Lausanne World Pulse – Reaching Families from Different Religious Traditions
By Tuvya Zaretsky
4. Include small group ministry. Small groups for couples from different religious traditions set apart within congregations or sponsored in partnership with mission organizations are appropriate. They help couples grapple with feelings of isolation resulting from not fitting into any traditional religious structure. Small group ministries for Jewish-Gentile couples give them a sense of identity and belonging. In a safe environment, partners can explore the truth of reconciling faith in Jesus.
5. Develop helpful cultural services. We can also help cross-cultural couples navigate the choices for symbols in various rituals, life-cycle events and appropriate religious holidays. We see such a ministry starting with premarital counseling for Jewish-Gentile couples. We urge them to seek spiritual harmony before a wedding takes place. We can also provide skillful advice about providing a wedding testimony in a culturally diverse environment.
Appropriate religious holiday celebrations are a wonderful way to embrace couples and their families. In the Jewish-Gentile context, we have sponsored Passover banquets. Jewish partners are culturally comfortable as the gospel of the Lamb of God is introduced.
Conclusion
Missiologist Paul Pierson observed that spiritual breakthroughs and renewal movements usually begin in the margins of a society. Couples from different religious traditions often see themselves as marginalized from traditional contexts. However, experience with Jewish-Gentile couples convinces me that the life-changing power of the gospel of Jesus Christ is the message that effectively can reach them.
Endnotes
1. Source: DellaPergola, Sergio, Yehezkel Dror and Shalom S. Wald. 2005. Jewish People Policy Planning Institute Annual Assessment. Jerusalem: Gefen Publishing House, 12.
2. Zaretsky, Tuvya. 2004. “The Challenges of Jewish-Gentile Couples: A Pre-Evangelistic Qualitative Study.” Dissertation submitted to the faculty of Western Seminary, Portland, Oregon.
Comments on this article
I wonder (no experience here, just a hunch) if as a Jewish/Gentile couple becomes Christian, it could be helpful for them to understand together their roots as believers in Messiah Jesus in a common Abrahamic/OT heritage? Could that help the Gentile accept the idea of some Jewish symbolism in various celebrations? Just a question. Tim
Tim :: 28 Aug 2007