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Archives for May 2009
Worldview Teaching
As I continue to teach mission classes for IPET, last night took me to the heart of Colon.
Again, the descriptions below are not complaints, but an attempt to describe for you some of the places to which we are called to serve. It’s easy to read negativity into these descriptions, so don’t.
The tourist book reads “If you have no business over there, do not go. If you go, expect to be mugged.” When I asked to walk down the street to get a soda (about 6 houses), I was taken by car, not allowed to walk by myself.
While I do not fear for my personal safety, the locals know that I’m a prime target and they keep me safe.
A white man in Colon
Last nights class was on worldview.
To help introduce the concept of worldview, I asked the class of Colon residents
“You see a white man (like myself), walking on the streets of Colon alone. What do you think?”
The answers came rapidly and without 2nd guessing:
- “A lost tourist in danger”
- “A gringo”
- “Someone about to be robbed.”
Does this give you an idea of how a white face like mine is perceived automatically?
Can I have 10 bucks?
When I parked the car, a rough looking, unkempt man on a bicycle passed me on his way to some unknown destination. A white 5 gallon bucket hung off the handlebar.
As I got out, he immediately made a u-turn in front of an oncoming car and approached me.
“Fulo” he called me.
“Listen, I haven’t eaten for days, would you give me 10 bucks?”
This little white face of mine says “money.”
Going to Public School
I enter the school where the class is located – a cast iron gate blocks the entrance. (sample picture from somewhere else)
I open it and as I enter the building, some well meaning but startled people in the hallway quickly ask me what am I looking for. I’m out of place.
The class meets on the 3rd floor. As I go up the stairs, I begin to feel like I’m in an movie.
Imagine a war movie and entering a rundown cement building – holes in the cement wall, chipped tile everywhere, dampness, minimal lighting and indescribable smells.
The bathrooms have no running water and reek.
Window unit air conditioners run, but do not dehumidify. The smell of dampness and mustyness irritates my allergies, but by God’s grace, I still function.
White boards have no pens or erasers (as teachers supply their own).
The condition of this school is not very different from the conditions that are often featured on the evening news – the public education system is known for not attending to these conditions. This was one of the motivating factors in the recent presidential elections. (As an aside, in recent weeks parents and students celebrate soap in the bathroom — thanks to the swine flu in Panama).
Class begins
I get a deep joy out of teaching these missionaries in training – in spite of the surroundings and discomfort I feel (my North American worldview).
The class is an introduction to worldview, using much of the Ignite material from PRMI, plus lots of personal illustrations from Panama life that I have encountered.
We get to spend about 3 hours talking about a concept that is new – including several illustrative examples of worldview and cross cultural living.
The examples that they then gave me made it clear that they got the concept.
The story that got me
A class member was doing some mission outreach with an indigenous tribe.
This tribe cooks over firewood outside.
The classmate had tremendous sympathy for the major effort it takes to cook a meal – gathering the wood, preparing the fire, etc. She thought a great idea would be to give the Indian lady a stove and a tank of gas to help them cook their food with greater ease. What a great way to help!
When she returned again after leaving a stove and tank of propane, she arrived to discover that the lady of the house was still cooking with firewood, but on top of the stove which they had put in the fire circle.
The stove was ruined, of course. She felt awful that her investment had been ruined yet after the class last night, she realized she was trying to help where help wasn’t really needed. Her solution only caused greater problems for the cook.
That cross cultural misunderstanding became very clear last night and helped my student interpret what happened.
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Why we do this
We do this work as part of God’s calling.
One of the joys in this work is watching a young believer take this public Baptism as a sign of his faith and in obedience to Jesus.
In spite of all the divergent views on Christian baptism, watching an adult convert take Christian baptism is one of the deepest joys I get as a pastor and missionary.
For those of you who pray for our work and support our work in Latin America, we give you deep thanks. Though you are not here personally, you enable this kind of fruit to happen.
An invitation to Guatemala
Pentecost is the time where we remember when and how the Holy Spirit was poured out upon the church.
The fruit of that day is seen:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. – Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Pero cuando venga el Espíritu Santo sobre ustedes, recibirán poder y serán mis testigos tanto en Jerusalén como en toda Judea y Samaria, y hasta los confines de la tierra. – Hechos 1:8 (NVI)
This empowerment for missions enables us to fulfill our calling and purpose, whether it is to our local area or in another country.
An open door:
Last October, a fellow member of PRMI, received a personal invitation to teach on the person and work of the Holy Spirit to a group of Presbyterian pastors in Guatemala. That created a spiritual thirst to know more:
- What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
- How can the gifts help me grow my church?
- How can I help people discover their gifts?
Now, we have received an invitation to return and give about 8 hours worth of additional teaching and training on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.
Through our connections with PRMI, we have the opportunity to share some of the foundational teaching that we has been shared around the world. These pastors, who may not have access to seminary trained pastors as teachers, will hear from us, and then be empowered to use this information in their local congregations.
Much confusion exists in the evangelical church in Latin America. I see it myself as I’ve been in 9 different countries. The person and work of the Holy Spirit has been subjected to abuses, misinformed teaching, and all sorts of strange interpretations (I’ve got tons of stories). Because there is often a lack of sound biblical resources, it’s easy for confusion, hurt, and pain to happen.
We have been invited to help bring a biblical perspective, and a solid one that is rooted in the Reformed Stream of the Western Church. The material we use makes so much use of scriptures that some of our manuals are over 1 inch thick.
These pastors are looking to us to provide solid, rational, biblical training to help interpret and balance some of the experiences that they have had.
Imagine Guatemalan presbyterian pastors full of the Holy Spirit, sound doctrine, empowering others in the Holy Spirit to reach their harvest fields! We get to play a a part!
Details
This retreat will be geared for pastors and their spouses at a retreat center outside of Guatemala city.
August 18-20, 2009.
Additional preaching opportunities and connections with Vida Joven Guatemala will likely occur, building on our relationship with Vida Joven Nicaragua.
Support:
The team is raising support for the trip to cover our international airfares and some translation costs to prepare and ship materials.
Donations to the team through PRMI can be marked “Latin American Missions.”
This is over and above our monthly support needs.
Teaching in Veraguas
Travel by bus
One class was about a 4 hour bus ride away.
Rising at 3am, quite groggy and hungry, I left to catch a very chilly bus ride to this little town. The air conditioner was on overdrive. At least this time I was prepared with a hat and fleece jacket. (I learned how cold the overnight buses are when I went to Volcan).
Trying to sleep was impossible. I passed the time praying for this country (which just had new presidential elections) and for the class I was going to conduct in Spanish. I wanted the Holy Spirit to touch hearts and ignite a passion for evangelism.
The class
About 20 had gathered for the class that began at 8.30am. The disparity in education levels stuck out — some with MD degrees, some with only 6th grade. All with a passion to share the grace of Jesus. One pastor needed 2 hours to get there for class — his little church was more remote than the little town I was in.
We spent 6 hours on personal evangelism training in cooperation with the Holy Spirit.
At times, the Lord moved us from the teaching into spontaneous worship, times of confession, repentance, and intercessory prayer.
We made sure that we finished on time to catch the last bus to the city to make our connection home.
The impact
On the way home, my host began to share with me how this teaching deeply impacted his life. Santos had been meditating on it for days.
“I felt like an evangelistic failure. I had been trained in many different styles, but never seeing any fruit. You helped me see that Evangelism is a process and I’m just a part. Conversion is God’s work, not mine. I can learn to trust the sovereignty of God.” — Santos.
He went on to share with me the impact on his life, outlook about ministry, and confidence. He recalled recent experiences of sharing his faith with family members and in the hospital ward where he ministers.
One of many
He’s a small group network leader in one of the largest churches in this country and is beginning to share these principles in his network.
Continue to pray for these students. I’m continuing to interact with them, encourage them, and equip them to passionately fulfill their callings. Pray that this teaching will spread and reach into networks I’ve never dreamed.
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