Noticed in America #1
When in a foreign country, even one as seemingly familiar as the United States, there is a always a steady stream of couldn't-help-noticing moments. On a recent visit to Washington DC (for the inaugural Matthias Media USA ministry conference), I was struck once again by some of the cross-cultural differences. I don't just mean that Americans say the time is “10 till 12” instead of “10 to 12”, or that the ‘regular’ drink at an American Burger King is the size of a ‘large’ in Australia (and the American ‘large’ is approximately the size of a plastic garbage bin).
One noticeable difference in Christian culture was the unfeigned, unembarrassed generosity of heart that the Americans showed to us visitors. I don't mean to imply that Australian Christians are unfriendly, or unwelcoming. But there is a gospel-rooted generosity of spirit in American culture—especially in American Christian culture—that has struck me on each of my three visits there in the past few years. We were immediately put at ease and made to feel at home. Needs were provided for thoughtfully and lavishly. Nothing was too much trouble. Mark Dever and the people at Capitol Hill Baptist gave us unfettered use of their church facilities for three days, along with administrative support from their staff, for no cost and for no other reason than that they supported what we were doing and wanted to help us succeed. And this in the middle of a busy season of ministry conferences and workshops that they were already conducting through their 9Marks organization. It was enormously big-hearted of them.
I am not sure of all the reasons—cultural, sociological or biblical—for the commonness of this trait among our American brothers. I am sure that I would like to imitate them.