Different parts of the world react differently to different stimuli. This is equally true regarding spiritual matters. While we should whole-heartedly affirm the hope of Christ that is for every person, regardless of race, gender, or culture, how each culture and segment of culture react to a presentation of Christ differs widely. In Western culture, there tends to be an emphasis on knowledge and so we are apt to present Christ as the Truth which will set someone free. However, some cultures do not place as high an emphasis on truth as they do on something else, namely power.

Missiologist Charles Kraft explains these tendencies and their resulting interactions as encounters. He lists three encounters that must exist for a balanced Christian experience: power, truth, and commitment.[1]

Power

A power encounter is a demonstration of Christ’s power to deliver a person from Satanic captivity. A power encounter liberates a person so that they might have freedom in Christ.

Truth

A truth encounter is a demonstration of truth over error and brings a person into a correct understanding of Jesus Christ.

Commitment

A commitment encounter brings a person out of wrong commitments and into a right relationship with Jesus Christ.[2]

All three encounters are essential to the Christian life and experience, but culture may dictate a preference for one over another. If we want to see the Kingdom of God expand and reach more and more people, we must remember that ignoring one of these encounters may result in producing believers who syncretize their faith or follow Christ half-heartedly. These three encounters help a person to balance their faith and solidify it.

Kraft goes on to say further that, of the three, the commitment encounter is most important: For a power encounter does not create a follower or Christ; nor does an intellectual assent from a truth encounter create a follower of Christ—a commitment to Christ is needed after both encounters. And yet, on the other hand, a person may follow Christ and still let himself be subject to spiritual oppression or wrong understanding—so, all three encounters are important in our Christian witness.

How these encounters manifest in each culture will be different. In my own life, I can say that the bulk of my Christian nurture has been “truth” encounters. Kraft admits that many evangelical Christians in Western culture have grown up with this focus. The prevailing mentality has been that “truth changes lives.” There is some truth to that statement, but the higher reality is that it is Jesus Christ who changes lives.

Jesus Christ is not limited to truth to change peoples’ lives. He changes lives with powerful victories over evil and darkness and He changes lives by committed allegiance, too. Our Christian presence in our home culture and around the world would be strengthened if we learned how to balance these three things and testify to all three of them in our own lives. I think Christ would be most glorified when our witness to the world shows God’s powerful transformation by power, by truth, and by commitment.

How can you employ all three encounters in your particular culture and witness?

[1] Charles H. Kraft, “What Kind of Encounters Do We Need in Our Christian Witness?,” EMQ, 27:3 (July 1991), 258-267.

[2] See: Kraft, “What Kind of Encounters Do We Need in Our Christian Witness?”