Effective Language Questions & 1 Corinthians 1:21

What you ask will not always produce the answer that you are looking for.  We have been learning to take care of "How" we ask.  Imagine walking up to a person that you had not met from another culture and asking "who is your mom?".  The person would give their answer and you would assume that you received the correct answer.  Unknown to you in their culture "mom" is used for aunts, grandmothers, and birth moms - bummer, you did not ask correctly.  Instead you would ask "who gave birth to you?".

We are still in the middle of Culture & Language Acquisition and it is interesting thinkning about engaging a new culture.  With the mindset that we are going to pursue as much immersion as possible, I need to think about how I ask questions.  I am curious what we will find that is similar to western culture and what will be totally different.

It also makes me think on the great importance of words... and how even the smallest details in God's word matter.

I was encouraged in the last two weeks working through 1 Corinthians 1 and landed on vs 21: 

"For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the [a]message preached to save those who believe."

There are plenty of times that I have had opportunity to share the gospel with someone and did not receive praise.  The recipient of the good news of Jesus Christ did not see it as wise, but foolish and un-loving.  The good news was in direct opposition to what he believed, and he saw no need to repent of anything.  This response can easily cause doubt in the mind of a believer when they are rebuked by the world.

This verse (and the surrounding context) are an encouragement that proclaiming the gospel to the world will be received as foolish.  In God's wisdom he determined that the world's wisdom could never come to know God (crazy right?).  Rather, he determined that people would be saved through the foolish sounding message of the gospel.  The world is in opposition to the gospel because they are perishing. 

If you are faithfully bringing people before the truth of the gospel, confronting sin, and calling them to repent and trust in Jesus Christ, you will face opposition... But have confidence that God's wisdom (which is truly wise) is seen most clearly in the truth of the gospel.  Just keep on proclaiming...

Culture, Language Acquisition & Job 9

We have moved to a larger and more involved training module:  Culture and Language Acquisition   In this class we were asked to read an article about bonding with a new culture then talk about it.  The article had many points worth considering when entering a new culture, and the need to immerse yourself with the people.  There were some concerns with the articles conclusions but overall it made us think on how we would approach this in the field.

Part of this module was testing our ability to learn a new language by immersion.  Joey Tartaglia took us through a language learning exercise called "Total Physical Response".  It was as if we were  children interacting with simple objects.  He would put an object in front of us and we would ask in Tok Pisin: em wanem (what's this?).  Joey would then answer back what it was called in Tok Pisin.  More and more objects were placed in front of us and then we were asked by Joey where objects were in Tok Pisin.  We would then point to the item he was referring to.  We moved from the objects and their names to how to learn action words as well as possession.  Exciting stuff!!!

I am currently working through M'Cheyne's bible reading plan and reading through four books (Genesis, Job, Mark, and Romans).  Today Job 9 stood out to me.  Job states "But how can a man be in the right before God?" (vs 2).  He then continues: Speaking about God's great strength, His power in creation, His omnipresence, His justice, His anger, etc.  Job knows that he does not stand in a place where he can make an appeal to God as he is nothing.

At the close of the chapter Job says "For He is not a man as I am that I may answer Him, that we may go to court together" (vs 32).  Job then states what is needed “There is no umpire between us, Who may lay his hand upon us both" (vs 33).  Job states that there is a need for a person to mediate between God and man ("who may lay his hand upon us both").  This text does not state that Job is speaking about the Messiah to come, but it does state something significant:  Man is insignificant.

Because of this, man cannot stand and make an appeal to God - there is a need for someone to mediate.  As a disciple of Jesus Christ, this makes me consider my insignificance in light of God's greatness.  It makes me think on the goodness of God in providing a mediator that makes man right before God.  In short, I am thankful for Jesus Christ.

Something to consider:

I would ask that you would prayerfully consider one question - "Would you prayerfully consider supporting the work in PNG?"