I have an on again off again subscription to Bible Study magazine. The latest issue (March/April 2019) has an article about the current state of the Church in Ethiopia. I was intrigued by the article because I have a trip tentatively planned there in the fall.
Some personal context. The Lord has allowed me to be engaged with leaders in three countries in North Africa. I meet most every week with a pastor of several underground churches in Morocco, I have met regularly with one of the recent graduates of the Bible College I visited last April in Togo, and I am still in contact with several of the men and women who were at the events in Cameroon. That is in addition to meeting regularly with pastors and lay people at home.
The article, the conversations with the men overseas, and conversations with pastors and men here converged this week.
The article stated what was seen as a pressing need in the Ethiopian church:
I do not agree that the development of materials is the primary need. In fact the problem with that approach is evident in the article.
This is getting long. What do you think I see as the problem? I will finish this, maybe, in the next post.
The article, the conversations with the men overseas, and conversations with pastors and men here converged this week.
The article stated what was seen as a pressing need in the Ethiopian church:
Beyond Bible translation is the need to create and translate resource for Ethiopian Christians…to ensure the church is grounded in sound doctrine and teaching. We have vibrant evangelical churches-very strong, committed, and large…However, misuse of Bible through questionable interpretation is a huge problem. The prosperity-gospel movement has spread like wildfire across Africa. Although many evangelical churches have the Bible available in their languages, they’re still relying on Sunday preachers for interpretation. People are easily led astray. So having Bible study materials available to people is essential for the church…Especially in semi-literate communities, you need the proper tools to read, understand, interpret, and apply the Bible. (emphasis added)Later in the article…
…the uncertainties face by African Christians don’t have a clear parallel in the West… (how do they) make sense of the devastation of drought and famine, epidemics and civil unrest; how to deal with systemic corruption. These things are not readily addressed by materials designed for the modern, middle-class Western church.Both in the conversation with the leader and Cameroon and the pastor here, similar pressures to create material, guides for sermons or leadership development were discussed.
I do not agree that the development of materials is the primary need. In fact the problem with that approach is evident in the article.
This is getting long. What do you think I see as the problem? I will finish this, maybe, in the next post.
This is an intriguing post, and worthy of considerable thought and application. If our efforts among the nations are to fulfill God's intention for the Gospel to invade every people, tribe and family of the earth it must be unshackled from what I sense from the article is being tied to Western teachers, methods and materials.
ReplyDeleteIn the last few years I have been rebuked in my spirit and challenged myself to see the Scriptures for what they are, living, breathing and relevant-to-all peoples Word of God, mediated by His Holy Spirit in the lives of those exposed to it.
There is SO much to say about this! I will only say here that when the Apostles wrote their letters and other N.T. documents they didn't come with study guides. They came with the authority of the author and the Spirit's power and relevance. Add to that the Old Testament which set the Gospel into an entirely different cultural setting and you have a powerful set of documents that give the relevance of God's working in all ages of human history. My arrogance to hold the feeling that I need to interpret the Bible and give the applications in some very diverse cultures, economic and educational settings come to an end when I faced the reality I couldn't and helped them by turning the Bible loose and giving the most simple suggestions on how to look at it. The Holy Spirit transformed the entire situation and accomplished His will.
I know that is an over-simplification, but hopefully illustrates the need to let the Spirit loose to address the needs of those we seek to help - and help those dear African brothers with the challenging task of ministering to their suffering flocks.
Not at all surprised that you responded that way. Do you see the connection to the issues here?
DeleteA.W. Pink provides an excellent guide to Spirit-led Bible study in his 1952 book "Interpretation of the Scriptures".
ReplyDeleteHe starts off with this quote: Thus does the Papacy withhold God's Word from the laity, and impose her own dogmas and superstitions upon them. For the most part the laity are quite content to have it so, for thereby they are relieved of searching the Scriptures for themselves. Nor is it much better with many Protestants, for in most cases they are too indolent to study the Bible for themselves, and believe only what they hear from the pulpits." Zing!
Mike, Chuck, are you familiar with this resource?
I was not but got it after I read your post in my Bible program, Logos. Looks good.
Delete