I've been learning recently about over estimating and underestimating the comphrension of those we work with when it comes to other languages or cultures. Like telling 'stone-age' tribe about flying and visas...

One of the children that I tutor like to weasel his way out of doing things. I've been reading a Bible Story book that is about a third grade level... He was complaining and saying that fifth graders don't read books of that magnitude. Last week when I went to visit him he was reading a chapter book almost flawlessly. Perhaps I need to give him a copy of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Any other suggestions of simple yet great books?

Quotes for thought

These are some quotes from Ravi Zacharias, from his Just Thinking (podcast) titled "Christian Ethics in the Workplace" (Part 2 of 4) and from Suzanna Wesley and Agustine as quoted in his talk/sermon. Some food for thought and action. Do you have a mission statement for your life? (more to come)

"Anything that refreshes you without distracting you from diminishing or destroying the final goal is a legitimate pleasure in your life...
"...the first most important principle for you to set in your life and for me to set in my life is, what is the purpose for my exisistence?
When we set that purpose then everything else becomes defined.
"When you write out a mission statement for your life, you'll measure all of your behaviour by that statement to see what it is that distracts you and what it is that refreshes you." Ravi Z.


Sin as defined by Suzanna Wesley,
"Whatever weakens your sense of reasoning,
impairs the tenderness of your conscience
or obscures your sense of God,
or takes away your relish for spiritual things.
In short, if anything increases the authority and the power of the flesh over the Spirit that to you becomes sin, however good it is in and of itself."

and Agustine said, in The City of God, "You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restlestless untill they find their rest in thee."

same God?

People like to say that God and Allah are one and the same. The ultimate question, do Christians and Muslims worship the same god? Allah means "the god," and depending which syllable is emphasized one says "the god" or " the God."

I am still mulling over my conversation with Mehdi. He wants to be able to completely understand God, that everything in the scriptures should be rationaly understood. He said that God is "great" enough to simply forgive us, Jesus didn't have to die (Muslims believe that God caused Judas to look like Jesus and was crucified in his place, while Christ was take up into heaven).

I know I need a God that is so much bigger that I am. A God that is holy and requires something, the shedding of blood, so that I can approach him.

So the more I come to understand what Muslims believe, the more I don't think we worship the same god. God never changes, He is the same yesterday, today and forever!

Friendship Evangelism

One of the things we talked about in our training on Saturday was Friendship Evanglism. The main thing said about it was that you have to get past the friendship to the evangelism... I think I like the idea of intentionally asking people if they'd like to study the Bible with me.

Tonight I was out visiting Mehdi and Zahra with another gal and at the very moment where I was wondering if we'd ever get to the evangelism part, we started a very long conversation... [Now this couple has been meeting with some retired missionaries to study the Bible, so I said more that I would have normally said.]
In some ways he was playing the devil's advocate, in that he didn't believe all that he was arguing. Mehdi said he believes what all prohets say, in essence morality.
I learned that he and his wife believed that all of the prophets were perfect.
He couldn't see the need for Christ's sacrifice. He felt that God is great enough to forgive us without having to shed blood.
Mehdi wanted to know why God hadn't sent people to the Chinese earlier... the fate of those who have never heard of Jesus/Mohammed.
He couldn't understand how God would set people up for failure.... and what happened to those who died before Jesus came. 1 Peter 3 talks about Jesus preaching to those who had died, and Mehdi was arguing that all those before Jesus would accept him because satan wouldn't be there tempting them.
And how could Jesus be tempted in the wilderness....
PJ would be proud as I actually drew the bridge.

I want my Biblical Foundation of Missions handouts...

training

So we've organized a training seminar for tomorrow... who will attend? I don't know. The other church we are partnering has around 10 people signed up. So far from my church is, well me, and two of our other pastors.

I'll let you know how it goes.

A trip...

I am going to join friends half way accross the world for two weeks in May. I am so excited...

I went tutoring last night and was able to pour into the lives of two children. I read Bible stories with them to improve their English. I had the opportunity to explain the sacrifical system, and a bit about the Holy Spirit with the younger boy (grade 5). I don't think he retained it all but its a start.

Arabic lessons never worked out. I think I have decided to learn Farsi (Persian) instead as many of the friends and families that I know speak Persian. Chi-toreh?

so many things to process

I am a Pastor… I am a missionary… I am learning…

I've learned so much in the past weeks, I'm almost at brain over load. But God is so good! We had training. I went to an Arabic lesson.