Culture is an evolving word that means various things to different people. In simple terms it can be defined as the collective customs, civilisation and achievements of a particular people, sometimes in a particular time. There is Youth Culture, Pub Culture, Street Culture, and so on.
It has been well documented that acts become habits, which inform behavioural patterns and then mature into lifestyles. Collective lifestyles then coalesce into culture. The living Church needs to permeate the root causes of acts and habits by providing creative alternatives.
CREED
I would love to see a universal identity with the future of the Country infused into the Education system. A kind of British Creed, a mindset or paradigm that is positive, holistic and moral. One of the underlying tones in the fabric of the American life is a positive “I can do it” mentality. This I believe is reflected in the number of gold-medals at every Olympic games. I am not implying an extreme narcissistic mentality or an obsession with self but a worldview that is less self-effacing or self-degrading.
COUNTRY
Assuming that Great Britain was a person, I would love to give her a sanguineous personality with some good doses of the melancholic. A confident woman with a listening heart, she would not wear a large label on her blouse that screamed, “Jesus is Lord”, but conduct herself in a respectable, amiable and stately manner commanding respect and honour.
Great Britain would never be the biggest in the world, but she can be one of its finest. With an internal code she would battle for justice, negotiate international/ inter-continental disputes and intercede for fair international trade. She would tow the delicate line between nuclear power disarmament and international arms dealing amongst many other complex issues.
[Pastor Jonathan Oloyede is the senior Associate Pastor Glory House Church London, the Borough Dean of Newham Council, and the Leader of London wide Mission of Soul in the City London. He is also an Executive Member of the Board of Trustees of the African & Caribbean Evangelical Alliance, a Member of the Values Steering Group of the Evangelical Alliance UK, and a Regular Feature on Premier Christian Radio’s Thoughts for the Day.]
