Corinthians Quote by Timothy Keller
““D. A. Carson makes this observation about this section of 1 Corinthians: When in the last century Hudson Taylor, the founder of the China Inland Mission (now the Overseas Missionary Fellowship), started to wear his hair long and braided like Chinese men of the time and to put on their clothes and to eat their food, many of his fellow missionaries derided him. But Hudson Taylor had thought through what was essential to the gospel (and was therefore nonnegotiable) and what was a cultural form that was neither here nor there, and might in fact be an unnecessary barrier to the effective proclamation of the gospel… This is not to say that all cultural elements are morally neutral. Far from it. Every culture has good and bad elements in it… Yet in every culture it is important for the evangelist, church planter, and witnessing Christian to flex as far as possible, so that the gospel will not be made to appear unnecessarily alien at the merely cultural level.3””
About This Quote
Source Book: “The Prodigal God” (2008)
Keller explains that missionaries should distinguish essential gospel truths from cultural customs, adapting where helpful while avoiding harmful practices.
In simple terms: Separate core gospel from cultural customs.
Adapt culture, preserve truth.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- church planting
- cross‑cultural ministry
- training programs
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- When is cultural change necessary?
- How to balance respect and truth?
Cultural adaptation can dilute essential doctrine.