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Watch your language!

January 12, 2007 in Language, Ministry, Missions by Dave | 5 comments

We’ve certainly heard that line before. Whether we’ve used it or had someone use it on us, we know that something inappropriate had been said, something that didn’t fit in the conversation or context. Now, many of us would relate that unfortunate language to various four letter words that we may have heard throughout our lives, or perhaps to the childish giggles that accompany the use of “potty words” outside of their appropriate place, but today I’d like broaden the application of this phrase.

Alejandro, one of students in my evangelism class was testifying of a recent encounter. It wasn’t a report of “salvation” or “re-dedication,” but a reflection on his overly technical spiritual vocabulary. He was giving his friend a Bible that he had purchased when she asked him where to begin reading. He mentioned that the book of Matthew was a good place to start. Disappointed, she explained that she wanted to read about Jesus and not about Matthew! He had to take a minute to collect himself and explain that the gospels, although titled with the name of the writer were actually records of the life and work of Jesus. In his testimony, he shared with us that he was going to take the time to work through his thoughts, making sure that his communication with those who were not followers of Jesus would not only be correct, but also clear and understandable. He was committing to watch his language.

This testimony is a good reminder to all of us. We have a tendency to slip into routines in our speech. One story, related to me by fellow missionary Paul Kazim, is about a group of Bible School students traveling together. When stopping for gas, one of the students sticks his head out of the car to say, “The gas prices have really gone up, Amen?” Now while that line is certainly not out of place in the church, it would have a group of people scratching their heads at the local 7-11. Are we watching our language, or are we thoughtlessly separating ourselves from those we should be reaching with the use of a “sacred dialect.”

We missionaries must especially guard against this kind of behavior as much of our Spanish language habits are being built within the working environment of the church. Phrases like “Dios le bendiga (God bless you)” or “Bendito sea su nombre (Blessed be His Name)” are lines that can bring instant reaction in a worship service, but lose much of their significance when spoken in a secular context.

My brother’s post on the Bible knowledge of an AU student is proof that in the US as well, the need to clearly explain our God speech is more necessary than ever before. More and more, we are facing the same cosmopolitan, multicultural, and very often secular society that Paul faced in his missionary journey to Greece. In light of this, it would be a good practice to adopt Paul’s methods of explanation and the use of cultural references as he spoke to the crowd in Athens (Acts 17:16-31), meeting them in their context in order to share with them about their need to be in right relationship with God.

Like Alejandro, I realize that I need to remember to watch my language. I need commit to clearly relate to others (in Spanish or in English) what God has done in my life, and welcome them into the discussion by decoding my technical “God-speak.” Won’t you join me in the process?

How about you? Do you have a story to tell? Post a comment and share with us when you had to watch your “language.”

Part of the Family

December 4, 2006 in Ministry, Progress by Dave | 1 comment

This Sunday evening, I had a chance to preach at Golgotha Assembly of God here in Merida. The church is only about 5 minutes away from our home, and is one of the few evangelical churches that is located near the growing northern section of the city. We have attended services at the church on other occasions, but this evening was special. This was the evening that the church welcomed us as one of their own.

In our work as missionaries, relationships are the key to effectiveness. Without an open door, we have no work. So we have been praying for pastors with whom we could share our vision, pastors with whom we could partner and assist in discipling their people and equipping them to reach out to the lost all around them. Also, we have been praying for a church that we could call home. As foreigners, it is difficult to “fit in” in all circumstances. We have the fairest skin, speak the poorest Spanish, and probably drive the nicest car (thanks STL). We need people who can accept these realities, and yet be open to accept us into their circle of intimacy, take an interest in our well being, and that of our kids. This Sunday we decided that Golgota was that place.

Not only was the church conveniently located to us and strategically located to reach out into an unreached area, but we found at Golgota an attitude that drew us in. The pastor, Orlando Vazquez (pictured at the pulpit) a minister for over 50 years, has shown an openness to new ideas and a vision for reaching the world that I have seen in few congregations. In the 4 services that I had attended prior to last night, Mexican world missionaries were preaching in 2 of them, sharing their work and giving opportunity for the people to join with them in prayer and giving. For a church of about 60 members in Mexico, that was an amazing sight.

So we have a new church home away from home. Now that is not to say that we have been assigned to work with only one church, but in working and relating with the members of Golgotha Assembly, we now have another open door both to minister and to be ministered to here in Mérida.


Fueling Evangelism

November 12, 2006 in Ministry, Progress by Dave | 1 comment

This Monday started the new bimester at Bethel Bible Institute and with it began a whole new slate of classes. The new schedule finds me teaching Dynamic Evangelism to a class of seven first-year students (from front to back: Diana, Alejandro, Karin, Alicia, Lázaro, Bernardino, and Adrián.) This marks a sort of coming of age for me as a missionary. This is my first class that I am teaching on my own, completely in Spanish, but to me, much more is riding on these next set of weeks than solely an opportunity to “cut my teeth” teaching. What I desire is that these students not only understand me, but also learn.

The course, Dynamic Evangelism, is a subject that strikes fear, guilt, or both in the heart of many Christians in the U.S. and, I’ve come to find out here as well. Three of the seven students told me that they hope to be able to learn, through this class, how to get overcome fear that they have in talking to others about Christ. What I hope to do is to assist these students to begin making evangelism part of their lifestyle so that it becomes, not a dreaded task that they have to do, but a natural outgrowth of their Christian lifestyle.

I was reading another Guy Muse’s M Blog yesterday, and it seems as though he has the same idea. His post: What is the most effective way to evangelize is about finding God’s method to “continuously evangelize,” and he and his group is waiting for God to answer the question.

So we begin this prayerful foray into the experimental task of reaching people: How do we open minds and hearts to the Gospel? How to we pull away all that is culturally and traditionally bound to what we call Christianity in order to present the message of Christ to a culture that has deemed our message obsolete? How to we remain faithful to the biblical message and yet relevant to the society in which we live?

Stay with us as we embark together on this adventure with God. Follow along with our experiences, which I hope to post frequently, and above all pray for God’s direction and intervention in our class and in the work that takes place because of it.

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Like riding a bicycle

October 16, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 6 comments

Learning to RideWe got a chance to take the kids out to help them learn to ride their bikes this Saturday. One of the drawbacks of being a missionary kid is the lack of a constant environment and routine in which one can learn basic kid things like riding a bicycle. Well, Rebekah is now 7, and we decided that it was time that she learned this basic skill. Of course, her brothers wouldn’t be left out.

So we took Rebekah, Joseph, and Jonathan to the park, along with their bicycles. We had practiced a few times before, but for Bekah and Joseph, this was the day to go without the help of the training wheels. After about an hour, Bekah had it down and was running circles around us in the basketball court, while Joseph, although he had made significant strides, was sitting on the side with a broken pedal.

This got me to thinking about our methods of teaching as parents, and as missionaries. Here are some of my thoughts:

1. We have to establish a level of trust so that we can begin the training process:

Until we reach a certain level of intimacy, we may be able to give information, but training really isn’t possible. Kelly and I have a built-in relationship with our kids because we have lived with them for all of their lives, and we have been working with them in other areas as well. It is natural for us to be the ones to train them to ride their bikes. However, we have arrived with a cursory knowledge of the people and culture of Mexico, and we have to start from scratch in order to build relationships of trust so that we can begin the training process.

I have been given a great opportunity to develop these relationships in the Bible School. There I’m getting opportunities, not only to teach, but also to be with the students. It is through these times of being with them that they see who I am and what I have to offer as a missionary. This effort has paid off. We have had opportunities to preach and teach, and we are developing a seminar on leadership in order to address the needs of a student’s church. More opportunities to help are materializing as I continue to teach.

2. We need to teach so that people don’t expect failure, but at the same time are not afraid of it.

While working with Joseph, I realized that he would be riding very well, but with the slightest wobble, he was literally causing himself to fall. I needed to constantly remind him that he could do it, and although a fall or two was inevitable in the learning process, he could learn to keep his balance.

In teaching the class of hermeneutics, the students at first were almost deathly silent. Many of them were afraid of the ridicule of their fellow students. They were afraid of failure. However, as we established a safe place for them to do the work and a confidence within them that they could interpret the scripture, the class has become quite an animated place. What is more is that they are beginning to undertake the process on their own.

3. There will be hindrances.
Joseph had his pedal break as the result of a fall. Jonathan’s chain kept slipping after a previous bike-riding session. There are always unexpected items that we have to deal with. Still, a set of $3.80 pedals fixed Joseph’s problem, and a wheel adjustment Jonathan’s. Obstacles will come, but they don’t have to be insurmountable. What we need to do is find a way to get over them.

4. Success will come with time and patience.
Americans, myself included, think that we need to see results in the first week. Joseph was asking me to take his training wheels off on the first day. Still, the society that we are working in with its walled homes and busy work schedules doesn’t permit this to happen. Our persistent efforts to reach and teach will pay off, but they will take time. Sometimes it may feel like the training wheels are still on, but progress is being made.

One example is our neighbor, Marta. She works full-time in the house next-door, watching the children. Kelly, returning a ball to their home, provided an open door for her to ask about our work, and during a two-hour conversation about her life, she asked if we could take here to church this next Sunday. Marta is just one of the lives we can reach as we focus on living and modeling the basics of Christianity in our daily lives.

So continue to pray for us as we raise up disciples here in Mexico, and as we teach our kids to ride their bicycles!

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Dealing with the Heat

October 6, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry by Dave | 4 comments

DashboardTo the left you’ll find a picture of our speedometer in our Ford Expedition. The thermometer (numbers on the bottom) read 102. That reading was taken in late August as we crossed the border between Texas and Mexico. Imagine my surprise when this Thursday I looked down to see a reading of 105! Yes, as you have read in my previous post, A Culture of Waiting, we’ve been dealing with the heat quite regularly, so regularly in fact that although the post season is on in baseball, it’s been nearly impossible to “feel the fall in the air.”

Still we’re finding that the people of Merida have a bead on beating the heat. Many stores and businesses close from 2-4 when Mexicans normally have their mid-day meal. Not necessarily an official “siesta” time, it is still a time to get in to a cooler place at the height of the afternoon temperatures. It’s no wonder most of the houses are constructed of block here instead of wood. While also providing more strength against the hurricanes that have been known to sweep the peninsula, they also keep much cooler than their pine constructed counterparts.

Don’t try to find anyone at a park during this time. While there are many in the city, they stay dormant through the day, only to come alive in the evening around 6:00 PM when things start to cool down. Restaurants see business pick up around 8:00 and most cultural events don’t start until 9:00, quite a challenge for this family that was accustomed to turning in at about 10:30. Still, we’re adjusting little by little. Besides two showers daily never hurt anybody.

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Waking up to the Need

September 29, 2006 in Mexico, Ministry by Dave | 2 comments

Where has September gone? Between getting our trip here, getting our house in order and applying for our visas, it seems as though we’ve burned through a whole month! Just now catching our breaths, we’ve found some time to look around a little bit, and we’ve been a bit surprised at what we have seen.

The other day, while I was working on our front lawn two very friendly ladies, one in her fifties, the other a bit younger stopped by. Carrying materials that they offered me, they began with a message about the dangers of too much television watching, a subject that many of us are open to. However, as I probed a bit deeper, I found that they represented the Jehovah’s Witnesses, a cult that claims to be Christian yet denies the divinity of Christ, marking them beyond the fold of what we would call the Orthodox Christian Faith. The surprising thing was that not only were they out but they were out in force, going door to door with at least three groups in our neighborhood.

It also appears that this neighborhood is a neighborhood in search of God. Stopping around the corner to get my car washed, I struck up a conversation with Alberto, the owner. The subject turned to my work, which gave me an opportunity to explain who I was as well as talk a bit about my acceptance of Christ. When the conversation turned to his faith, he answered that he really didn’t know what it was that believed, but he certainly was willing to listen to what I had to say.

Going back to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, you can see the magazine that they left with me earlier in this post. The title is “Despertad,” which is a Spanish command that means: “Wake up!” I think that is what Kelly and I have received, a wake up call to the readiness of those who are searching, evidenced by my conversation with Alberto, and the limited time that we have to reach these searchers as false religions sweep in to snatch up those who are spiritually vulnerable.

Please continue to pray for us as we pray to reach Merida, and pray for those like Alberto, that they might be receptive of our message.

Making a Day of It

September 25, 2006 in Culture, Mexico, Ministry by Dave | 2 comments

This Sunday marked my first opportunity to preach in Mexico. I was able to share at the Centro Familiar Cristiano “Cristo Viene,” which translated reads Christian Family Center, “Christ is Coming.” The church is pastored by Berta Sabido Castillo, a pediatrician/minister. She invited me to speak specifically to the teens of the church during the Sunday morning service. I was able to share about my personal experience of being called by God when I was fifteen. It served as a springboard as well to preach missions.

The message was well recieved and many came forward to pray following the service. Also notable were the new relationships that were formed that will last long after the words of the message have been forgotten. I was invited back to help teach leadership principles to the cell group leaders, and our familiy was invited to spend the afternoon celebrating the 21st birthday of her son Josué, who also is a student in the Bible School.

We enjoyed sharing a meal of pollo asado, chicken cooked in rasins, orange juice and olives, along with lots of tortillas. The kids were excited about drinking Coke, which is the beverage of choice here in Merida (sorry Pepsi fans), and having a part of the cake, “tres leches.” A custom of the Yucatecos is to have the person celebrating to take a Mordita, or little bite of the cake before it is cut. The picture above is what resulted during the bite. It is also a custom to push the person’s face into the cake when taking the bite.

We’ve enjoyed this opportunity share a little bit of the lives of those who are working for the Lord here in Merida, and we’re looking forward to more opportunities to come.

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Opportunity Knocks

September 18, 2006 in Day2Day, Ministry, Progress by Dave | 2 comments

Dividing up duties in my hermeneutics (Bible interpretation) class with Paul, I got a chance to lead the group in making observations about the texts that they had been given for homework.

What they were assigned to do was to determine the component parts of the passage, verbs, pronouns, conjunctions and the like, as well as to find any comparisons, contrasts, and cause and effect sequences that there might be within the text. From there, I began to show them the way that their observations can lead to questions that can guide their study of the passage.

I found it interesting to note that, although these students had taken a class in hermeneutics, before, many of them had never mined a passage in this way. While I find that to a certain degree alarming, I also see the opportunity that we have. We have the opportunity to teach them what it means to be true students of the Bible, disciples of the Word, and it is my prayer that they will be disciples that will make change in Merida and throughout southeastern Mexico.

Back to class

September 8, 2006 in Ministry, Progress by Dave | Permalink

No, not back to language school, but back to the bible institute. We have just begun a new semester in which I will be team teaching, of all subjects, Hermenéutica, (say that five times fast) or Hermeneutics in Spanish. The picture above is of missionary Paul Kazim, teaching the class of 32 students who come from as far as Tabasco in southern Mexico in order to attend classes at Bethel Bible Institute. I’m excited as this will be a great way to expand my vocabulary and train others to interpret correctly the Word of God: one way in which we are beginning to fulfill our mission here in Mérida.

Saying “so long” to Dad and “hello” to the work

September 5, 2006 in Ministry, Progress by Dave | Permalink

We certainly didn’t want you to think that we have fallen off of the end of the earth here in Merida, although you don’t have very far to go to reach the end of Mexico from here. We only have about 20 minutes to reach the Gulf and on a clear night, they say you can see that lights of Havana Cuba from there. The reason for not updating on our progress has been our lack of internet connection.

We have moved from the Kazim’s home to our own rental, which means that on top of saying good-bye to Sandy’s home cooked Mexican food, we also have had to say good-bye to our internet connection. Fortunately, they still let us drop by from time to time to mooch their wireless and sometimes a cup of coffee. On the subject of saying goodbye, we said good-bye to Kelly’s father this morning. He flew out this morning, breaking up the two Daves team, but reuniting with Kelly’s mom and brother, Micah, who have been more than generous in letting us borrow him.

Saying good-bye to family certainly has not left us with lots of time on our hands. We’re getting straight to work, learning to navigate through the city, buying what we need for the house, starting up the children’s home school, and turning attention toward the ministry. I went yesterday to a service that marked the start of the semester for Bethel Bible College here in Merida. This semester I’ll be a part of a hermeneutics class that Paul Kazim is teaching. I’ll also be preparing to team teach as soon as we get our feet on the ground, something that I am looking forward to.

So, continue to lift us up in prayer for our continuing transition, that we will be able to make our house into a home very soon, that the kids can get on a good schedule that will enable them to thrive here in the city, that we will find open doors to our ministry, and that we will boldly proclaim the gospel.

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