[...] Today’s Leadership blog – Out of Ur. He looks at 21st Century American Evangelism: The Ne Plus Ultra of Christianity? We Americans suffer from this delusion that we are the pinnacle of any particular cultural [...]

Throughout history, believers in’ Finland, Kenya, China’ have had a place at His table, impact for Christ you and I can’t fathom. They still do, and they will because you cannot dictate where the wind will blow.

And if He choses to send His people to you from Finland, Kenya or China because He can, would you know them?

I agree, there is no malice. Gullibleness yes, malice, no.

I’m hearing you. I know exactly what you mean. I don’t think people here intend any malice, but it’s so hard to see the system we’ve wrapped Christianity in, it’s very much akin–sorry for the pop culture reference–to The Matrix. Taking the red pill is a big step. And it’s tough for us to connect the dots without taking it. Piercing that veil takes a complete thought rearrangement.

I don’t want to put you down, I understand your gratitude is real.
I’m speaking in this thread as the Canadian evangelical that I am.

We cringe when we see the SBC, FotF and US evangelical parachurch and church ministries coming north of the 49th. And our pop culture is probably the closest to yours. The insistence we use your framework is mind numbing to us, and it’s easier to turn away than engage.

We are used to seeing third world believers here, in our immigrant population, in our missionaries and our teachers.

I don’t want American evangelicalism in Canada any more than Australians, New Zealanders or Brits want it. It’s market driven. We can’t afford that kind of ‘faith.’ We don’t want the American dream, frontierism, patriotism, militarism or prosperity teaching. We don’t want the kind of Calvinism that weds to market driven ideas that blames victims for not pulling themselves up by their bootstraps. I don’t want to be in a bubble; think, left/right/liberal/conservative; forsake justice or mercy and soothe my conscience by putting a few dollars in a mega church offering plate. I don’t want the church to entertain me, real life has too many challenges.

The assumption that the US evangelical has the answers, has it ‘right’ precludes even dialogue in many cases – because in discussion I have to filter everything through your lenses.
If I don’t, the conversation is over pretty quickly.

Am I anti-American?
No.:^)
But I wouldn’t even blink if you told me you’ve been taught I am, I’d be quite pleasantly surprised if you knew anything at all about your northern or southern neighbours and our faith practices.
Am I tired of trying to dialogue?
Sometimes. Sometimes it is really really difficult precisely for the reasons Dan lays out.

I don’t believe Americans evangelicals are intentionally clumsy and arrogant, I honestly don’t.
I do believe many do not know any better because you haven’t had to know anything else. I think that is changing as communication and populations change.

I could not say what Dan said, you wouldn’t hear me.
I would come across as foreign, arrogant, condescending and I would be dismissed.

I almost want to beg you not to send us your missionaries.;^)

Having punctuated the negative in my comment, permit me to end with encouragement. I believe God calls clearly from within your evangelical sub-culture through some of His people who have not been arrogant and clumsy.
Go under the mercy.