Worldveiw

OK, so I was challenged by a fellow CIT student this afternoon to post something, so here goes…

Wow, we have been learning so much here, it is hard to sum it all up. As I think about the awesome and necessary preparation that we are receiving here, I wonder how past missionaries managed to survive without places like CIT. Today we focused mostly on worldview and ethnocentrism. I remember a few years ago thinking how much easier it would be to just evangelize a people group in English, or through a translator. My views have changed drastically since then.
An article that I read this morning dealt with the idea of contextualization. In essence, contextualization is the packaging of the truths of the Gospel in a way that it remains true to itself so that the target culture can both understand and accept it. This can be done only after one spends significant time learning the language and culture of the target group and forms genuine relationships with individuals. We all take our own culture into our ministries, but we’ve been challenged to separate our culture from the Gospel, so that those who hear may worship God in a way that is meaningful and correct in the context of their own culture. This is a big idea, and it is hard for me to even begin to write about it here, but I hope you get an idea of some of the things that we are working through here.
On a lighter note, I went for a walk with a new friend. I had driven by a small lake the other day, and wanted to get down there to explore it a little, so we headed down. I’ll definitely be back, and you may see more pictures of this little spot.