nap time

On the seventh day God rested.
Why do I continuously think that I don't need what God Himself decided to partake of?
The end of August and beginning of September has been wonderful but ridiculously busy. New life changes, adjustments, new coworkers, new job/church/ministry/lifestyle. For the first time ever, I've undertaken carving out a home in this crazy world. And I like it. My boyfriend likes it. My guests like it. My friends of facebook 'like' it, or at least the album of pictures of it (yes that pun was intended). It does look like a grandma's house; the furniture is all wood and there are lace curtains and tablecloths, and my Queen Anne chairs are a soft pink. But I still love it. And it was inexpensive! lol.
My Sunday school teachers so far have loved every idea I've come up with but one, and I am building good relationships in the office of the church I'm working in. I've gone nuts with entertaining and had at least one couple/family over per week that I've been here if not more and fed them good food and gotten lots of compliments on my cooking and decor :-) Its jacked my grocery bill but right now I can afford it and I love being able to finally entertain. I'm slowly discovering more and more missions majors and friends who have graduated Boyce who are still in the area and gotten lots of invitations to come have tea and catch up with friends who have gotten married and expecting or already had babies.
Aaaaand I'm tired.
This week has been the least busy so far, and I think its all catching up to me finally. I don't want it to though; I wish my energy would never run out. But Kyle and I ran some errands today and after the last one I was so tired my eyes started closing by themselves so he told me to put the seat back and lay down for our half hour ride back to the house. So I did and that was the beginning of about a two-hour nap. And I'm still sleepy. Thbbth.
The nice thing is I don't have anything on docket for tomorrow as far as going anywhere or seeing anyone. I do have to teach Sunday school to the older kids and am also doing the first Children's Church this Sunday as well. So at some point I need to put together lessons for those. I really would like to donate all existing material, literature, and curriculum this church has as its all old and out of date and just buy new stuff. But World War Three will ensue if I do that, so I must bide my time and strategize and be patient. 
And I've started laying seeds amongst the powers that be that the kids NEED their own Sunday school room! Kyle did point out that they haven't had their own Sunday School room in this church for about twenty years, so if I don't get it done this month or this year its not the end of the world. I don't think its the end of the world, its just I have cool ideas that I can't do unless we have our own room! And I just don't like the fact that the daycare has taken over the entire children's ministry area and now if Sunday Morning or Wednesday night kids ministry wants to do anything we have to make sure it doesn't conflict with anything the daycare does. Well... in my humble opinion that is not so humble, a church's priority ought to be the kids ministry not the daycare. But that's just me. So anyway.
I know things will naturally progress into a routine, but I wish it would hurry up and i would figure everything out! I need to get this job sorted and settled so I can get a second job to have some cash flow, and I'd also like to not be so exhausted all the time so that I could get back to needlepoint and painting and doing that sort of creative stuffs that is relaxing and satisfying to me.
Sooo stuff is going good but hectic :-)
Nap time is glorious thing!
~PrincessOuch~

Getting into the groove... I think

Movie: Ironwill. Will is a teenager getting ready to compete in a cross-country dog sled race, and the local Native Americans are helping him learn how to survive not only the wild, but the wild men he will be interacting with. "How do I know who to trust?" he finally asks. "Trust the dogs. Trust yourself." the old chief tells him.
Except I don't have any dogs, I just have a FISH!!!! At least dogs are fluffy and look at you with big understanding eyes. Fish just glub at you! lol
No its cool its just a little overwhelming, because almost every time I've met a new person in this church for longer than five seconds, they are pulling me into a hallway giving me some 'helpful information' i.e. pushing their agenda. Aaaaaand it kinda sucks because they seem so NICE at first and then its like, aHA, so THATS your angle!!!
But the youth pastor did pull me aside and said, "there's a psalm, I think its Psalm 2, where it says 'the nations cry out.' The context is that a new king has just taken power, which means there is a power vacuum. A new king means new policies, he's a new personalities, no one knows what to expect, everyone is vying for power trying to push their own agenda. I just want to encourage you that David survived, so will you. I forgot how frustrating it was moving into a new ministry till I saw your face last night and then it all came back to me. Don't worry, you'll learn the names and faces and politics of this church. Don't be discouraged.As much as everyone wants to tell you what THEY think ought to happen, God didn't call them to this position He called YOU and this is YOUR ministry right now. If they wanted it that bad they could of applied for it but they didn't. So just remember that. God called you here. You've got muscle so don't worry to do what you need to do."
And I had a meeting with one of the elders of my previous church as a last 'hurrah' before moving membership. He asked lots of questions and best way to describe the church I'm in now is  that its a country church with inner-city dynamics. Brother Andy, the elder, is in his 60's, has a Ph.D. in Josephus or some ancient historian like that, and told me today he has worked with drug addicts and homeless people for several years. 'Listen to people, hear what they have to say, and learn to use phrases that buy you time so you can consider what they are really saying underneath the words they think you want to hear. Trust your gut. Find outside sources you can trust to bounce ideas off of and for objective opinions."So I think today was God saying, 'breathe Rachel its okay."
I've never been part of any church for more than a couple of years at a time. The longest was probably the First Church of the Nazarene in New Mexico, and it was kind of chopped up as we went to another church for a while as well. But all that time, Baptists were kind of the special cousin in Christendom that we were just so glad we weren't part of. I've heard of scary tiny southern baptist churches, and now I am not only part of one but a leader in one! And its exciting but somewhat terrifying.
At first I was like, "I'm gonna grow this ministry and it will be awesome!" Which I still hope for, but I guess I'm tempered down a little to, 'I want this to work for several years. And I want this ministry to grow. But if all I do is make an eternal difference in the lives of the ten kids that are in the ministry now, that's more than enough for me right there.'
In other news, worked in what will be my office but is currently the 'children's ministry resource center,' a.k.a the dump spot for anyone who gets a good deal on crayons. Or the place where all the cardboard backs to pads of paper end up (instead of the trash can!!!) just in case they might be needed for a craft. The secretary and the pastor want to leave all that stuff in there after it becomes my office, and the youth pastor said "Oooooh no. They tried to do that to my office and then its not an office its your desk and phone in the supply closet. MOVE IT. Do not budge on that!"  Which quite frankly there are enough unused classrooms that there is plenty of space for the two bookshelves to go besides my office. Speaking of which,
I HAVE AN OFFICE!!!
I have absolutely no office furniture to put in there as of yet. But I have decided that I am going to have a cool office. I don't know what exactly that means yet, but... anyway :-)
Going to meet the WMU ladies tomorrow morning and work a banquet back on campus for some pocket change ;-)
Enough for now. Going to bed :-)
~Princess Ouch~

musings on church and gardening

I really didn't understand any of this four years ago. Now I get delicious, sadistic, unsanctified delight out of pieces like this.
To be honest, I am not sure what to do about church when I graduate. I have the church I'm a member of which is great but there's not really a place for me to serve, and honestly I don't fit the profile for their stereotypical member. And there's the deaf church, which I love, but I'll confess I love me a good praise and worship song once a week. And then there is searching for other churches. Dad wants me to look into the Wesleyan churches. 1. I don't know that there are any in the area (I am in Baptist land after all) and 2. there's a Calvary Chapel in the area I want to try. Not saying I'll join it not saying I won't. God bless the Wesleyan's and all, but while I am unsure its something I want to figure out on my own. I have so many voices telling me what I should and ought and should think about. I'm tired of direction and suggestions and 'feedback' and 'accountability' (code for we're not going to tell you in a Matthew 18 way, we're going to wait till we're P.O'd at you and then give you a long sermon for how horrible you are and how our way is the best).  I'd like just some good old fashioned love and support. Honest truth. Is that me being unteachable and rebellious? Well paint it how you want its how I feel and I'm being honest. Which apparently people don't like anymore.

Sorry I've had a massive allergy attack the last four days and its developing into a sinus infection. God bless antibiotics and steroids. However my sudden dependence upon drugs is concerning, 'cause I didn't grow up popping pills. Granted the stuff I have been taking is needed. And medicine is wonderful when you need it. However I still feel like my body should be sufficient to ward of allergies etc. without drugs. So its an adjustment. Which is what the last three years has been apparently. So all that to say I'm tired and more cynical than usual.
However today is going to be a good day. I am going to class then going to my new job at the Crisis Pregnancy Center inputting donation information, and we had a huge amount of donations over the weekend. And I'll be working with older women which I love doing. Then I have my other job in the dishroom. Not my most favorite occupation ever (in fact I'm sick of it) but my bosses are awesome there and the pay is alright.

And I don't have pictures but a lot of the veggies I planted have sprouted! The green beans are HUGE. The cucumber hasn't sprouted yet so I don't know if its just taking its time or dead. The herbs still look bushy and happy, a few sweet peas have sprouted and the lettuce looks happy. I love growing things. I'm not all that successful yet at it. But for me there is something so wonderfully refreshing and lovely and peaceful in a garden. When I'm doing work there and getting my hands dirty and smelling the green I feel a sense of purpose and peace like I do when I'm being obedient to God.
- the good feelings are rather quickly taken away by the allergy attack but I'm figuring out which dr's to go to and which steroids are helpful so you know. ;-)
(Yes that was me being flippant and sarcastic. Its how I cope)

Ok I need to get out of my jammies and ready for this awesome day.
~Princess Ouch~
p.s. this new blogger dashboard was confusing at first but I took the tutorial and I'm kind of loving it now!!!

Final exam - case study

Well, not to get all controversial at the end of the semester. But being controversial is sort of my mode of operation anyway. The following is the case study that served as our final exam for my Ethics class. It was a BEAR to answer, let me tell you! I had to think about it for a few days, talk with a few people, and do lots of research online regarding the subject - as well as pray of course!! Here is what the case study said:

Joane, a woman in the local community near your church, has been visiting the church and has requested to join the church. She presents a letter of recommendation from her previous church stating she is a member in good standing. Through some discussions with her, you determine her to be an orthodox, believing Christian and present her to the church for membership. After being voted in and attending faithfully for some time, she approaches the Minister to Children about working in the children's ministry. As is normal practice at your church, the staff performs a background check on Joane. Upon receiving the results of the background check, your staff immediately informs you that Joane was born Joe. You call Joane in for discussion and she informs you that the results are true and that she was born male. Joane said she felt like she was born in the wrong body and desperately wanted to become female. She traveled to Europe, had gender reassignment surgery, and is currently taking hormone therapy drugs to complete the physical transformation from male to female.

How would you counsel Joane? What would you suggest Joane do in light of Scripture? Make sure to include any relevant biblical passages in your answer.

My response when reading this for the first time:

augh!

However, this is what my response was after the prayer, research, and asking others opinions on the topic:

I would tell ‘Joan’ that our discussion must take a rather intense turn, but that we would conduct it as respectfully and gently as possible. I would continue to call the individual Joan as that is the current legal name.

First I would inform “Joan” that the church cannot in any way accept ‘her’ application for any leadership roles while ‘she’ is a transgender. The church has a strong commitment to the belief that God is sovereign and knows each person He creates and has a purpose for them in the way He has created them – specifically male or female. Those who reject this belief and take matters into their own hands are in essence telling God that He does not know what He is doing, He is not in control, and the individual knows better. One’s gender is a fundamental part of one’s birthright. It is one of the few things we enter and leave the world with. The Bible clearly condemns those who reject God’s birthright to them (Hebrews 12:14-17).

Secondly, I would ask Joan to read with me 1 Corinthians 6:17-20. Even though intense surgery has been done upon Joan, in God’s eyes she is not a she but rather a he who has committed very intense atrocities against his body. Presenting oneself as a women when one is a man goes against God’s law (Deuteronomy 22:5). God loves ‘Joan’ but still sees Joe.

In light of this, any relationship ‘she’ pursues at this point would in essence be a homosexual relationship, which goes against 1 Corinthians 6:9. However, there is always hope in Christ, which is clearly pointed out in 1 Timothy 1:9-11.

Joan may not be willing to even consider stopping hormone treatments and seeking reversal surgery. However, I would still offer the services of the church and also inform Joan of www.pfox.org. Specifically the article found under http://pfox.org/Former_Transgender_Tells_His_Story.html.

If Joan wants to remain in the church, there must be some strict guidelines. First, as pointed out, it is the view of this church that by pursuing life as a female when God created ‘her’ as a male, ‘she’ is living in rebellion against God and His plan. Now, she will not be shunned from the community. However, ‘she’ will not be able to step into positions of leadership or teaching while remaining as ‘she’ is. Not unless Joan repents of these decisions, asks for God’s forgiveness, takes clear, obvious steps of reversing the process, and undergoes biblical counseling within the church will leadership be on the table.

Second, while the church at large will not be informed of Joan’s past, the church leadership will be. Joan’s private affairs will remain as such but the staff needs to know for future reference.

If any man in the church wishes to pursue a relationship, Joan is not to entertain the pursuit but to clearly forbid the man to continue. If he is persistent, she must tell him why. Failure to do this will result in the church stepping in and informing the man of her past and discipline on Joan. This is because the relationship would in effect be homosexual which the church can not in any way endorse.

The church will not offer Joan any recommendations to other churches without informing them of her past in case she is ever considered for positions of leadership.

The church will not take a position of ostracizing Joan. However by presenting the identity as female when Gods intent was male, this is a kind of deception to the church. It is difficult for trust to continue when this fundamental misrepresentation of identity occurs.

Having said all of this, I would ask Joan what ‘her’ response is. I would not wish to say any of this with an air of judgment, condemnation, or bigotry. Joan has professed faith in Jesus Christ and seems to be an orthodox Christian. Therefore, past actions do not make sense given a professed belief in the validity, accuracy and authority of Scripture. It is my hope that by explaining these things gently, if Joan is not repentant at the time of the meeting, future discussion will lead Joe to realize what he has done and repent, and allow the church to come alongside him in reconciling his physical and spiritual self with God’s plan and purpose for his life.

Thoughts? Comments? How would you have responded differently or the same?

~Princess Ouch~

experiences and musings

I can't decide if I love that warm-climate cultural aspect where one must argue for a solid five minutes with one's friend about who is going to out-hospitality-ize the other. But either way, I experience it pretty much every week now, which has been glorious. Kristi and I had to take turns bickering with our dear Turkish friend who flat out insisted that we were destitute, struggling, poor college students who could not afford to have her over to our homes and provide the culturally-mandated refreshments and tea that must be present when entertaining. Therefore it only was right that she treat US to all the goodies at HER house.
Our come back was that we were her cultural informants and Americans who can darn well afford a few cookies and a spot of tea once every couple of weeks when she concedes to coming onto our turf.
However, it IS a little tricky to get to Kristi's place. I agreed to meet our friends on campus - where they knew how to get - and guide them to the house. It is a few blocks away down a rather curvaceous route in which Kentuckian drivers are often encountered and I didn't want to risk throwing my friends into flashbacks of their host country's insane driving laws (or lack thereof) distracting them from the route and getting them thoroughly lost.

So they called and I ran across campus, saw them waving out their window in the parking lot, let myself into the back seat and collapsed into a heap panting heavily. They chirped their hello's and then lapsed into their native tongue. Eventually they admitted that they were commenting on their discovery as to why I am so thin: they clucked in admonition when they pointed out that I apparently run everywhere.

(room mate, friend, and me playing dress up with my scarf)

I tried to balance small talk with guiding them through traffic and we finally parked. Sema got out of the passenger side of the car and spread her arms out in preparation for a big bear hug.
"Nice girl, I want to say hello to you. I have missed you, nice girl. Come give me a hug!"
I laughed and gave her a big hug and Fatmah came up behind me clucking her indignation that I hadn't given her the traditional peck on both cheeks accompanied by a hug first.
Sema has only been Stateside for about six months and so is far more timid in speaking English, but when she does makes it very very clear that she feels at home with me and Kristi and Colleen, and likes us a lot! Its encouraging and humbling and flattering and convicting, all rolled into one. These dear ladies aren't going to stay here, but will return to Turkey when their husbands complete the schooling they initially came here for. While I value them as friends in their own right, I am constantly reminded that I am one of the few witnesses to Christ they have ever met, and they will take these memories of me and my testimony back with them. However, so far it seems to be a generally good experience, which is good. :-)

(room mate sharing pictures of family on Facebook via an Iphone
I love how internationals usually own
better technology than I do.)

Today's sermon in Church was all about the difference between a 'Carnal Christian' and a person who is claiming to be a Christian but isn't. The point of the sermon wasn't to instruct Church Members on how to run around judging fellow members in the Church, but how to determine if I myself truly am a believer who is walking my talk. I have full assurance of my salvation, so the Sermon was generally encouraging, although I jotted down in my notes some areas of improvement. A funny quote from the sermon had to do with the Stainless Steel cookware someone had given my pastor and his family. He was jokingly complaining about how he now owns bizarre and strange cleaning products that had never graced his cupboards before, and how he was learning how to cook on lower heat temperatures. The reason being that the steel grabbed onto whatever substance he was trying to heat, sucked it into the grooves of the metal, and apparently then screamed "MINE!"
"You are supposed to grab onto Spiritual Truth like a stainless steel pan grabs onto a burnt egg! But what happens is that some Christians are like Teflon pans, and let the egg just slide right off. Yes, non-stick is BAD in this analogy!"
After laughing with the rest of the congregation, I thought about the different ways I've been trying to allow Spiritual Truth sink into the details of my life. Meeting with these Turkish Muslims regularly has really been a good sounding board. They ask hard questions that cause me to ask myself, my professors and my Lord questions that I had never thought to do before. I am constantly reminded of my inadequacies as a Christian and forced to turn to the Holy Spirit for help and guidance.
One of the application questions at the end of the sermon was 'What victories have you won lately? No victory is perfect, but what Spiritual Victories have you just WON, albeit imperfectly, in your life?'
I won't take the time to list all of them as this is getting long enough, but it was encouraging to have to mentally go through the list of areas the Holy Spirit is working in my life.
A big part of the sermon, though, was TIME.
A dear friend of mine who has been really struggling with being a Christian for the last year called the other night and we had a really good conversation. I hung up a little frustrated, though, at how much TIME it is taking him to grow into the strong man of God I know he could be.
The sermon reminded me that while sometimes God does work in quick, visible, miraculous ways, sometimes we are called to throw seed out into a field. Whether that field has good soil and just needs a good rain shower to make those seeds start to germinate... or instead get eaten up by birds when the cracked dry land does nothing with them, is in God's control. I'm called to continue casting seed whenever the opportunity arises.

I am so blessed to be given the opportunity to learn how to sow seed with my brothers and sisters in the Lord... despite all our various obnoxious imperfections and irritating quirks. ;-)

(3 missions majors and 2 counseling majors)

Again, I'm sort of thinking and musing and rambling out loud and trying to get my thoughts in order. However, my mom claims that her blog is there strictly for self-therapeutic reasons. I'm gonna lay hold of that excuse, and at the same time hope you've been encouraged and convicted and entertained by mine. :-)

~Princess Ouch~

Spurgeon

"He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more. He overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it."

This quote from Charles Spurgeon was hanging above my friend's sink and I jotted it down. Very convicting. I've been exposed to quite a bit of Spurgeon this semester and love it. Its very convicting. Rather wordy at times, but can't blame the man - he's from the 1800's and an intellectual ;-)

A.W. Tozer: Bible Taught or Spirit Taught

The campus bookstore was passing out coupons last month and this Saturday was the last day I could use it, so I scurried on over and found a book by A.W. Tozer who I have often heard quoted but never actually sat down and read. So I picked up that and "Morning and Evening" a devotional by C.H. Spurgeon. My Grandma and her friend visited last week and gave me some 'playing money' and being the theological student I am of course spent the cash on food for the stomach and soul ;-)
Anyway Spurgeon is full of 1800's language and wisdom which I love. Tozer is a bit more contemporary and each sentence is a jewel of wisdom and biblical profoundness. I can't wait till summer when I can devote more than five minutes here and there to pleasure reading, although its looking like this summer is going to be buuuusy :-) Anyway I thought I would post one of his chapters so you could share in the profoundness of it. I hope you enjoy.

"Bible Taught or Spirit Taught?
It may shock some readers to suggest that there is a difference between being Bible taught and being Spirit taught. Nevertheless it is so.
It is altogether possible to be instructed in the rudiments of the faith and still have no real understanding of the whole thing. And it is possible to go on to become expert in Bible doctrine and not have spiritual illumination, with the result that a veil remains over the mind, preventing it from apprehending the truth in its spiritual essence.
Most of us are acquainted with churches that teach the Bible to their children from their tenderest years, give them long instruction in the catechism, drill them further in pastor's classes and still never produce in them a living Christianity nor a virile godliness. Their members show no evidence of having passed from death unto life. None of the earmarks of salvation so plainly indicated in the Scriptures are found among them.
Their religious lives are correct and reasonably moral, but wholly mechanical and altogether lacking in radiance. They wear their faith as persons in mourning once wore black armbands to show their love and respect for the departed.
Such persons cannot be dismissed as hypocrites. Many of them are pathetically serious about it all. They are simply blind. From lack of the vital Spirit they are forced to get along with the outward shell of faith, while all the time their deep hearts are starving for spiritual reality and they do not know what is wrong with them.
This difference between the religion of creed and the religion of the Spirit is well set forth by the saintly Thomas in a tender little prayer to his Lord:
The Children of Israel in time past said unto Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die." Not so, Lord, not so, I beseech Thee; but rather with the prophet Samuel I humbly and earnestly entreat, "Speak Lord; for Thy servant heareth." Let not Moses speak unto me, nor any of the prophets, but rather do Thou speak, O Lord God, the inspirer, enlightener of all the prophets; for Thou alone without them canst perfectly instruct me, but they without Thee can profit nothing. They indeed may utter words, but they cannot give the Spirit. Most beautifully do they speak, but if Thou be silent, they inflame not the heart. They teach the letter,but Thou openest the sense; they bring forth mysteries, but Thou unlockest the heart.... They cry aloud with words, but Thou impartest understanding to the hearing.
It would be hard to wrap it up better than that. The same thing has been said variously by others; however, the most familiar saying probably is, "The Scriptures, to be understood, must be read with the same Spirit that originally inspired them." No one denies this, but even such a statement will go over the heads of those who hear it unless the Holy Spirit inflames the heart.
The charge often made against us by liberals, that we are 'bibliolaters,' is probably not true in the same sense as meant by our detractors; but candor and self-analysis will force us to admit that there is often too much truth in their charge. Among religious persons of unquestioned orthodoxy there is sometimes found a dull dependence upon the letter of the text without the faintest understanding of its spirit. That truth is in its essence spiritual must constantly be kept before our minds if we would know the truth indeed. Jesus Christ is Himself the Truth, and He cannot be confined to mere words even though, as we ardently believe, He has Himself inspired the words. That which is spiritual cannot be shut in by ink or fenced in by type and paper. The best a book can do is give us the letter of truth. If we ever receive more than this, it must be by the Holy Spirit who gives it.
The great need of the hour among persons spiritually hungry is twofold: first, to know the Scriptures, apart from which no saving truth will be vouchsafed by our Lord; the second, to be enlightened by the Spirit, apart from whom the Scriptures will not be understood. "
A. W. Tozer, The Root of the Righteous, chapter 10, 'Bible Taught or Spirit Taught.' Christian Publications 1955.

Eastern Europe thoughts and pictures

The Church planting praxis that I am a part of is getting ready to start our outreach in a community that has a large Bosnian and Ukrainian population.

Since I believe God is leading me to work long-term in Eastern Europe anyway, this is pretty cool. Although we may decide to 'target' (I don't like that word) the Hispanic or Iranian people groups in that area as well. But I think we might go with the Bosnians, as there's about three times more of them than anyone else, and we know where to find them in that community.

I feel the need to post something on my blog, but am too tired to put a lot of words together that will make sense, and I have to go study for a mid-term. So I thought I would just share some cool pictures of Eastern Europe that missionaries with the IMB have taken overseas. Hope you enjoy.

Anthropological Insights for Missionaries

I am currently reading a really good book for my "Cross Cultural Evangelism" class called "Anthropological Insignts for Missionaries" by Paul G. Hiebert. Thought I would share two articles from the book I found particularly thought provoking and helpful. They are actually quotes from Missiological magazines, so that's why there's the little blurb at the end about the copyright etc.

The Viable Miossionary: Learner, Trader, Story Teller

by Donald N. Larson

As I see it, there are three roles that the missionary can develop in order to establish viability in the eyes of the national non-Christian: Learner, trader and story teller. I would first become a learner. After three months I would add another: trader. After three more months, I would add a third: story teller. After three more months, while continuing to be learner, trader and story teller, I would begin to develop other roles specified in my job description.

Let me elaborate. From his position as an outsider, the missionary must find a way to move toward the center if he hopes to influence people. Some roles will help him make this move. Others will not. His first task is to identify those which are most appropriate and effective. Then he can begin to develop ways and means of communicating his Christian experience through these roles in which he has found acceptance.

Learner

More specifically, as learner, my major emphasis is on language, the primary symbol of identification in my host community. When I try to learn it, they know that I mean business - that they are worth something to me because I make an effort to communicate on their terms. I learn a little each day and put it to use. I talk to a new person every day. I say something new every day. I gradually reach the point where I understand and am understood a little. I can learn much in three months.

I spend my mornings with a language helper (in a structured program or one that I design on my own) from which I elicit the kinds of materials that I need to talk to people in the afternoons. I show him how to drill me on these materials and then spend a good portion of the morning in practice. Then in the afternoon I go out into public places and make whatever contacts are natural with local residents, talking to them as best I can with my limited proficiency - starting the very first day. I initiate one conversation after antoher, each of which says both verbally and non-verbally, "I am a learner. Please talk with me and help me." With each conversation partner, I get a little more practice and a little more proficiency, from the first day on.

At the end of my first three months, I have established myself with potentially dozens of people and reached the point where I can make simple statements, ask and answer simple questions, find my way around, learning the meaning of new words on the spot, and most importantly, experience some measure of "at-homeness" in my adopted community. I cannot learn the "whole language'' in three months, but I can learn to initiate conversations, control them in a limited way and learn a litle more about the language from everyone whom I meet.

Trader

When my fourth month begins,
I add a role - that of trader,
trading experience and insight
with people of my adopted
community - seeing ourselves
more clearly as part of mankind,

not just members of different
communities or nations. I prepare for this role by periods of residence in as many other places as I can, or vicariously, through course work in anthropology and related fields. I also come equipped with a set of 8 x 10 photos illustrating a wide range of ways to be human.

During the second three months I spend mornings with my language helper learning to talk about the photos in my collection. thus I build on the language proficiency developed in the first month. I practice my description of these pictures and prepare myself as best I can to answer questions about them. Then in the afternoon I visit casually in the community, using the photos as part of my "show and tell" demonstration. I tell as much as I can about the way others live, how they make their livings, what they do for enjoyment, how they hurt, and how they struggle for survival and satisfaction.

At the end of this second phase, I establish myself not only as a learner but as one who is interested in other people and seeks to trade one bit of information for another. My language proficiency is still developing. I meet many people. Depending upon the size and complexity of the community, I establish myself as a well-known figure by this time. I become a bridge between the people of the local community and a larger world - at least symbolically.

Story Teller

When I begin my seventh month, I shift emphasis again to a new role. Now I become a story teller. I spend mornings with my language helper. Now it is to learn to tella very simple story to the people whom I meet and respond to their inquiries as best I can. The stories that I tell are based on the wanderings of the people of Israel, the coming of Christ, the formation of God's new people, the movement of the Church into all the world and ultimately, into this very community, and finally, my own story of my encounter with Christ and my walk as a Christian. During the mornings I develop these stories and practice them intensively. Then in the afternoon I go into the community, as I have been doing for months, but now to encounter a people as story teller. I am still language learner and trader, but I have added the role of story teller. I share as much of the story with as many people as I can each day.

At the end of this third phase, I have made acquaintances and friends. I have had countless experiences that I will never forget. I have left positive impressions as learner, trader and story teller. I am ready for another role, and another and another.

~From Missiology 6 (April 1978): 158-161~

Omodo

By Walter A. Trobisch

On one of my trips I worshipped in an African church where nobody knew me. After the service i talked to two boys who had also attended.

"How many brothers and sisters do you have?" I asked the first one.

"Three."

"Are they all from the same stomach?"

"Yes, my father is a Christian."

"How about you?" I addressed the other boy.

He hesitated. In his mind he was adding up. I knew immediately that he came from a polygamous family.

"We are nine," he finally said.

"Is your father a Christian?"

"No," was the typical answer, "he is a polygamist."

"Are you baptised?"

"Yes, and my brothers and sister too," He added proudly.

"And their mothers?"

"They are all three baptised, but only the first wife takes communion."

"Take me to your father."

The boy led me to a compound with many individual houses. It breathed an atmosphere of cleanliness, order and wealth. Each wife had her own house and her own kitchen. The father, a middle-aged, good-looking man, tall, fat and impressive, received me without embarrassment and with apparent joy. I found Omodo, as we shall call him, a well-educated person, wide awake and intelligent, with a sharp wit and a rare sense of humor. From the outset he made no apologies for being a polygamist, he was proud of it. Let me try to put down here the essential content of our conversation that day which lasted for several hours.

"Welcome to the hut of a poor sinner!" The words were accompanied by good-hearted laughter.

"It looks like a rich sinner," I retorted.

"The saints come very seldom to this place," he said, "they don't want to be contaminated with sin."

"But they are not afraid to receive your wives and children. I just met them in church."

"I know. I give everyone a coin for the collection plate. I guess I finance half of the church's budget. They are glad to take my money, but they don't want me."

I sat in thoughtful silence. After a while he continued, "I feel sorry for the pastor. By refusing to accept all the polygamous men in town as church members he has made his flock poor and they shall always be dependent upon subsidies from America. he has created a church of women whom he tells every Sunday that polygamy is wrong."

"Wasn't your wife heart-broken when you took a second one?"

Omodo looked at me almost with pity. "It was her happiest day," he said finally.

"Tell me how it happened."

"Well, one day after she had come home from the garden and had fetched wood and water, she was preparing the evening meal, while I sat in front of my house and watched her. Suddenly she turned to me and mocked me. She called me a 'poor man,' because I had only one wife. She pointed to our neighbor's wife who could care for her children while the other wife prepard the food."

"Poor man," Omodo repeated. "I can take much, but not that. I had to admit that she was right. She needed help. She had already picked out a second wife for me and they get along fine."

I glanced around the courtyard and saw a beautiful young woman, about 19 or 20, come out of one of the huts.

"It was a sacrifice for me," Omodo commented. "Her father demanded a very high bride price."

"Do you mean that the wife, who caused you to become a polygamist is the only one of your family who recieves communion?"

"Yes, she told the missionary how hard it was for her to share her love for me with another woman. According to the church my wives are considered sinless because each of them only has one husband. I, the father, am the only sinner in our family. Since the Lord's supper is not given to sinners, I am excluded from it. Do you understand that, pastor?"

I was entirely confused.

"And you see," Omodo continued, "they are all praying for me that I might be saved from sin, but they don't agree from which sin I must be saved."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the pastor prays that I may not continue to commit the sin of polygamy. My wives pray that I may not commit the sin of divorce. I wonder whose prayers are heard first."

"So your wives are afraid that you become a Christian?"

"They are afraid that I become a church member. Let's put it that way. For me there is a difference. You see they can only have intimate relations with me as long as I do not belong to the church. In the moment I would become a Church member their mariage relations with me would become sinful."

"Wouldn't you like to become a church member?"

"Pastor, don't lead me into temptation! How can I become a church member, if it means to disobey Christ? Christ forbade divorce, but not polygamy. The church forbids polygamy but demands divorce. How can I become a church member, if I want to be a Christian? For me there is only one way, to be a Christian without the church."

"Have you ever talked to your pastor about that?"

"He does not dare to talk to me, because he knows as well as I do that some of his elders have a second wife secretely. The only difference between them and me is that I am honest and they are hypocrites."

"Did a missionary ever talk to you?"

"Yes, once. I told him that with the high divorce rate in Europe, they have only a successive form of polygamy while we have a simultaneous polygamy. That did it. He never came back."

I was speechless. Omodo accompanied me back to the village. He evidently enjoyed to be seen with a pastor.

"But tell me, why did you take a third wife?" I asked him.

"I did not take her. I inherited her from my late brother, including her children. Actually my olderbrother would have been next in line. But he is an elder. He is not allowed to sin by giving security to a widow."

I looked in his eyes. "Do you want to become a Christian?"

"I am a Christian." Omodo said without smiling.

As I walked down the path, the verse came to my mind: "You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel."

What does it mean to take responsibility as a congregation for Omodo? I am sorry that I was not able to see Omodo again, because I had met him while I was on a trip. I just report to you the essence of our conversation because it contains in a nutshell the main attitudes of polygamists toward the church. It is always healthy to see ourseves with the eyes of an outsider.

I asked myself: What would I have done if I were pastor in Omodo's town?

~From Walter A. trobisch, "Congregational Responsibility for the Christian Individual," in Readings in a Missionary Anthropology II, ed. William A. Smalley (South Pasadena: William Carey Library, 1978), pp. 223-235.~

Theological Foundations

What are the theological foundations for critical contextualization? First, it affirms the priesthood of all believers. With critical contextualization, decisions are made not by the leaders for the people, but by all of the believers.

Leaders and missionaries throughout history have often felt threatened by this approach to biblical hermeneutics. Since they believe themselves better trained, they claim for themselves the exclusive right to make theological decisions. They are afriad things might get out of hand if the laity were involved in interpreting the Bible and in applying its message to their everyday lives.

What does keep matters from going astray when all are involved in the application of Scripture to the problems of life? Does not the process open the door for wild interpretations of the Bible and Christian practices? There are three checks on such excessiveness.

First, the Bible is taken as the final and difinitive authority for Christian beliefs and practices. Everyone, therefore, must begin at the same place.

Second, the priesthood of believers assumes that all the faithful have the Holy Spirit to guide them in the understanding and application of the Scriptures to their own lives. It is all too easy for leaders to accept this belief in theory, but to shy away from it in practice. To deny young believers the right to be involved in bliblical interpretation and decision making is to deny that the same Holy Spirit we know to be within us and guiding us into the truth is also within them.

Third, there is the constant check of the Church. C. Norman Kraus (1979) points out that the contextualization of the gospel is ultimately the task not of individuals and leaders, but of the church as a "discerning community." Within that community, individuals contribute according to their gifts and abilities. The pastor and missionary have a greater knowledge of the Bible and therefore should provide the exegesis of the appropriate texts within their biblical context. The people, however, understand their own culture and problems and should play an important part in determining the hermeneutical application of the Scripture to their own lives. But they must be subject to the church as a whole.

The church is not an aggregate of individuals, each seeking his or her own interpretation of the Bible. It is to be a true community of people seeking to follow Christ and serve one another. Only then will it become what Kraus calls an "authentic Christian community," a hermeneutical community that strives to understand God's message to it and bears witness to the world of what it means to be a Christian, not only in beliefs but also in life. The church as a body is a "new order." "

~Paul G. Hiebert, Anthropological Insights for Missionaries (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Academic, 1985) pp. 191-192~

True Pastoral Care

Reading an interesting book for "Introduction to Psychology". Written by a New Yorkian Jewish Psychoanalyst who became a Christian at a L'abri outreach in Austria.  Thought this chapter he wrote was especially good:

"The Healing Power in the Church"

For five years I had the privilege of working with Dr. Jay Adams at the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF). Dr. Adam's goal was to train pastors to take congregational care out of the hands of the professional psychological community and put it back into the hands of the church. First, he had to convince church leaders they could do it. His book Competent to Counsel launched a revolution in Christian circles. While not everyone agreed with Dr. Adams, at least the church began to rethink the passive, submissive role it had assumed in these vital areas.

In my counseling ministry at the CCEF, I typically saw a counselee for one hour a week and only in a counseling setting. I did not see him at church or at home or work. Often these people attended unbiblical churches that effectively minimized, if not outright negated, the help they received. Although I worked diligently to extricate people from liberal churches, the pressures of time and unfamiliarity with their affiliations made this aspect very difficult. 

I began to see the way I could best help people would be to counsel from within a church. I knew that the regular expository preaching of God's Word is the most therapeutic confrontation the people of God receive. But the thought of pastoral ministry terrified me, and I fought it! I would have preferred to do anything else, but God had other plans. It was only a matter of time before He had me serving in a pastoral capacity. 

In 1980 I accepted a call to plant a church in Ottawa, Ontario, the capital city of Canada. During the course of that work my view of the pastorate began to change. Previously, I had seen it as the position from which healing and restoration was to come. But I began to understand that as Jesus Christ blesses His Church, the body (not a solitary pastor) is the source of blessing to countless hurting individuals.

This understanding came when the Holy Spirit impressed upon me some verses from Ephesians: "He gave some as apostles, some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping fo the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Eph: 4:11-12). In short, these verses teach that the job of the pastor is not to do the work of the ministry, but to equip the flock to do this work. Christ assigns His ministry to the Church, not to one person in a church, no matter how gifted that individual may be. This understanding is not something new or radical. The work of the ministry is, and always has been, the work of the Church. Pastors are guides or trainers to help people identify and implement their gifts for the Lord.

When we fully understand this principle, however, the entire life and direction of a church changes. Members are not simply individuals drawn into the church to receive something, but are a body drawn together to strengthen one another and the church. Through this process lives are restored, and the Kingdom of God is advanced.

Everyone who comes to Christ and into the Church has real needs, concerns, fears, hurts, scars, and sins which must be faced. Counseling is part of this process. It involves dealing with the batterings of a former life and bringing the healing balm of the new life in Christ. But counseling is not the whole picture. The work of healing and restoration requires a more inclusive view of the local church. 

Building up an entire congregation is a challenge, especially for someone like me who has always thrived on my own resourcefulness. The difficulty is not in backing off to let others work, but in setting up procedures necessary to adequately disciple, not just a few individuals, but a whole congregation. I have to build a team, not a group of super heroes. We see in Ephesians that the way to accomplish this goal is through church officers. As the leaders are equipped, they are able to equip others; lives are restored and the kingdom advanced. This is one of the cardinal principles of nouthetic counseling. "Nouthetic activity is the work in which all of God's people may participate." (Jay E. Adams, Competent to Counsel (Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1970), p. 4-5)

Most pastors view their work as the doing of the ministry. Yet Paul says in Ephesians that the primary work of the pastor (within the context of consistent Biblical preaching) is for the equipping of the saints, that they may do the work of ministry. Generally, Christians expect the pastor to do pastoral things to them. The pastor, for his part, agrees. He then wonders why he cannot get help, especially for the things he is unable to do. The reason - often he has failed to communicate to his congregation that they have, not only the ability, but also the responsibility to minister to one another.

Matthew Henry, the great Puritan preacher and commentator, wrote, "[The pastor] is to bring into an orderly spiritual state and frame, those who had been as it were dislocated and disjointed by sin, and then to strengthen, confirm, and advance them therein so each in his proper place and function contributes to the good of the whole." (Matthew Henry, Commentary on Ephesians, Vol. 6 (Old Tappan, NJ: Fleming Revell, n.d.), pp. 704, 974) 

In other words, the church is the place where broken people are put back together again, to the good of the church. 

Let me illustrate. One time my wife took our youngest child to the physician's office, for a simple immunization shot. We had spent much time reading about immunization. When she arrived, she asked the doctor several questions. He responded tersely, "I'll do the doctoring around here." 

My wife did not return to that doctor. You see, she believed she had a responsibility at least to know what was going on in the care of our children. Christians have even more responsibility for the living of their Christian lives. No one, not even the best pastor, is responsible for your behavior and work. Unfortunately, many pastors act like that pediatrician. They convey the attitude: "I'll do the ministry around here." Instead they need to prepare, expect, and encourage the saints to be responsible for the work of ministry.

Many people view the church as they would view the secular service industry. You pay your money and get your service. They do not realize that for the church to function well, each member must function to the limits of his/her capabilities. The church can not accomplish the ministry entrusted to it if only pastors do the work. We must rid ourselves of our inherent and radical individualism. 

In addition to pastoring a church, I own a sheep farm. Watching the behavior of sheep has taught me some lessons that apply to people as well. Sheep are rather defenseless. When they are attacked by wolves, there is only one way they can protect themselves. They draw together into a gigantic white mound during an attack. The wolf won't attack this white mound, but will go after other prey - often the sheep on its own outside the flock. For my sheep to be safe they must stay together as one and work together as one. Similarly, in the church safety and strength come when the congregation works together as one body. Such unity does not come naturally to any of us. Perhaps that is why Paul repeats his concern for oneness seven times in the fourth chapter in Ephesians. The saints can't be equipped for works of service if they are bickering among themselves. 

The pastor equips the church, as Paul says in Ephesians 4:12, "For the work of service." THis is further defined as the "Building up of the body of Christ." The phrase "Building up" comes from a term that means "house" or "household." From its earliest usage it had a heavenly sense to it. The apostle says that the one who came from Heaven (Christ) wants the church equipped so that it can make it to Heaven (verse 12). In 2 Corinthians 10:8, Paul speaks of his apostolic authority which he received for "building you up." The same word is used in both Ephesians and 2 Corinthians. Paul wants the church to be the heavenly house of God. He wants the church established so that it makes it to Heaven. It must be willing to receive from the apostle, or it will never possess the obedient nature necessary to fulfill its heavenly mandate. 

The church in Corinth battled authoritative apostolic teaching. We see this in several places in 2 Corinthians. Notice 2 Corinthians 13:10: "For this reason I am writing these things while absent, in order that when present I may not use severity, in accordance with the authority which the Lord gave me, for building up and not for tearing down." Today we continue to fight against authority. When we resist, we miss being established, strengthened, and built up. Congregations that submit to God's instruction will "be of one mind" and will "live in peace" (2 Cor. 13:11). What wonderful blessedness results from being "built up." 

Everyone who is called into union with Christ is also called to minister to the body so that strongholds of sin are torn down and the body of Christ is strengthened. The Church may be strong even when there are weak members in it, but the principal Biblical teaching is to "strengthen the hands that are weak" (Hebrews 12:12). "

~Richard Ganz, PsychoBabble, the failure of modern psychology and the Biblical alternative. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1993) pp 83-89.~

Martin Luther King Jr's Dream

I am probably going to be getting emails about this article too. However, you must bear in mind that I'm an international Missions major at a conservative Christian college, and this is how we think about things.

God bless the USA!

~Princess Ouch~

Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dream for the American Church
What the election says about our progress and decline.
by Skye Jethani

Amazing. How else can you describe what happened last week when Barack Obama became the first African American elected President of the United States? However you voted, whatever your politics, the election reveals something about the progress of our society. As George W. Bush said the morning after the election, it "showed a watching world the vitality of America's democracy and the strides we have made toward a more perfect union."

Amid the reflections there have been numerous references to Martin Luther King Jr.'s pioneering civil rights movement and his "dream." One Chicago news commentator on election night said the day King delivered his famous speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial he could not have known that a two year old boy in Hawaii would become the fulfillment of his dream. That got me wondering—is Barack Obama really the fulfillment of King's dream?

I've been fascinated by Martin Luther King Jr. since seminary—not just as a civil right leader, but as a preacher. In 1967 he told a Chicago congregation, "Before I was a civil rights leader, I was a preacher of the gospel. This was my first calling and it still remains my greatest commitment." It's King's powerful prophetic proclamation of the gospel into our American reality that I've been drawn to. It is only within this larger calling that we can make sense of his civil rights work. For King, combating the injustice of segregation and Jim Crow fell under the umbrella of gospel proclamation.

I've read a number of books about King including his autobiography (which I highly recommend), King Came Preaching by Mervyn A. Warren, and right now I'm reading
A Knock at Midnight: Inspiration from the Great Sermons of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. The book contains a sermon he preached early in his career titled, "Paul's Letter to American Christians." Showing his creative communication, King composed a modern day epistle in the voice of Paul both praising and warning the American church.

The letter is a glimpse into the values and convictions of MLK, and it might be surprising to discover that his focus isn't just racial justice. In fact, he frames the letter by contrasting the scientific progress of America with its moral decline. I was struck by how Dallas Willardian King sounds. He says,

"It seems to me that your moral progress lags behind your scientific progress ….Through your scientific genius you have made of the world a neighborhood, but through your moral and spiritual genius you have failed to make it a brotherhood."
King then warns against giving one's loyalty to the country:

"Your ultimate allegiance is not to the government, not to the state, not to nation, not to any manmade institution. The Christian owes his ultimate allegiance to God, and if any earthly institution conflicts with God's will it is your Christian duty to take a stand against it."
That's a timely word as many Christians (black and white) find themselves pouring their hopes (or fears) into President elect Obama. Where is our hope? Where is our loyalty? Where is our allegiance? No doubt Martin Luther King Jr. would be celebrating the election of Barack Obama, but his dream transcended any single leader, any one nation, and any earthly power.

King's epistle to the Americans goes on to diagnose the dangers of materialism:

"I am afraid that many among you are more concerned about making a living than making a life. You are prone to judge the success of your profession by the index of your salary and the size of the wheelbase on your automobile, rather than the quality of your service to humanity."
How many of our churches need to hear that message today? This is where King reveals his prophetic gifting most clearly. Many today assume that MLK was a single-issue preacher; always railing against racial injustice. Nothing could be farther from the truth. King's commitment to the gospel illuminated all kinds of sins within the American church, and while we've clearly made progress on the racial front I wonder if we haven't fallen deeper into the grip materialism.

MLK does include a lengthy section in his epistle about disunity within the church—a topic also important to Paul two millennia ago. He denounces competition between denominations as well as racial segregation. This sermon includes his famous remark about 11am Sunday morning being the most segregated hour of the week. In response King also outlines his belief in non-violence and the conviction that love stands "at the center of the cosmos." And then we discover these amazing words about the purpose of life:

"I still believe that standing up for the truth of God is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. The end of life is to do the will of God, come what may."
So, I'm left with this question: What was Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream? And was it fulfilled last week when Obama won more than 270 electoral votes?

The election of an African American to the White House certainly fulfills part of MLK's dream. He wanted to see a society where people would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Obama, who described himself earlier this week as a "mutt," gives all of us with a mixed racial heritage and a funny name hope.

But MLK dreamt of so much more than simply an African American president. He wanted to see an America as morally good as it is technologically advanced. He hoped to see a society that valued people more than things; life more than making a living. And he longed for a community of Christians who valued God's will ahead of personal comfort. To see these elements of King's dream fulfilled we're going to need more than presidents—we're going to need a new breed of gospel preachers.
Skye Jethani is the managing editor of Leadership and a teaching pastor at Blanchard Alliance Church in Wheaton, Illinois.