Refreshing The Soul

From my second floor balcony I watch the sun rising from the horizon of the Indian Ocean. The tide is going out and soon the boats tied in the deep I will be able to walk to on dry white sand. A few joggers are out, Columbus monkeys bouncing from tree to the ground looking for food. As I look out at the beauty of the coast, I try to think of something inspiring to write to match the experience that I feel, but realize that whatever I put down in type will never do the moment justice. All I can do is record what I see and feel, knowing that anyone who reads this will only relate if they’ve had a similar experience at another time, another place.

Vacations are good for the soul because it allows me to get away from the mundane and see the world from a different perspective. As I look out at the sea my eye cannot see the beyond the horizon. Far different from my flat in Delhi, where as far as the eye can see is the building across the street. The waves breaking on the beach is such a sweeter, soother sound than the noise of auto rickshaws and vegetable hawkers that grate my ears in the city. My morning walks in a polluted city with garbage piled high and open sewers is replaced by fresh air and darting crabs scurrying to their holes in the sand. My life and my work is not here, I will be ready to leave when my time is up, but it’s all good for the moment.

Part of the coastal experience is people watching. When one steps down from the hotel compound and begin their walk by the water any number of guys come up with greetings of “Jambo. Habari yako?” They are either wanting you to book a ride on their glass bottom boat, take skin diving lessons or wanting to sell you a bracelet. They are never sure what to say when I reply in Swahili, taken back that I’m not just another Italian or German tourist. When I speak to them in their language they quickly retreat, as they know badgering does not work with people who have lived in the country.

Was it Pascal, or Voltaire, who, after seeing a naked woman was so repulsed that he never had sex again? Though I am not that repulsed, seeing the fat women wearing unflattering beach attire of the white tourist, one can understand Pascal’s horror. The men, with their pot beer bellies and Speedos, are even more embarrassing. Bay Watch is a television show shot somewhere far away from where I vacation.

Of course the greatest experience of the week is my morning talk with the Creator as I dip my toes in warm water each morning. Looking at such beauty it's impossible not to think of the magnificence and power of God who designed such a place as this. Alone with Him, telling Him my troubles, my praise to Him for allowing me and my wife to experience this semi-paradise for a season, is worth the time and money invested in this get-away. Having no TV, radio or Internet connection for a week, I am forced not to be distracted with a world that is out there with its war, poverty and godlessness. For one brief moment I am captivated by His handiwork and reminded again that He delights in me being still and know that He exists. Will heaven have a beach? I hope so.

Mugged On The Way To Mombassa

On the way to Mombassa my wife and I were mugged. Not by some thugs hiding in a dark corner, but by men dressed in blue uniforms in broad daylight.

We were about twenty minutes from Keynote International Airport for our flight from Nairobi to the coast when we came upon a police check. Not too concerned, the taxi driver rolled down his window and yielded the appropriate papers to the attending officer. Another policemen on the passenger side of the car knocked on the window for my wife to roll down her window. The mugger then said, “You are not wearing your seat belts. We are taking you to the police station where you will pay a fine.”

I was so taken back I just started blabbering, “We don’t have time to go the police station, we have a plane to catch.”

The mugger in blue said the fine would be Ks 3000 ($46). I said that was unreasonable and offered a third of that, which he quickly agreed. Pulling out the money he told me to put in the drivers license card, as he did not want others to see the stolen cash.

As we drove away I was outraged…furious at myself for not having the presence of mind to handle this mugging differently. It’s been awhile since I’ve had to deal with official extortion and there are better ways I could have handled the situation. Tips for those who face the same situation:

One, tell the officer, “Okay, take me to the police station.” It’s a hardcore bluff, which they may call you on, so be ready to play it out. Usually they will back down if you show resolve that you are willing to comply with threats of detainment.

Two, ask them their name, with pen and paper in hand, telling them you will be reporting their action before the authorities.

Three, plead ignorance. Kenyan police don’t know what to do with someone who says, “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

Four, tell them you want a receipt for the money they are charging for on the spot. They won’t do it of course, so prepared to follow through with suggestion number one.

My greatest outrage was with the corruption perpetrated by the man with the badge. I am a visitor to the country and they were not enforcing law but out on the street looking for opportunities to prey on the innocent. In a recent local newspaper article it noted that corruption is most prevalent among policeman, followed by politicians. Since I don’t know the law of passengers in a taxi I have no idea if we violated the law or not. If it was a violation was it my responsibility to pay the fine or the responsibility of the taxi driver to make sure his passengers were buckled up?

Willing to abide by the law, if the officer had written me a ticket I would have complied with the rules of the country, but it was obvious to me the law was secondary to their agenda. I regret the mugging, but more than being violated in the name of the law, I am disappointed with my feeble response. Maybe I should have handed the money and with a smile and a “God bless you.” Naw, what I really wanted to say was “God will curse you for this,” and “You will receive a plague of boils for this unjust act.” Boy, I can’t wait until the next time I get stopped. I’m prepared.

Different Yet The Same

For the past two weeks my wife and I have been in Kenya where we lived from 1976 to 1989. Our children grew up here; it was here I began my studies of social organization working with a semi-nomadic tribe called the Pokot. Thirty years ago I was considered a pioneer church planter, meaning, I established churches in areas where there were no churches. Kenya has had western missionaries for over one hundred years so to say we were the first to take the Gospel to Pokot or Turkana wouldn’t be accurate. However, many of the places where we did establish churches there were few and even in some areas, no churches at all.

Much has changed since we first came to this beautiful East African country. Gone are the shortages of basic items such as flour, cooking oil, sugar and building materials like cement and nails. In the old days the merchants from India determined the price of things as well as their availability, but in today’s Kenya the supermarkets, well stocked with variety, makes shopping a pleasure rather than an exercise in frustration.

When we first moved to the town of Kitale it was considered an outpost as the last town with electricity and water before going north into the bush of Pokot and Turkana. Operator assisted calls, even local dialing, has been replaced with mobiles and we can communicate with Nairobi or Lodwar from our front yard. The post office, once so revered we considered it “sacred space,” is hardly noticed today as overseas communication is now through Internet rather than aerogram.

But in some ways Kenya, especially upcountry, things have not changed. Time is still not kept and an appointment scheduled for 9 a.m. is easily delayed until 10:30 or 11. The roads, once promising with fresh tarmac, are now potholes or gone completely. Fashion has changed for some, but for most, the dress of shamba (farm) people are much the same. Even in Pokot, though cotton dress has replaced the goatskin, the beads an ornaments remain. The Kenyans still dry their maize on the ground, still barter vigorously at the market, still as friendly and jovial as they were when we arrived so many years ago.

Like the precarious existence of the Pokot, whose life is between starvation or plenty depending on the amount of rainfall they receive on any given year, Kenya continues to teeter on the brink from being a great country to one of complete ruin. With its natural resources and beauty Kenya could truly be the pearl of Africa. Surrounded by the conflict of neighboring countries, Sudan, Uganda, Ethoipa and Somalia; infested with corruption from the parliament to the police, one wonders if which way this magnificent country will fall? Time will tell, and since time is a slow process in this part of the world, we may not know the answer for at least another thirty years.

On The Road

One of the challenges of travel is finding internet access. While in the northwest of Kenya for the next couple of weeks my twice weekly posts will probably not happen. The things I'm learning, however, in this journey will be reflected in future posts.

Process of Discovery

I believe one of the most common comments I receive from those who attend my lectures, and certainly the most gratifying, is that I challenged their thinking. Whether I speak at a school or church invariably someone makes a comment such as those below from a recent class of MA students:

“Thank you, sir, for your valuable contributions through this module. You opened my eyes to come out from my shell and see others with a different perspective.” Jomon

“I am so happy to have met you and learn from you. You have cleared many of my own doubts. Thank you very much for coming here to teach us." Milton

“Thank you so much for enabling me to think afresh about my life and ministry. Indeed you are one of those who disturb our thinking so that we will think in a new way.” Justin

There are several reasons people respond to my class as they do. First, the subject is different. Every discipline focuses on certain areas of study and therefore not exposed to other subjects. If you study medicine, engineering or theology, you are not likely to study topics outside your field of specialty. Sadly, there are few seminaries that have a strong department of anthropology. You will never hear a message on contextualization or the dynamics of world religion in church. What I teach does have enormous relevance within the religious context, but because it is new for many my lectures are eye-openers.

Second, people appreciate the subject because it helps them fill in the blanks in their own lives. Theology is the study of God; anthropology is the study of us as human beings. In my lecture on the worldview animists, Hindu’s, fatalists, Muslims, secularists, the audience is drawn into comparisons of how they see the world. Are we more alike the tribal nomadic sitting under a tree in Africa than we are different? Humanity shares many things in common and my lectures reveal our similarities and in doing so help us understand what are the fundamental differences.

Third, because I use the Socratic method of teaching, my classes raises as many questions as it does answers. Rather than force-feeding people with the answers, which is common in most settings of learning, my class is guide for discovery. As the old adage states, things are best learned when caught, not just taught. Since I have disdain for lazy intellectualism and simplistic Christian platitudes I require my students to give a reason for their belief and will play the devils advocate no matter what their conclusions. I never give an “F” for disagreeing wit my assumptions, but will certainly fail someone if they can’t give a well thought out reason for why they believe what they believe.

Fourth, and most crucial, is that I discuss issues that are relevant and practical. Studying genealogies are boring, unless you can help students connect the dots on why it is pertinent in presenting the Gospel. Each topic we cover is coupled with application borne out of thirty years of experience linking theory to real life. Over fifty percent of my lectures are real-life stories of how and why the topic matters. Some of my stories reveal success, sometimes my illustrations highlight failures. My students may not remember the proper definition of structuralism, but they always remember my story of “ice cubes in the Pokot desert,” and how language relates to the structural ordering of the mind.

Seeing Through A Dark Glass

There once was man named Job. It's possible he was the precursor to
postmodernism.

Modernism and its cousin, fundamentalism, hold to objective absolutes.
They came in the form of three theolog's named Eliphaz, Bildad and
Zophar. Their theory (theology) on the acts of the Almighty was based
on history and tradition, which stated: If you live right, do right,
fear God, you'll be blessed. If you do wrong and do not fear God you
will face the wrath of God. Having heard the report that Job had lost
family, herds and health, they concluded that Job was guilty. Even
though they knew, or thought they knew, Job as a moral man, their
theology could not be changed...IT was supreme.

Job, who at one time ascribed to the accepted historical/traditional
theory, was in a quandary. Would he let his theory of God dictate his
life, or would he, dare he, question his theology? Would Job, "Lie
for the glory of God," and confess that, perhaps unknowingly, that he
was guilty of a transgress? ("I don't think I did it, but I must
have done it because my circumstance reveals it. I will seek God's
forgiveness for the secret sin of which I am unaware.")

Job was not only a man of integrity but also a person of indescribable
courage. In the face of criticism by his denomination/fellowship, he
remained (though perhaps arrogantly), unmoved. Absolutes? Yes, he had
at least one...He believed that there was a God. Beyond that,
everything was up for grabs for that One in whom he believed had blown
his theology all to hell. (Actually hell was the instigator of the
circumstance and therefore it was good and right that Job return it
back to that direction rather than maintain a heavenly theology, which
had no validity.)

This ancient postmodernist (surely a contradiction of terms) turned his
back on theory that could not be sustained, while his friends held to
their absolute theory rather than question God. Job was the first to
have the courage to say, "I don't know. What I do know is limited.
I will not waver on my absolutes, though I realize even this is
subjective faith." In the end, God honored Job, for maintaining his
absolutes, for he did not curse God as Lucifer determined he would, and
rebuked those who defended His honor through misguided and false
theology.

Witchdoctors and Preachers

In my lecture on the Anthropology of Religion, I make the case that, functionally, a witchdoctor and pastor are the same. Using the same formula I made a similar point on how witchdoctors and business consultants are functionally the same on my other blog site, Culturebiz.blogspot.com. The arguments are alike with one exception…pastors don’t make nearly as much money as witchdoctors and business consultants.

Groups and Symbols

Mankind is a symbol-displaying creature. Symbols are all around us. By symbols we communicate to others who we are, or maybe, who we would like to be. Jeans are jeans, but how one wears their jeans is a signal to others who we are or perhaps who we would like to identify with. If you’re young and slim you might get away with low-rise jeans. It’s a symbol that you’re young (or would like to be young) and that you are probably single. If you wear the elastic jeans, what my daughter’s call “mom jeans,” you’re symbol is much different from the low-rise (spoof on mom jeans can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3rA2jOGhGw ). If you’re from the inner city you might wear baggy jeans that look like they could fall down at any given moment. My class laughed at me one time when I showed up wearing pressed jeans. I couldn’t understand what the big deal was, in Texas well starched jeans is stylish (George Strait wouldn’t be caught dead without his pressed jeans). I think you get my point. Whether one is talking about clothes, hairstyles, colors, tattoos, cars we drive or religious symbols, people are walking signboards communicating something to the world.

Symbols also reveal how much we value group. If you have followed my blog for any length of time you are aware that I see the world in typographies classifying people and cultures in grid and group arrangement (individualistic, bureaucratic, hierarchal and egalitarian). Individualistic and bureaucratic environments are low group. Highly group oriented cultures are hierarchal or egalitarian. It is the latter two categories that are prone to wear symbols as an identification of what group they belong to. I used the Amish, Sikh, and Muslims as an example in my last post of groups that demonstrate their community and faith through the symbols they wear. These symbols do not just reveal their faith but who they are as a people. So strong are these symbols of group that it can be, and almost always is, an obstacle for people to make individual decisions. A Sikh man cutting his hair, beard and removing his turban is tantamount to denying his family and culture. (The great debate among missiologists is whether it’s even necessary for a person to put away his cultural symbols to be a follower of Christ?)

For Western Christians, who are for the most part individualistic and not group oriented, we have few symbols or our faith. True, as one reader responded, wearing a crucifix does not mean you are a follower of Christ, though under Soviet Russia it was a powerful symbol that that person was a believer. Having a symbol of a fish on the back of your car doesn’t make you a better Christian, or even a courteous driver. Wearing symbols does not make one holy or righteous. Jesus made reference to the hypocrisy of religious leaders of his day who loved to wear symbols and perform rituals but spiritually was as dead men’s bones. However, in some social context’s, symbols can make a statement to the society at large.

Whatever you wear today, it is communicating something. For individualistic societies symbols are neutral which reveals nothing much more than style and one’s socio-economic position. I agree, it’s not what we wear but how we behave that’s most important. Our verbal presentation becomes even more important because we certainly will not reveal much of our faith to others by our symbols.

Symbols of Meaning

A couple of weeks ago the pastor of a church we attended was speaking from 1 Corinthians 11 and the issue of proper male/female dress. I usually turn off on those messages because men spend way too much time talking about appropriate attire for females and say virtually nothing about proper apparel for males. As a teenager/young adult in the ‘60’s, I grew weary of all the messages on how men should look like men (not have long hair) and women looking like women (having a butch haircut). Then as a cross-cultural trainer in different countries it was tiresome to go to Russia and hear the Baptist and Pentecostals make women’s head-covering almost a salvation issue and in India the sign of a devotion to Christ was not wearing bangles, rings or makeup. The church spends so much time on non-salvation issues that it becomes a barrier in presenting the Gospel. I just react strongly to legalism.

But then the pastor made an interesting comment that peaked my thinking. He told the story about how that growing up his mother would never think about coming to church without a head covering and would never pray without pulling the long dupatta over her head. Though the congregation we were in that morning is urban and more Western in style, this young pastor seemed to lament that this symbol of humility, respect, has been lost. His final comment is what really grabbed my attention when he said, in effect, that the church lives in a cultural context where symbols of religion are common, and that only the Christian community live without symbols.

On the drive back to our home we passed the Sikh gurdwa and I observed women in their punjabi sawar dress, the men with their turbans; passing the Muslim mosque men wearing the kufi; the Hindu temple, women dressed in sarees and I thought how void the Christian community is of symbols.

I remember attending a Bakht Singh church many years ago and the feeling I had of worshipping Christ contextually. We removed our shoes at the door, sat on mats on the floor, women on one side, men on the other, the music sung in Hindi and English. With no overheads, no keyboards we clapped as we sang to the beat of a traditional drum.

The issue of contextualization is unpredictable. To the Western style church the symbols are indeed urbane with stylish cut hair, blue jeans and young men wearing chokers. But in the larger context of a country which share similar symbols, is it no wonder that our faith is seen a religion of foreigners? A follower of Jesus in this framework is not known by its symbols of community, but rather by its adoption of symbols of another kind. Perhaps we need to pay more attention to the outward signs -- icons which, like the Amish, make a statement of identification and maybe, in a positive way, if not separation perhaps community.

Trainer/Coach

My brother, a business consultant, doesn’t like the word “trainer,” as he believes one can train dogs and horses but not people. He believes "educate" is a better term. Okay, I get his point, but don't totally agree. Training is behavior modification. Tiger Woods has a trainer who analyzes his swing and helps him modify his approach. We potty trained two little girls using all types of techniques for behavior modification (rewards, praise, yelling, etc.). My role of a trainer with cross-cultural workers is to get people to modify bad habits in ministry and steer them toward efficient and productive behavior.

Coaching is similar to training, but not synonymous. Tiger Woods’ trainer also coaches. Coaching is explaining what is wrong, how it needs to be changed and why. Coaching is philosophy -- training is physics. Woods has the natural ability to swing the clubs. If he didn’t have a trainer or coach, he could still play the game, but maybe not at his best.

Most people I work with already have some ability. They certainly have a zeal and love for the One they serve. If no one trained or coached them they would still do a work for the Lord, though maybe not be at their best. Not everyone on the field is Tiger Woods caliber. Some I meet are not even semi-pro’s but are more like weekend duffers. (And of course short-termer’s are mere weekend wannabe’s -- but don’t get me started.) That’s why I believe in focused pre-field education, post-field training and coaching.

I have consistently stated that I believe those in our profession, or if you prefer, calling, should be as serious about it as any profession in the world. Sadly we don’t’ spend nearly as much training, upgrading our skills, as does a doctor, software engineer or golfer. Having a love for the game doesn’t mean we can all play the game properly. Perhaps we need more trainers, more coaches to help us get to the top of our game.

The Missions Coach

On my other blog culturebiz.blogspot.com I wrote about the new profession in business today, that of a personal or life coach. No need to repeat myself here as to the reason for such a coach, but I began thinking about coaching in the world of missions.

For about ten years I held a position in a sending organization as vice president of international training. Part of my responsibility was to travel and visit field personnel. My role was very much like a coach. In traveling overseas I would visit the projects people were involved in and would ask critical questions and give my evaluation. The two objectives I had in every setting was (1) Why are you doing work this way and, (2) Is there a better way of doing it? Much of the time the projects were going well, so my recommendations were a matter of tweaking the process and to get people to think of how to make a good program better. Sometimes the projects were not effective and I was able to help them move away from those projects and rework their strategy. Most of the time the people on the field received and appreciated my advice, a few did not.

WHAT IS THE STRENGTH OF A MISSIONS COACH?

First, the coach is an outsider. He/she has lens that is not tainted by organizational bias. Example: I know a couple whose work is focused only on evangelism using a specific evangelism method. Because it is a strong North American model and used widely by many evangelicals, the organization expects their people to produce the same results on the field. This particular couple is busy and conducts many seminars. However, in many ways they are culturally insensitive. They don’t have a strong team of nationals and, in my opinion, the method is a horrible evangelism tool for their context. As a coach from the outside I could recommend some modifications that the organization would never do.

Second, accountability is sometimes better achieved through outside influence. Most teams I have worked with have meetings, purpose statements, goals, etc. However, many of those good things are not realized because everyone lives on the same field, they are peers. The team leader has a nearly impossible job in holding others to the purpose because he is working with his friends. If he comes down too hard, they won’t be friends long.

Which leads to the third reason for a coach and that is he doesn’t have line authority. Even working with my former organization, I did not have line authority and, I didn’t want it. Why? When people perceive they are being told what to do from the top, they may acquiesce, but it doesn’t mean they value the change suggestions and they lose ownership in their work. If the recommendations work everyone is happy, but if it doesn’t then the finger pointing begins as either “the field people didn’t do what we told them to do,” or “those idiots in the home office have no idea what they are talking about.” As a coach with no line authority it is up to the team if they heed my advice. If they did and it succeeded, it was their success. If they tried and it failed it was merely something they tried which didn’t work out. Either way people on the field must have ownership in their work. A coach allows autonomy in the process.

Much more to talk about as it relates to mission coaching...next time.

Odometer Rollover

Sometime on Saturday there will be a rollover. The rollover will represent the completion of 1,892,160,000 seconds. The rollover is a milestone which one can be proud of; a mile-marker in social time. What is the significance of this rollover?

1. It represents that there are more miles behind than there are ahead.

2. It is social time whereas others will see you differently, even though you may still be in good running condition.

3. Younger models will be preferred as the older model moves closer to the social junkyard.

4. Accomplishments of the past (dependability, success, innovation) are honored, though perhaps not seen as relevant.

5. You understand even more, what you've always known, that on the racetrack of life, people view speed as the measure of performance, rather than finishing the race.

But no one cannot deny, it'’s been a great ride.

1. The roads traveled over these many miles, few others were willing to go. From Africa to India and forty-two other racetracks, this old jalopy seen a lot.

2. People you have carried, loved and supported are a legacy that will endure long after the rust sets in.

3. After all those miles, though the paint has faded, the ragtop has thinned and the tires are worn, you're still on the road.

4. Though the engine has had some overhauls, it still starts every morning.

5. Even with the all the nicks and abuse you've received, some from people you helped carry at one time, you can still deliver the goods.

Regrets, sure, like Frank Sinatra said, there are a few. The times when you could have been a bit more courteous on the road, yielding more than blasting your horn. The miles have taught you that taking shortcuts end up costing time and money. I think all those on the road, when they get a few miles on them, would say they wished they learned earlier that the trip is about the journey instead of rushing to the elusive winners circle. All in all, however, looking through the rearview mirror, it’s been an amazing ride.

If God gives you the promised three-score and ten, you have 315,360,000 ticks to go. Whether it is more or less, make the most of those miles. Cherish those who are still under your care; help those who still value your unique model. Sometimes an antique is worth more than those who are today'’s modern brand. Rejoice in your Maker. He'’s blessed you; He's never cast you aside. He loved you that first mile you came out of the factory, and He will continue to love you until He makes the final recall. Be grateful for the rollover. Celebrate the journey.

(P.S. Happy birthday to you as well, Bill)

Transforming Theology?

This week I am grading papers. The assignment I gave to the MA students was to do a cultural analysis of a people group or company they are familiar with. The problem I have with reading research papers is that they challenge my thinking so much I get sidetracked in trying to solve problems. Case in point:

Senti presented a paper on a tribe who live in the northeast called the Khasi. For centuries these people were animistic, introduced to Christianity two hundred years ago by the Welch Baptists. What is unique about their social structure is that they are matrilineal. Like many matrilineal societies, the Khasi trace their lineage through the woman, not the man. Property is handed down to the daughters, names are through the woman’s lineage, the female makes decisions, and after marriage residence is matrilocal. In this social environment the uncle or brother has more influence than the father/husband.

Matrilineal societies have always been an interest to me and are prevalent in many Latin American countries as well as within African-American community. How do a people who have a strong female identity relate to a dominant male theology? In Senti’s paper he discusses the challenges in reaching the Khasi with the Gospel, one being that the church demands patriarchal authority. My question to Senti, and to those who wade through my blogs is, Can traditional Christianity be challenged in face of cultural practices that are the norm? How can Christian patrilineal values serve matrilineal societies?

My hypothesis has been that one of the reasons Catholics do well in Latin America is partly due to their emphasis on Mary rather than Jesus. It is Mary, the mother who makes decisions, who has access to power and who works on behalf of those who pray. Is there a natural affinity to a female head rather than to an absent or marginalized male?

I am not suggesting that we rewrite biblical principles, but what is the best way to communicate the Gospel when it runs headlong into traditional non-salvation issues? All societies are to be transformed, but in the process, does our theologies also become transformed? Should they? What suggestions would you give Senti in working with the Khasi?

Theology as Theory

Recently Chris, a friend and frequent reader of this blog, asked this question.

“I would be interested in reading your explanation of the following:

‘Theology, as I have argued before, is theory based on history and cultural context.’

To define theology without any reference whatsoever to the Scriptures strikes me as unusual. The definition above seems to leave out any opportunity for theology to be timeless or universal. Interested in reading more of your thinking on this.”

Great question, which does require further explanation. My “defense” would be that Scripture is implicit in all theology. My assumption, though perhaps not clear, is that of course theology is a combination of text, context and history. Sorry for the confusion.

Is theology timeless and universal? The answer is yes and no and this is where postmodernist get into trouble. There are truths in Scripture that are consistent and therefore enduring. What they are is a matter of one’s theological persuasion. For some the list is very long, for others foundational truth may not be as extensive but sacred nevertheless. What is “essential” or “negotiable” does depend on theological theory.

I am assuming there is no confusion to my argument that theology is theory based on history and context. Where one is born, his/her denominational leanings shape much of our understanding of Scripture. The marvelous thing about Scripture is that for most Christians, fundamentalist, evangelicals, progressives, the core of the Gospel is consistent. Theory plays havoc with truth as it tries to determine the nuances of certainty. One can speak of the salvific work of Christ, theology then attempts to define that work as liberation, atonement, inclusive or exclusive. The interpretation of Scripture is as varied as denominations gracing the face of the earth. Of course theology is theory, or we would all agree on one standard of interpretation.

Timeless? Certainly God is changeless, but trying to figure out the ageless Creator has eluded man for thousands (maybe 6,000 or 4,000 depending on your theology) of years. Luther and Calvin gave definition to Protestant theology, but of course there was theology before them and certainly theologians have been tinkering with their theories since. No one has a solved the mystery of prayer, but you can be certain there will be further books written about it until prayer is no longer a human issue.

Theology is important as we are admonished to study the Scripture in the process of working out our salvation. Some of it I will die for, some of it is trivial pursuit.

Just Because

In the 1980’s I was working in the Turkana district in the northwest of Kenya. Turkana is always on the fridge of catastrophe as the nomadic herdsmen roam the desert looking for pasture for their cattle, goats and camels. What little rain they receive in a year is barely enough to keep life and limb together -- two years of drought and they face severe famine.

It was just such a desperate time that I was working as a church planter alongside Turkana Christians. Along with giving the Bread of Life, we attempted to alleviate some of the physical hardships by taking a ton of corn meal down into the district twice a month as well as powdered milk provided by a NGO group from the U.S. Our efforts were a mere drop in the bucket to the ravages of famine and disease.

I still remember a crusty old guy from the U.K. working in Turkana who was very critical of churches. He worked for with a UN irrigation scheme in the area and made no bones about how that the church should be more concerned with the saving of lives rather than souls. “All of these churches, which stand empty throughout the week, should be turned into storage bins for the crops that are rotting in the fields,” he said with disdain. “What good are these churches when the people are suffering?”

Convicted by the Englishmen’s comments I asked a friend of mine, who was primarily involved in social action, if perhaps he wasn’t right? Maybe we should turn our attention the man’s physical needs rather than their spiritual needs. He advised against it saying, “There will always be more people wanting to feed the hungry than telling people about Christ,” he said. “Keep doing what you’re doing and let others take on the task of feeding the hungry.”

The tension on the churches role in meeting man’s physical needs is ever present and, as I said in my last post, the church doesn’t seem to know exactly how to meet both the physical as well as the spiritual needs of man. Part of the reason is our confusion of what is Kingdom work. Because the West sees the world in dichotomy, the spiritual and the physical are not related. Jesus saw his social work as a part of Kingdom work, the holistic approach. If evangelicals are involved in social work it is often tied to conversion, so a cup of cold water or a feeding center, must be tied to establishing a church. Why can’t Christians provide for the needs of others just because it’s the right thing to do?

As I mentioned in my last post, forty percent of the population in this country live in one room. Inadequate housing, water, sanitation should be enough motivation for the church to meet the needs of the oppressed, but often it is not. One could easily raise money for a church building, but how many people would give to a housing project just because?

As stated earlier, there needs to be balance, and one can get so involved in meeting physical needs that they ignore the spiritual. We need to pray for the wisdom of Solomon, better yet, the wisdom of Christ, to see best the fusion between the physical and the spiritual needs of mankind.

What Is Kingdom Work?

This week I have been attending a conference on transformation. It wasn’t your typical evangelical meeting where the emphasis was on transformation of the heart, but the transformation of community and nations through social action. Though I was uncomfortable with, what I perceived to be some radical rhetoric, I can’t ignore the reality of the social ills of this country. Forty percent of the population live in one room; female infanticide, though outlawed, is still a common practice; most Dalit children have no educational opportunities; most of the poor are in perpetual slavery as bonded laborers. The heart of the message of Jesus was to those who are poor and marginalized. The one common theme throughout Scripture is God’s judgment on people and nations who oppress the poor. For a gathering of Christian leaders discussing transforming communities it was both good and right to discuss political and social injustice.

But, as with all things, it’s important to maintain balance in discussing sensitive issues. Transformation of community will never happen by having cleaner water, better housing or legislation for equal rights. Helpful, certainly, but good deeds is only part of the equation. For true transformation to take place there must be a transformation of the heart. For followers of Jesus, we believe that only Christ can truly bring about heart transformation. I am not Pollyannaish; bigotry, racism, tribalism and casteism will never be completely eradicated, even among those who claim to be Christians. And, I concede that compassion for the poor can and does reside in the heart of some Hindu’s, Muslims and people of other faiths. The point is, deeds without faith is mere social ritual whereas faith with deed is a demonstration of what we believe God would have us to do in loving others as we love ourselves.

Most evangelicals do not know how to do social work well. We either do it as a part of our agenda (feed the poor as a means to bring people to conversion), or, more likely, don’t do anything, as we don’t see social work as a part of Christ’s command to take the Good News to the nations. In spite our Lord’s work in healing the sick and His teaching on social action (giving a cup of water, the example of the Good Samaritan, the crime of unfair loans, the corrupt judge, etc.) we still have and aversion to be socially active in our communities. The great challenge for evangelicals is finding ways to bridge the gap between “felt” and “real” needs.

The question, to be explored next time, is where and in what way should we be involved? Perhaps the short answer is, “just because,” and that should be enough.

It Takes More Than Zeal and Money

I realize that the Apostle Paul did not take a class in cultural anthropology. I am also aware that understanding culture, studying the religion of others and looking for ways of contextualizing our message is not the only way to do work overseas. However, I do not ascribe to the theory that just being faithful is, in any stretch of the imagination, a sufficient substitute for strategic thinking.

Case in point. This past week a man and wife come over to visit where I was teaching. Lovely couple. They have lived in the country for about four years; have been teaching in a college and they both seem to be happy to be here. They, like so many people I have met down through the years, have a love for Christ, a love for people and have absolutely no idea what they should be doing. This is not just my assessment, it was theirs as well, and that’s why they came to see me.

These fine folks are not young and had been in ministry for several years in the states. Age doesn’t seem to be a factor when it comes to developing a strategy. If you’ve only been schooled in the theory of “ready, fire, aim,” it doesn’t make any difference if are 25 or 55. Zeal without knowledge only assures you that you will get into a mess faster but not smarter and certainly not more effective.

My new friends left me with a horror story. They have linked up with some people who have less knowledge than they do but have a ton of money in which to do ministry. Well-meaning people with money are even more dangerous than the poor and ignorant. Strategy is even less thought of when big donors want to move things down the road, get results and contribute to the spiritual bottom line (planting churches, seeing souls “saved”).

My great hope for this couple, along with the hundreds I teach each year, is that they will back up a bit, take the time needed to develop a well thought out plan and learn about those they have come to serve. Good strategy is no substitute for the work of the Holy Spirit, but I dare say His work is made easier when his vessels have a general idea of how and what they’re doing.

Dynamic Equivalence

Today is Diwali (many Indians have difficulty with the letter “w” so it is often pronounced Divali). It’s one of the most important celebration for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. Perhaps in your community, anywhere in the world, there are Diwali celebrations going on. What is Diwali?

Hindus have different reasons for celebrating Diwali, but perhaps the most popular historic reasoning behind it comes from the popular Hindu epic, "Ramayana." In the epic, Lord Rama returns to his kingdom in Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana after a 14 year exile; during his exile, Rama killed the 10-headed demon king Ravana, who among other things, had terrorized citizens in his country and had even kidnapped Sita. It is believed that people lit oil lamps along Rama's path back home in the darkness as a sign of solidarity and adulation.

Diwali is known as the “festival of lights,” as people decorate their houses like Christmas ornaments and strings of colored lights. In every window is a candle to guide Rama back from exile. Symbolically it is good’s victory over evil. Many believe that the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Lakshmi, visit the faithful on this day.

It’s also a festival of noise as throughout the night firecrackers and other fireworks continue through the night.

This Diwali I am in the south teaching cross-cultural classes. Diwali does not have as strong a tradition in the south as it does in the north, but still I hear “cracker’s” going on throughout the night. In our neighborhood in Delhi my wife tells me that night sky is lit, smoke hovers over the city of 12 million.

Missiologists and cross-cultural communications specialist look for the “dynamic equivalent” of such cultural events. As a Christian it’s easy to make the application of victory over darkness through the Gospel message. Followers of Christ do not have to show Him the way; He is the Light that helps us find our way to the God of all people, and cultures.

Survey Results

Here are the results of the survey of I posted earlier this week, with my brief comments:

Inerrancy of the Bible – Essential 71.4% - Preference 28.6%

Salvation in Christ Alone – Essential 100%

Polygamy is immoral – same as adultery – Essential 14.3% - Preference 42.9% - Negotiable 42.9% - (Polygamy is not the same as adultery, though it is not God’s ideal for marriage. However, God did allow it in the Old Testament)

Muslim believers should not remain in the mosque – E- 14.3% -P 28.6% - N 57.1% - (Great debate in missiological circles)

Baptism by immersion only – E 14.3% - P 28.6% - N 57.1%

Women cannot teach or lead a congregation – E 14.3% - P 28.6% - N 57.1% - (Women, even teen-age girls, lead many congregations in restricted access countries.)

Truth is only found in God’s Word – E 14.3% - P 57.1% - N 28.6% - (Is all truth is God truth?)

Do not eat food used in Hindu ceremonies – E 0% - P 28.6% - N 71.4%

Forbid teaching from the Koran or other holy books – E 14.3% - P 28.6% - N 57.1% - (If all truth is God’s truth, even if it is found in other writings, can God not use it for His purpose?)

(For Christians) Allah is not an acceptable name used for God – E 14.3% - P 28.6% - N 57.1% - (Another debatable issue…is Allah merely a noun or is the connotation of the name the greater issue?)

The response to this survey revealed a couple of things. First, those who live outside the US usually score higher in the N category. Cross-cultural workers who live with the issues tend to make more allowances for culture than those who reside in the U.S. Second, many of the respondents who read this blog understand the cross-cultural issues more than the average North American pastors who took this survey.

The challenge, for all of us, is this…what is really important as we communicate the Gospel to people of other cultures and religion? Thanks to those who took the survey. Keep working through the issues as you develop your thoughts as how best to a be a “bridge” for those who don't yet understand the message of Christ.

What Would You Die For?

I recently sent out a survey to a list of pastors. This survey is to test or challenge theological consistencies. Example: Truth is only found in God's Word, the Bible. The categories for answers are (a) ESSENTIAL, one so strongly believe it is important for a Christian to embrace this theology they would DIE for it; (b) PREFERENCE, meaning that, though it is important or true, one would not die for that belief but would vigorously argue that it is something all Christians should adhere to; (c) NEGOTIABLE, something one is not sure is true or important for someone to believe. It may be personally what a person believes, but would not impose it on another culture nor is it a salvation issue.

Theology, as I have argued before, is theory based on history and cultural context. Some issues of theology are important enough to die for as it reflects the core of who we are as followers of Christ. These are the essentials. On the other hand, some doctrines are based more on preference, something we believe the Bible clearly teaches that are universal, such as modesty. But the question then becomes, how is modesty defined?

There are many customs and habits that Scripture is silent about or seemingly acceptable for that period in history that we would not ascribe to today, therefore negotiable. An example would be Paul'’s admonishment to greet others with a holy kiss - certainly a New Testament practice, but not necessarily a universal practice for all ages. That is a relatively easy example, but what about the issue of drinking blood or polygamy, which is not practiced in western cultures but is in other cultures? When it comes to the issues obliging people of other faiths, the challenges become even more intense. Is using the Arabic word for God, Allah, acceptable for a Christian believer?

If you would like to test your own theological consistencies, click on the subject line that is a link to ten questions. No one is able to track who takes the survey so all answers are anonymous. So, is it wrong for a Christian to drink beer? From your point of view, is it essential they don't, a preference or negotiable?