in the classroom

Monday Oct 26 2009 Noon
New Theological Seminary, North India

Another normal beautiful day: around 80 degrees F - in the sun, clear blue skies. I am sitting at my guest room desk with the door open to the screen door, the large balcony to my right. The sun has not reached this side of the building yet, but in a few hours I will have to close the door to keep the heat out. This is winter so the air conditioning is off. A number of students and staff were wearing shirts and sweaters.! I would be in shorts if the culture permitted that. These mountain valleys cool nicely at night. But it is not a total paradise – more on that in future posts.

..... teaching a class

This morning I was invited to teach the second year Bachelor of Divinity class, 16 students, men and women. They were here from various parts of the country. What a joy it was. Class instruction is in english. We had some dialogue about the challenges to doing ministry in India as compared to North America. We discussed the struggles of pastoral ministry and how to utilize resources which allow God to refresh and strengthen us. I spoke from my years of experience, illustrating how resistance to Kingdom of God work comes as much from 'within' the community of faith as it does form 'without', the secular culture in NA and the very religious culture of the hindu north.

I shouldn't be surprised, but it still amazes me, when I witness the respect and responsibility shown by the students. Today is the start of a new semester, so our classroom had not been used after a 5 day break: students quickly moved chairs, dusted off the teachers desk, made sure the whiteboard was clean, picked up small pieces of dust and trash off the floor before I entered the room. And those arriving late, asked permission to enter the classroom. Somehow I can't see that happening in a Canadain University!

My students all believe God has called them to ministry, and they are praying for clear direction for when they graduate. They conveyed inspirational passion and expectation. I was blessed.

As I type I can hear a lecture in theology taking place. There are classes in Christian Education, music, Bible, Missions – and of course Philosophy, which Jim teaches.

The school gathers at 8 am for a 30 minute chapel. Students led the prayer & praise time, and Jim was today's preacher. I want you to note that this was the 5th sermon the students have heard in less than 24 hours! And they 'thirst for more'! Two class periods, each 50 minutes long follow chapel. Then it is time for 'chai'. The entire school gathers for 10 minutes: a cup of chai tea in small metal cups (black tea in china cups is offered for guests like me) and announcements. Then three more class periods. If I understand correctly, afternoon is usually study time and late afternoon is sports time. Because Jim is here only for 3 weeks, his classes will have to have extra afternoon instruction time.


I am not sure what the rest of the week will hold, but I know it will not be boring!

how long can you worship?

Sunday October 25 2009
New Theological Seminary, North India

.... how long can you worship?

The Church gathers at 9 am. The NTC community numbers about 300 people, including families, faculty, and students. Today, because it is the end of a 4-day sememster break – and some are out of town - the numbers are down. I estimate about 225. Women sit with their husbands, but single females are on the preacher's left, single males on the right.

This morning there are 3 preachers, two are a lead up to the special guest preacher from Canada. When I begin at 11:10 am, there have already been 45 minutes of worship (praise songs, one hymn – some in Hindi, some in English) and two Bible messages. The first was expositional preaching of Psalm 100; the second was exhortation from Isaiah 61:1-3. I was assured not to feel rushed. I am given one of their best translators (this being my first time preaching with a translator, perhaps they expected a tough challenge!) Over half are able to understand English, so the real test is to see if the response/laughter after I pause in English, is also repeated after the Hindi translation.

I had absolutely no trouble with the translator, who stood to my right. (You need a double wide lectern to accomodate both of us and our Bibles and notes and mics). We immediately got into a rythm, and I only crossed her up once or twice. I preach nine lessons from the letter of Paul to Philemon.

Church is done at Noon – a full 3 hours after we start! Try that at home! The entire school gathers again at 6 pm for one hour of worship and the 4th sermon of the day! Dinner at 7 pm after roll call for the start of the 2nd semester. Spiritually fed for sure.

.... preaching in bare feet

This is an interesting experience. If you lead in prayer, or the singing, or if you preach – basically if you are on the platform at any point, you take off your shoes. Barefoot or socks – both are acceptable.The 'holy ground' aspect. Women cover their heads if they are leading, and wear colourful Indian garments. Pants are quite acceptable for men and women, lots of blue jeans for the guys. I have only seen shorts on the cricket/soccer field.

We are back in our rooms by 8 pm – to read, write, sleep. It has cooled down, and the loud music from a Hindu celebration echoes through the valley until late night. Jim says it lasted until after 5 am on Monday!

so why India? (part #1)

It was the last week of the summer of 1970. I was 18 years old and had just come off one very active summer that included working at two Christian camps and a school trip to Japan. Now I was the camper, college & Careers Camp at Mini-yo-we on Mary Lake. The speaker for the week was a young student from Ontario Bible College - Revi Zacharias. Ravi was born in Madras, India, and came to faith in Christ at the age of 17 after a failed suicide attempt. A 1966 move to Canada with his family enabled him to study at OBC (now Tyndale University and Seminary) allowed our lives to intersect for one brief week.

There we were, about 100 young people, listening to the most inspiring Bible preaching that I had ever heard in my short life. To the best of my recollection, Ravi spoke on Romans 1:1 "Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, seperated to the gospel of God." The call was clear. God was looking for some of us to commit 100 % to serving the Lord, to dedicate our lives fully to following and living for Christ. So I responded. My life took on a new focus. And a long journey of ministry, begun then, continues to this day. And it was a young 24 year old from India who was instrumental in making the adventure happen.

So now I get to make my first trip to the land that birthed the servant of Christ who in a way helped birth this servant of Christ.

By the way, Ravi went on to become a world leader in the field of evangelism and apologetics. You can read about him here and you can view his ministry website here

the primacy of The Word

Jonathan Edwards and The Ministry of The Word, Douglas A. Sweeney

* how schoolboys have changed!!! (p. 35) in Edwards' own words from his PERSONAL NARRATIVE: "I used to pray five times a day in secret, and to spend much time in religious talk with other boys, and used to meet with them to pray together.... it was my delight to abound in religious duties. I, with some of my schoolmates joined together, and built a booth in a swamp, in a very secret and retired place, for a place of prayer. and besides, I had particular secret places of my own in the woods, where i used to retire by myself... I seemed to be in my element when engaged in religious duties."

* P. 41 again, from his PERSONAL NARRATIVE The Pivotal Verse that Changed J. Edwards' Life?
1 Timothy 1:17 "Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen."

* a look at his life will cause us to ask these questions about our own setting:(p.31)
1. What can we do in our world to draw attention to The Word?
2. What can be done to encourage Christians to pay attention to the divine, thinking Biblically, theologically, about their daily lives?

is the 'emerging church' the only version of the next church?

THE NEXT EVANGELICALISM: FREEING THE CHURCH FROM WESTERN CULTURAL CAPTIVITY -
Soong-Chan Rah

(love this quote) p. 108
"there I was, sitting in yet another workshop led by yet another blonde-haired, perpetually twenty-nine, white male with a goatee and eyeglasses way cooler than yours." - with absolutely no recognition that there are 'emerging' or 'next-generation' churches with Black, or Asian or Hispanic leadership/congregations ...

the 'post-modern' movement in evangelicalism is still a movement held captive/blinded by and therefore perpetuating the white-western image and ethos

Rah says it is outragious how many books are written on the emerging church compared to its relative size as a movement - only 150 pomo congregations in the US but 300-700 second-generation Asian congregations - but where is the notoriety, publicity for them?

p. 113 - 115 post-moderns crave community, communication, authenticity, diversity (and it has nothing to do with denomination loyalty, dynamic sermons, worship style)- but is the w/w church really answering the call?

simulation rarely promotes long term stimulation

p. 117
pluralism is universally recognized as the central tenet of postmodernity yet where is it affirmed in the post modern expression of evangelical Christianity? - the only acknowledgement appears to be in the question of how other faiths impact Christianity and how the EC will impact the world - BUT NEVER ABOUT HOW NON-WHITE CHRISTIANITY WILL SHAPE AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY!

P. 124 "I personally find the term 'emerging church' offensive. I believe the E/C is the church in Africa, Asia and Latin America - churches growing by leaps and bounds. For a small group of white Americans to usurp the term = reflects arrogance."

p. 125 E/C leaders = disgruntled with baby-boomer evangelicalism ... why don't they leave B/B churches and join immigrant churches instead of clustering with other white Americans to form a new movement!

Acts 2, the real reason for church growth

The Next Evangelicalism by Soong-Chan Rah
p. 106 - 107

Modern/Western reading of Acts 2:
* preaching(& Holy Spirit?) are emphasized as causing growth
* vs. 40 = "with many other words he warned them and pleaded with them"
* vs. 41 = culmination - "those who accepted the message were baptized and 3000 were added"

Alternative reading:
* vs. 41 is a bridge from Peter's sermon (vs. 14-40) to details on church life (vs. 42-47)
* chiastic (very common to Greek literature)

A.numerical growth of church - 41
B.church life:fellowship(teaching,bread breaking,prayer)[outsiders amazed]-42,43
C. SELF SACRIFICIAL CARING OF CHURCH - 44, 45
B.church life:fellowship(meet in Temple,break bread,praise)[outsiders amazed]-44,45
A.numerical growth of church - 47

Therefore, it is possible to see church life, scrificial living as the active ingredient in church growth (as opposed to the delivery system of proclamation)- or at least as an equal partner = the intersection of primary & secondary cultures!(see previous post)

primary or secondary cultural context

THE NEXT EVANGELICALISM - Soon-Chan Rah

church growth movement prioritized personal salvation/individualism at the expense of social justice/community - p. 97

church growth movement/megachurch rise revealed its captivity to western/white culture's market driven materialism by also awarding greater respect to bigger/richer - p. 98

Problem: racial segregation is justufied because churches grow faster along homogenious lines - THEREFORE BLINDING AMERICAN EVANGELICALISM TO GROWING PLURALISM! - p. 98

primary cultural systems or secondary cultural systems

primary = prioritize relationships
secondary = prioritize structures/institutions/services

primary = tribal, values people,survival depends on relationships & oral communication

secondary = industrial, impersonal, survival depends on knowledge & written communication, especially through machines .......p. 100

p. 105 = intersection of primary and secondary cultures is era of NT church: flourishing frimary culture of Judaism + emerging secondary culture of Roman Empire (note rodney Stark's 1996 Harper Collins book The rise of Christianity:How the Obscure, Marginal Jesus Movement Became the Dominant Religion Force in the Western World in a Few Centuries
* about 1,000 Christians A.D.40 to 4 million A.D.350 (56% of world population)
* conversions occured along relational networks (primary)+ care for diseased, poor
* news travelled the empire via good roads, trade