, and sermons available on social media are just plain nasty. We reinforce our tribal walls. This makes us feel more secure.
A more glocal perspective brings balance and correction.
Our guru of choice becomes our righteousness. “What I mean is that each one of you says, ‘I follow Paul,’ or ‘I follow Apollos,’ or ‘I follow Cephas,’ or ‘I follow Christ.’ Is Christ divided?” (1 Corinthians 1:12-13). Even all the way down here, in South Africa, we’re infatuated with American infighting; infatuated with personalities and influencers. As some wise bloke put it: ‘America sneezes and we get the cold.’
I’m not here to suggest there’s nothing to learn from the church in the West. But a truly glocal approach would do much better than fixating on the American churchscape or politics.
How to Develop a Glocal Approach
Herewith are four suggestions.
1. Consider the Global Church
Think: 99,9999% of faithful gospel ministry is happening outside your immediate context. Christian mission is happening in every nook and cranny of the globe. So find out what’s happening in contexts unlike yours. Current events should be broadening our horizons.
2. Broaden Your Diet
As I’ve already noted, too many of us are devoted to American pastors, writers, networks, and theologians. We should be intentional in broadening the scope of our reading and our media habits. Read or listen to:
- Miroslav Wolf, originally from the Balkans, on forgiveness
- Bonhoeffer, a German, on discipleship and community
- The podcasts and sermons from Australian Evangelicals (Moore College, Philip Jensen, et al.)
- Kwame Bediako (Ghana), Festo Kivengere (Uganda), and Byang Kato (Nigeria)
- Henri Blocher, for a French or more European flavour
- John Stott, to get some British Anglican flavour.
Consider websites and podcasts that aren’t part of your immediate tribe.
3. Establish a Relationship With a Congregation Unlike Yours
It may be difficult to partner with another local church on the other side of the world. But we could partner with a local church in our region, which ministers among people and conditions very different to our own. The squatter camp I referred to above is multi-national. The nations are migrating to the cities.
We must endeavour to establish healthy, two-way relationships.
Of course, it’s critical to do this with the right attitude, in the right manner. We must endeavour to establish healthy, two-way relationships. We want to learn and grow together; to help each other.
4. Read the Dead
This protects us from chronological and geographical snobbery. There has been a massive resurgence in Reformed theology. Good. What is peculiar, however, is that many of the neo-Calvinists (perhaps most of them) are not reading Calvin, or any of the magisterial reformers. They are reading guys, who read guys, who have read Calvin. Why not take time to read Calvin? Reformation by regurgitation!
The Advantages of This Approach
We will:
- Develop a fresh appreciation of the true and living and global God, whose purposes are global, and who is making one people out of all peoples
- Have our love and worship of the Lord Jesus Christ gloriously enlarged; our appreciation of grace enriched
- Protect ourselves against small, parochial thinking and praying
- Start to notice our blind spots and imbalances
- Gain wonderfully new perspectives for life and faith
- Attain a greater sense of our unity in the gospel
- Live in anticipation of new creation realities.
And they sang a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and open its seals, because You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign upon the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).
