Every corner of a bridge must be supported firmly or the entire bridge will totter in times of stress.
Over three decades ago I was traveling from the city of Barranquilla, Colombia, to the little river town in which we lived. At less than a quarter of the way home, I encountered a difficulty that threatened to change hours into days. The bridge crossing the Aracataca River leaned precariously under the weight of a truck transporting a Caterpillar tractor. The truck blocked the highway and the police refused passage. The foundations of the bridge simply wouldn’t hold up.
In a similar way, people new to our Christian community may find the bridges between the cultural worlds in danger of crumbling. As the CB Hispanic congregations seek to become an integral part of the CB Northwest family, it is necessary to address the issues of doctrine, polity, philosophy and covenant like the rest of our Association.
It is valuable for our Latin friends to help define our foundational doctrinal values. People of God from differing cultural perspectives often point out things to each other that may otherwise be missed.
Generally, Latin American immigrants are raised under the influence of the Roman Church. Because of this, the finer points of polity need to be learned. It is not surprising that both the pastor and his people expect the clergy to be the sole caretaker of the church. In this situation the former foundation must be replaced by another.
Culture certainly plays a part in philosophy. Our ethnic brethren are making a genuine effort not only to understand, but also to participate. We can be sure that the passages between generations and cultures will be tested in the future. We must make every effort to assure strong foundations so that the church can minister to each and every culture.
Back to the bridge incident. Running parallel to the highway was a five-hundred-yard long railroad trestle. Several of us dared to straddle the rails with our four-wheel drive vehicles and navigate the railroad ties with their six-inch spaces. It was a rough ride—and all the while we were praying the locals were right that there wouldn’t be a train that day. For me to get home I had to commit to discomfort and a measure of danger.
The fourth leg of our foundation must be, under God, our commitment to each other, no matter the cultural, generational and linguistic differences or difficulties.
