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ARPC Missions Training Handbook (2.1)

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Table of Contents

Session 1: Motivations and Expectations .............................................................. 4 Checking our hearts ..............................................................................................................4 What should we expect? ........................................................................................................4 Trip Preparation .....................................................................................................................4 Building a team ......................................................................................................................4 Pray .......................................................................................................................................5 Planning for the Trip ..............................................................................................................6 Homework .............................................................................................................................7 The Big God ..........................................................................................................................8 The Big Plan of God ............................................................................................................10 Homework ...........................................................................................................................11

Session 3: What’s Wrong With the World? .......................................................... 12 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................12 Defining the Problem ...........................................................................................................12 When Helping Hurts ............................................................................................................13 Personal Reflection .............................................................................................................15 Applying to Cross-cultural Missions .....................................................................................15

Session 4: Who Does God Want to Use to Redeem the World? ........................ 17 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................17 The nature of the ministry: God’s strength through our weakness........................................17 Homework ...........................................................................................................................20

Session 5: Why Do We Fail? .................................................................................. 21 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................21 Love to bear fruit that last ....................................................................................................21 Why partner with missions agencies ....................................................................................22 Conflict Resolution ...............................................................................................................22 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................23 Personal Reflections ............................................................................................................23 Homework ...........................................................................................................................24

Session 6: Why Don’t They Understand Me?....................................................... 25 Introduction: opening question .............................................................................................25 The need for contextualization of the Message ....................................................................25 Contextualization of the Message ........................................................................................26 Contextualization of the medium of the Message.................................................................27 Contextualization of our response to the Gospel..................................................................27 Conclusion...........................................................................................................................28 Personal Reflections ............................................................................................................28 Homework ...........................................................................................................................28

Article by Paul DeNeui ........................................................................................... 29

Session 7: Debriefing ............................................................................................. 31 Introduction ..........................................................................................................................31 Part I: Intention – What to debrief ........................................................................................31 Part II: When To Debrief? ....................................................................................................31 Part III: Some questions to consider during personal debriefing ..........................................32 Part IV: What’s Next? ..........................................................................................................34

Annex A: Financial giving policy .......................................................................... 36

Annex B: Sample Trip Schedule ........................................................................... 37

Annex C: Sample Trip Budget ............................................................................... 38

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Annex D: Writing your testimony .......................................................................... 39 Part I: Contagious Christian .................................................................................................39 Part II: Clear Communication ...............................................................................................39 Part III: Close Contact..........................................................................................................40 Part IV: Christ-like Character ...............................................................................................40

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Session 1: Motivations and Expectations

Checking our hearts Let’s read from the following Bible passage:

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4, ESV)

Embarking on a mission trip can be an exciting experience. But at the same time, unfortunately for some, it can turn out to be a negative experience. This could be due to the trip not meeting one’s expectations of what one could learn or contribute. Or there could be some conflicts among the team members and/or with the partnering missionaries.

Share with each other your main motivation for going on this trip.

Share what do you expect from this trip.

What should we expect? Reliance on God - Genesis 3 – what was the temptation? To be independent from God - 1 Corinthians 1 – the message is foolish, only boast in the Lord - 2 Corinthians 1 – reliance on God

Trip Preparation

Building a team

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Now that we know each other better, one of the main focuses of the training and preparation sessions for the trip is to build up a team that can serve God together. And to avoid potential conflicts, we can start by listing down the various roles the team needs for the trip, and assign or volunteer for the role(s) each person would like to play. For example, a team can consist of the following roles (not exhaustive): - Team leader: planning the trip schedule, liaising with the partnering

missionaries, coordinating with Missions Committee for the trip preparation and training schedule etc.

- Assistant team leader: assisting the team leader - Logistics and Ministry materials OIC1: preparing all the Bible teaching materials,

skits etc. - Medical supplies and vaccination OIC: preparing the team for adequate

vaccination with church doctors as well as a supply for first aid medicine for the team

- Transportation and Accommodation OIC: booking of air-tickets, accommodation plans etc.

- Team devotion and worship OIC: assigning the team members for morning devotions, preparing booklets of worship songs etc.

- Photographer and Scribe: noting down the daily events of the trip - Treasurer: procurement of foreign currency, managing the budget of the trip,

processing trip claims with Church Office etc. It would be useful for every team member to play a role and be clear of what each role entails. The team can check with either the Missions Committee or previous teams who had gone to the same missions field to understand better how the roles would complement each other.

Pray Pray about the lessons you have learnt today, about your motivations and expectations. Pray for the team too as you begin to serve God and each other by playing the role(s) assigned to you. Pray that you may feel God’s heartbeat as you continue this training and for Him to work in you before, during and after your mission trip. We encourage you to keep a journal – you’ll be amazed how much you have learnt about God, about yourself and His purposes for you when you look back on your trip.

1 “officer in charge”

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Planning for the Trip In addition to the training and team-building materials that are contained in this book, there are quite a few administrative matters to settle. Do always check with your mission trip trainer/mentor on some of the “best practices” to avoid unnecessary mistakes in your planning and execution of the trip. Here are some of the things to note: 1. One way to find out more about the work that you will be observing/participating in

is to attend the prayer meetings for the missionaries. This will give you a good overview of the ministries as well as for you to establish relationships with the missionaries.

2. Always seek to book the air-tickets as soon as possible (please ensure that you obtain approval for leave early in the trip planning). This would avoid a rise in the cost of transportation due to last-minute bookings. As for accommodation, do check with the missionaries on the recommended places before proceeding to book on your own. The place you stay at should be convenient for access to the places of ministry, safe and with adequate facilities, but not luxurious (which might stumble the people whom you will be serving). Please book the air-tickets as a group, so that all of the team members are on the same flight. This will help the missionaries to receive you as a team.

3. When attempting to work out the program of your trip, always seek to be flexible and suit your schedule to the missionaries’ schedule. Do not plan other side activities (such as entertainment, sight-seeing, visiting local contacts etc.) on your own, as these might distract you from the main ministry. A sample trip schedule is enclosed at Annex B.

4. Sometimes, given the nature and working style of the ministry, some missionaries would not be able to provide a clear program in the early stage of the planning. Thus, aim to be as flexible as possible, and expect changes to the program. Do not let a lack of clarity affect your training and team-building efforts. Simply present your requests to God and do not be anxious about anything! (Philippians 4:6-7)

5. For the trip budget, you may use the sample in Annex C. Do submit the trip budget (together with the e-tickets for your transportation) to the Missions Committee as this would facilitate the claims (if any) from the Church for your trip. In general, each trip member (both adults and children) will be given a trip allowance of S$300. For processing of the claims, the team would only need to produce relevant receipts2 to show that each person spent at least S$300. If the expense per person is less than S$300, then the claim amount will be based on the receipts submitted. If the total cost of the trip is greater S$800 per person, approach the missions committee early to seek an increase in the claimable allowance.

2 Only expenses for airfare, travel visa and insurance, transport and accommodation costs will be considered.

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6. Finally, for donations and financial support to the work that you would be visiting, please read the Financial Policy in Annex A carefully.

Homework Read the following article (Chapter one from the book “Let The Nations Be Glad!” by John Piper. Reflect on your motivations for going on a short term trip and being involved in God’s mission: http://cdn.desiringgod.org/pdf/books_bnat/nations_ch1.pdf

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Session 2: How Big Is Your God?

The Big God

The scale of an individual On your way to work, you just missed the train and have to wait for the next train. In the train, you see hundreds of faces from many nations. At work, you worry about what your boss will say about the latest project. Then you share with your friends that your colleagues or family are ungrateful for all your hard work. All this time, your plans and your problems seem to overwhelm you. What elements of this description can you relate to? Discuss in small groups.

The scale of the universe

Stars 100 billion times 100 billion

People on earth (2016) 7.4 billion

Languages spoken 10,000

Cells in one human brain 100 billion

What do you think about the numbers in this table? Discuss as a whole group.

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Read Psalm 147:1-6 (NIV)

1 Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him! 2 The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. 3 He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds. 4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. 5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit. 6 The Lord sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. 3

How does this passage relate to the scale of the individual and the scale of the universe?

Now read Isaiah 40 Complete the table below using phrases and ideas from Isaiah 40.

Power of God Love/care of God

3 The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Ps 147:1–6.

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Application 1: Read also Isaiah 49:6. How will knowing God’s great power and tender concern impact the way we live our lives?

The Big Plan of God God is big. But what is his “bigness” about, i.e. what are His plans for the world? Trace God’s mission to save the world through the following verses, and fill in the table below: Verses What is God’s plan

about? Who will God use as His instrument to implement His plans?

Genesis 12:3

Isaiah 49:1-7

Matthew 28:18-20

Revelation 7:9-10, 22:1-5

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Application 2: From the table above, how would you summarize God’s plan of salvation and what is YOUR role in it?

Reflection: From this study, we have seen that God has made heaven and earth, heals the brokenhearted, calls forth each of the billions of stars by name, and empowers His people to bring His salvation to all nations. Now reflect how this truth could impact the following areas of your life: - Your fears and anxieties

- Your plans and problems in life

- Your relationships with family members, colleagues, neighbors

- Your relationships with foreigners both in and outside your home country

Homework

1. The Gospel, or Good News, of the Kingdom of God is the message that God has entrusted us to bring to the nations. Watch the following video to have a clearer idea of what this Gospel is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmFPS0f-kzs

2. Read the article provided (Chapter 4 from the book “When Helping Hurts”) to prepare for the next session. Get the article from Missions Committee.

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Session 3: What’s Wrong With the World?

Introduction A right diagnosis of the problem will lead to a correct solution. In the previous session, we see how God wants to save the world through the Jews, starting from the family of Abraham. In this session, we shall explore what it is we are being saved from, and how this understanding affects the way we do missions. What are the common mistakes people make when they try to help you? What do you think are the common mistakes you may make in this short-term trip?

Defining the Problem Because of Singapore’s current economic strength, when we are engaged in overseas missions in our neighboring region, we tend to be involved in projects that take place in countries that are economically less developed than ours. The immediate reaction would be to consider these people as poorer than us. But what exactly is poverty? What causes it? In short, what is wrong with the world? Start this section by watching the following video: https://www.chalmers.org/media/entry/small-group-experience-unit-1 Answer the following questions:

1. What are the four relationships set up by God, and how does the Fall affect

these relationships?

2. What is poverty seen from this perspective? How do the poor in the video describe their state of poverty?

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3. In what ways can those who live in developed nations feel poor?

4. How does the Gospel address our poverty in these four relationships?

When Helping Hurts Because of our wrong diagnosis of the problem, the way we help turns out to be hurting both ourselves and those whom we help. Read the attached article extracted from the 4th chapter of the book “When Helping Hurts”. 1. From Chapter 4 of the book, in your own words, describe the diagram 4.1 in

your own words.

Diagram 4.1

2. What are the common mistakes people make in providing support?

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3. A lot of times, mission trips involve development projects. How does the chapter describe what development projects are?

4. “Bad Relief Undermines Worship”. Gives some examples of how bad relief

methods cause people to lose opportunities to worship God holistically. 5. Why do people tend to help others with wrong relief methods? 6. Avoiding Paternalism when helping others can be summarized as “Do not do

things for people that they can do for themselves”. Discuss and give examples on how paternalism can take in the following areas: (i) Resource Paternalism

(ii) Spiritual Paternalism

(iii) Knowledge Paternalism

(iv) Labor Paternalism

(v) Managerial Paternalism

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Personal Reflection

- In what ways have you helped others wrongly?

- What are the areas of your life that are still lived out for your own glory instead of for God’s glory?

Applying to Cross-cultural Missions In missions work, to avoid the dangers of paternalism, missiologist Ralph D Winter developed a diagram to illustrate the Four Stages of Development in the Mission-Church Relationships (c.f. Article titled “Four Men, Three Era” in the book “Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader”).

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The end goal of all help (including mission trips) is a process (i.e. reconciling with God and the worship of God) and not a product (e.g. project, building, program etc.; i.e. danger of becoming an idol, the work of our hands). So while we aim to help others depend on God and worship Him in all areas of their lives, we too are called to do so in our own lives. And when rendering help to others, all parties grow in their spiritual walk with God together. When people grow in their faith in God through proper worship, they become mature, and will take the baton from us to continue in God’s missions to the ends of the world. So, for short-term trippers, our role then is to help the long-term workers (those who are based in the field) to enable the recipients of the Gospel to truly worship God. All the help, projects etc. that we render should aim to lead others and ourselves to worship God more. And to do so successfully, there is a need for humility to rely on God for wisdom to handle each mission trip in a manner that is suitable for the context of the people. In other words, there are no “cookie-cutter” solutions. And that’s the exciting part of serving and walking in God, always depending on Him to do His work, and bringing us closer to Him as a result of the journey.

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Session 4: Who Does God Want to Use to Redeem the World?

Introduction We have seen previously that God has a plan to save the world, to reconcile us to Him, and to save us from the sufferings from all the other broken relationships in our lives. Yet at the same time, the Bible reveals that God wants to use us as His primary instrument to save the world of broken humanity! Watch the following video to see the story of God partnering with Man in His missions, through the Covenants He has given over the ages. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ferLIsvlmI But how does a partnership with God look like? What is our role and what is God’s role? Let’s continue to find out more.

The nature of the ministry: God’s strength through our weakness

Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

1. Paul (and Timothy) said “we have this ministry” (2 Cor. 4:1, NIV). How did Paul obtain this ministry and how did this affect the way he conducted the ministry?

2. Paul taught plainly and openly (2 Cor. 4:2). Yet, there were people who rejected the message given by Paul. What was the main reason given (2 Cor. 4:3-4), and how does this affect the way we see ministry? See also 2 Cor. 10:3-5.

3. Let us look at how people get to a saving knowledge of God’s glory. What then is Paul’s [our role] (2 Cor. 4:2) and what is God’s role (2 Cor. 4:6)?

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4. Verse 6 alludes to Genesis 1 (the creation of the universe). What does this tell us about God’s work in people’s hearts? C.f. 2 Cor. 5:17-20

Read 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

1. The “treasure” in 2 Cor. 4:7 refers to the “knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6). Yet Paul described this treasure as contained in jars of clay. Clay or earthen jars (unlike bronze ones) were disposable and cheap due to its availability. Why then did Paul liken himself to “jars of clay” containing this “treasure”? See verses 8-12.

2. From verses 14-15, what motivated Paul to continue in his sufferings?

3. From verses 17-18, despite wasting away outwardly, how did Paul not lose heart (give up)?

Reflections From the passage above:

1. As we partner with God in His mission, a ministry given to us by His mercy (2 Cor. 4:1), what should be our main tools as we participate in God’s mission (2 Cor. 4:5)? From this perspective, how can we do mission wrongly?

2. How can people see God’s power through the ministry given to us, as we become jars of clay (2 Cor. 4:7)? How is this contrary to the world’s demonstration of its power?

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3. Being jars of clay, we will face difficult times. What should be our motivations in ministry so that we will not lose heart despite facing great hardships and suffering (4 Cor. 4:17-18)? How has this study challenged you?

We, like Paul, live in a time between two times – the first and second coming of Christ. And we have been given the power to be part of God’s mission (Acts 1:8). This is the same Spirit, which enabled Jesus to live a perfect life in the midst of weakness, suffering and opposition. And this Spirit is promised to all who believe in Jesus, giving us the power of His resurrection in our daily experience (cf. Rom. 8:10–11; 2 Cor. 4:10–11; Eph. 1:19–20), enabling us to continue in God’s mission despite suffering in life and opposition to us. The following prayer beautifully captures the life of a disciple of Christ in this world, a life that is lived out for God’s glory.

The Valley of Vision (a Puritan Prayer) Also refer to the song “In the Valley” by Sovereign Grace Music Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly, Thou has brought me to the valley of vision, where I live in the depths but see thee in the heights; hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory. Let me learn by paradox that the way down is the way up, that to be low is to be high, that the broken heart is the healed heart, that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit, that the repenting soul is the victorious soul, that to have nothing is to possess all, that to bear the cross is to wear the crown, that to give is to receive, that the valley is the place of vision. Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells, deepest wells, and the deeper the wells the brighter

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Thy stars shine; Let me find Thy light in my darkness, Thy life in my death, Thy joy in my sorrow, Thy grace in my sin, Thy riches in my poverty Thy glory in my valley.

Homework John Piper has written a few biographies of missionaries (John Paton, William Tyndale, and Adoniram Judson) who suffered much in their ministries, and yet knew Christ even more intimately as a result, tasting the comfort from God during the times of hardship. Go to http://www.desiringgod.org/books/filling-up-the-afflictions-of-christ for a video explanation of why John wrote these books, and obtain the free e-books for yourself.

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Session 5: Why Do We Fail?

Introduction Discuss what could be the main reasons for Gospel workers giving up in the missions field? Based on research4 on why missionaries leave the mission field, one of the main reasons is conflict among the members of the Body of Christ. It is thus not surprising that many of the epistles in the New Testament exhorts the church to contend as one man for the Gospel (Philippians 1:27-28), drawing the strength to love one another from Christ’s comfort, encouragement and modeling of humility (2:1-11).

Love to bear fruit that last Read John 15:1-17.

1. What is the link between bearing fruit and remaining in Christ? (v4-6)

2. What does it mean to remain in Christ? (v7, 9-10, 12-15)

3. What is the purpose of us bearing fruit? (v8, v11)

4. From verses 16-17, how did Jesus describe the fruit that we are to bear? And

4 Too Valuable to Lose: Exploring the Causes and Cures of Missionary Attrition (Globalization of Mission Series) William D. Taylor (Editor), William Carey Library, 1997

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how can we bear such fruit? How has this challenged you in understanding the importance of prayer and loving one another?

Why partner with missions agencies The task of the Great Commission is simply too great that it is not possible for anyone or any church to accomplish it on his/its own. So we recognize the need for partnerships in the mission field. In modern times, missionaries gather themselves into missions agencies for collaboration, fellowship and accountability. By partnering with these agencies, we are able to tap on the wisdom of “seasoned missionaries”, while providing care, support and an accountability structure for the missionaries we send and/or support. Maintaining these partnerships require love and unity amongst all the members. It is through the unity among Christians that the Gospel will be proclaimed with great credibility and power5. This was what our Lord Jesus prayed for the Church in John 17:11, 21-23. Therefore, it is not surprising that Satan would want to destroy the unity of the Body of Christ.

Conflict Resolution Despite our best efforts and intentions, conflicts will still take place in Christian ministry. We should not be afraid of these conflicts, but rather see them as an opportunity to grow as Christians, to understand ourselves and each other better. Above all, put on love and forgive one another, and let us not be unaware of Satan’s schemes (2 Cor 2:10-11).

Read James 4:1-10

1. What is the cause of quarrels among us?

2. In the same passage, what is the solution to resolving conflicts?

5 For more information, you may want to read up more on such partnerships in the following article “The Power of Partnership” by Phillip Butler (Perspectives on the World Christian Movement: A Reader, p753)

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Optional In the case of an accusation or a need to confront a sin, read Deuteronomy 19:15, Matthew 18:15-20, 1 Timothy 5:19.

Conclusion If there is anything we are to learn from Jesus, to follow His command and to be different from the world, it is to love one another. No matter how hard and difficult it is, the love God gave us and the love we have for one another marks us as Christians. And our love comes from abiding in Christ and His love. In light of this, Satan will do his utmost to destroy love and unity among the members of the Body of Christ. Love is thus both a spiritual discipline as well as a fruit of God’s love in our lives (1 John 4:19). It would be useful if we can commit the following two verses to memory, and let them remind us in times when we are tempted to give in to hate, fear, anger and pride:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35, NIV)

Personal Reflections

1. From John 15:16-17, we see the link between bearing fruit for God, prayers and loving one another. How has this study challenged your perspective on how to bear fruit for God?

2. How have you failed to love another person in your quest to “bear fruit for God”?

3. How can you be prayerful in your life and in ministry?

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Homework Here are two recommended books that will help you understand more about Christian fruitfulness and conflict resolutions:

1. Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome, by R. Kent Hughes and Barbara Hughes

2. The Peacemaker, by Ken Sande

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Session 6: Why Don’t They Understand Me?

Introduction: opening question Share your previous experiences in sharing the Gospel with a non-Christian friend (Singaporean or foreigner). What were the difficulties you encountered in communicating the Gospel? What were some questions your friend asked that caught you by surprise? Why were these questions surprising to you?

The need for contextualization of the Message When we listen to a message or observe a new culture, we filter the words according to our life experiences and our own cultural definition of these words. This results in misunderstandings at times! This happens even when we use the same language, let alone communicating in a foreign language. Take the case of Zhang Deyi, one of the first Chinese students to travel abroad in 1866. Any notion that he would have that Western ways would be easy to learn, or that they consisted only of tools not morals, was dispelled when he got to England. He wrote in his diary: "There is nothing here that is not the opposite of China. In politics, the people discuss and the ruler obeys. In family regulations, the wife proposes and the husband follows. In writing, they write from the left to the right. In books, they move from the back to the front. In eating and drinking, they take the soup first and then the rice, the cooked dishes first and then the fruit. In seating, the right side is honored and the left is considered lower. The host is honored and the guest is placed in a lower place. The reasons for this may be in their nature. Or it may be on account of their land being situated on the opposite side of the world to China so that the customs and systems are just reversed. All of this remains a mystery to us." Watch the following video to see how cultural barriers can lead to misunderstandings

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_WAmt3cMdk Thus, great efforts must be taken during communication, especially when expressing ideas that are foreign to the listener (who has different life experiences and definition of the same words). This gets even more complex when we are attempting to explain ideas foreign to the listener, and this happens very frequently during mission work. Watch the following video to see how a typical Thai Buddhist understands the famous verse John 3:16 during to cultural and religious gaps: http://hengster.zenfolio.com/missiontraining/h235ee6d#h235ee6d Thus, to communicate the Gospel effectively and meaningfully, we need to know how the listener perceives his world, his cultural and religious background so that we can choose our words wisely to suit the listener’s vocabulary, while being faithful to the Bible’s message. This process is known as contextualization of the message.

Contextualization of the Message Compare Peter’s and Paul’s speech in the Book of Acts, and list down the similarities and differences in the following table: Peter’s (Acts 2:14-40) Paul’s (Acts 17:16-31)

Profile of Audience

What just happened before the speech was given?

Passages the speaker quoted from

Similarities in the two speeches

Differences in the two speeches

Notice the similarity in the content of the Gospel as presented by both Peter and Paul, but how they spoke to the events (situational context) that just happened and also with

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vocabulary and cultural references that would help clarify the message to their respective audiences.

Contextualization of the medium of the Message Not only does the content needs to be contextualized, the way the message is transmitted also needs to take into account cultural background of the recipients. Watch the following video to see how the missionaries in Taiwan “repackaged” the Bible into smaller booklets to gain greater acceptance among the working class of Taiwan. Read the article called Mini-Bibles written by David Eastwood (Vol 11, No 1 Jan 2016 of OMF Mission Round Table).

Contextualization of our response to the Gospel In all forms of meaningful communications, it is a two-way process – the message being proclaimed, and the recipient responding to it. When the Gospel message has been contextualized and proclaimed clearly and faithfully, the one proclaiming is hoping for some hearts and minds to respond positively to it. And this response is expressed in the way a person prays, worships God in daily life, and during church gatherings/services. These responses also need to be contextualized for the recipient to the message, so that he/she can be responding in ways meaningful to him/her. At times, however, the contextualization of the response is not done properly, e.g. when locals are taught to express their response only in the way the missionary responds. This results in the locals embracing the missionary’s home culture, and their worship of God is dressed in cultural symbols foreign to their own culture. Consequently, many Asian non-believers still consider Christianity as a Western religion, and sadly this adds another barrier for them to understand the Gospel message. An example of this can be found in the article (written by Paul DeNeui) at the end of this section. For a similar Biblical example, read Acts 15:1-35 on why the Jewish Christians struggled with whether the Gentile church must be made “Jewish” through circumcision. Fortunately, the Apostles were wise to know that it was the faith of the believer which was more important, and the Gentiles were free to express their faith without need of Jewish “cultural garb”, eating Kosher food (Acts 10) and other traditions, while observing certain restrictions. These restrictions were designed for them not to fall back to pagan practices of worship and immorality, while preserving the fellowship between Jews and Gentiles in their respective cities (Acts 15:19-21). Discuss what you have learnt from the article by Paul DeNeui, and which of the points

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you agree and disagree with, and why.

Conclusion Contextualization is NOT Syncretism. The former focuses on presenting the Gospel as faithfully to the Bible as possible, while using terms that the audience can understand properly in their cultural context. When properly understood, the Gospel will challenge the audience to repent from their sinful cultural habits, while embracing Christ as the fulfillment of their hearts’ desires. In addition, as the Gospel is the Truth that sets us free, those who properly understand the message and respond humbly to the Gospel are free to express their joy in a culturally appropriate way. On the other hand, the Syncretism seeks more to please the audience by allowing them to retain their cultural beliefs and religious practices that are contrary to the Word of God. This results in a syncretistic mix of the message of the Gospel with indigenous beliefs, just to pander to the listeners’ sinful nature, and leading to no real repentance. Thus, to contextualise the Gospel effectively, we are required to love the people, and respect and understand their culture as much as we can. At the same time, we need to know our Bibles well in order to be as faithful to God’s Word as we can.

Personal Reflections Have you been patient in getting to know the person with whom you are trying to share the gospel with?

Homework

1. Do attend the prayer meetings for the missionaries that you will be partnering with. This will help you understand the work and the culture of the people you will be ministering to. At the same time, this will help you develop prayerfulness and dependence on God.

2. Write down your testimony and together with your team, work towards contextualizing it for the culture that you will be visiting. See Annex D for more information on how to write your testimony and share it with others.

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Article by Paul DeNeui Read the following article written by Paul DeNeui, 4/4/01, taken from http://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/what-happened-when-grandma-danced

What Happened When Grandma Danced

Jesus is a foreigner in Thailand. The forms most Thai Christians use to express their worship of him are primarily western imports. The average Thai person, viewing what they see in churches throughout their country, would say that Christianity is the foreigner's religion. It is seen as the westerner's way (of gaining merit) and because of a strong sense of Thai national identity with another religion most Thai people reject Christianity for themselves. Jesus remains an outsider to them.

But what would happen if Jesus came as a Thai? What would he look like? How would he talk? What would he eat? What music would he enjoy? What would happen if John 1:14 became a reality for Thailand today?

The northeast sector of Thailand is home to approximately 20 million people known as Isaan. With a strong Lao heritage the majority of these people carry cultural traditions that distinguish them from the Central Thai. Their language (Lao/Isaan) is different. They eat glutinous rice with their fingers as their staple diet. They have a unique musical heritage that goes back for hundreds of years and remains popular today. This was the region where the Evangelical Covenant Church of America sent Jim and Joan Gustafson as missionaries in 1971.

Through a process of learning, solely based upon the grace of God, the Covenant work began to bring Jesus to where people lived in a way that people could encounter him as one of themselves. The work began with the Word - and the Word had to be reborn as a northeastern Thai.

Something as simple as using the local language in worship made an immediate impact. "Jesus talks our village talk!" This exclamation heard by believers in Isaan seems simple yet is still considered radical. To outsiders it is an open invitation. Unfortunately, even today, thirty years after our work began, most westernized Thai churches throughout the Lao-speaking region of northeast Thailand still use the central Thai language in their worship.

It was during one of these local-language Bible discussions, as people sat on the straw mats in the home of a believer, that one elderly woman stood up from her squatting position, stepped into the middle of the circle and suddenly began to dance the traditional Isaan steps. Her thin arms and fingers waved gracefully back and forth in rhythm to her small delicate steps. It was a familiar sight at drunken parties - but this was Christian worship! There was no music, only a stunned silence.

Finally one voice called out, "Grandma, sit down! What do you think you're doing?"

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Without a break in her motions she simply stated, "You don't tell your old grandma to sit down. I'm 90 years old and I'm just thanking the Lord that you're here."

What happened after Grandma danced changed everything. Dance became a part of worship. And music soon followed.

Isaan culture has a variety of beautiful and melodious indigenous musical instruments but none express the heart of Isaan people more than the bamboo panpipes known locally as the "kaen". The incorporation of the kaen into worship did not come without questions, however. In animistic practices the kaen is used to call upon the spirits. Was it appropriate to use the kaen in the worship of the Lord Jesus Christ?

This question is still debated by many Thai Christians. Some cannot separate the idolatrous practice from the instrument used and therefore condemn the kaen as "satanic". However, for the local Isaan man or woman, unspoiled by western religious trappings, the kaen remains the sound of "our people". It speaks deeply to the heart values of those Isaan who are now in a new family as God's children. God accepts them as they are. As one follower says, "Why can't we use the kaen to praise God? We used the same mouth to follow spirits before. Does this mean we need to get a new mouth to praise God now?" Isn't a new heart enough already?

Over time a whole hymnody of Isaan music has been produced and continues to be written by gifted men and women changed by the grace of God. The church has truly become an indigenous Thai Isaan church that rejoices in using the best forms from their culture to celebrate new life in Christ. One recent song, translated below, expresses the fact that Jesus is no longer a stranger to Isaan people. And, of course, this is one of those songs to which Isaan Christians get up and dance!

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Session 7: Debriefing

Introduction God’s plan and will is to mould you to become more like His Son in character, to be more courageous and to have more faith to live a life that glorifies Him! Because mission trips typically take us out of our daily routines and cultures, and place us in another context, we may feel discomfort. And this discomfort can be a wonderful time for us to self-reflect and to better understand who we are. At the same time, we can use this time to encourage one another to a closer walk with our Lord. So don’t miss out on the team debrief session. It may be the end of the trip, but it is also another beginning for another chapter in your life with Christ!

Part I: Intention – What to debrief Debriefing of mission trips is an important process, and it might take more than a single session to do it properly. As every team and trip is different, we shall not impose a methodology here. Instead, we would like to highlight the purposes and principles behind the debriefing session(s). Generally speaking, there two types of debriefing: Operational debriefing - Focused on helping the church ensure that the DG mission exposure programme is meeting its objectives, this type of debriefing allows your team to provide feedback on what was done during the trip (e.g. observations on what was done well and what could have been done better), and what recommendations can be made for future teams. Personal debriefing - To help team members consolidate and integrate their mission trip experience into their personal lives, this type of debriefing provides each member to reflect on how the experience was for him or her, including both positive and negative aspects.

Part II: When To Debrief? Where feasible, the two types of debriefing can be carried out separately, with the operational debriefing preferably done before the personal debriefing. These sessions can be conducted by different people. These two debriefings have different purposes. Team members discuss the work / ministry aspects during the operational debriefing session. Thereafter, they are free to talk about how they felt personally during the personal debriefing session. Sometimes these feelings can be intense, and for this reason, bringing them up separately from the work / ministry feedback ensures that such feelings can be healthily expressed within the team with less time pressure.

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Frequency of debriefing sessions:

1. Instant debriefs: just after ministry has finished

2. Daily debriefs: in the evenings during the trip, e.g. "what did you learn today?”

3. Post-trip debriefs: varies in length according to length of trip - a day for each month on the field is a rule of thumb

Part III: Some questions to consider during personal debriefing Overview How was your time overseas? How did your pre-trip expectations compare with what happened? Faith vs Fears: What incident caused you to fear, worry, be anxious about? What does this reveal about you, and how can you overcome your fears with faith in God? Hope vs Ambitions: What disappointed you the most during the trip? What were the hopes you had that were dashed during the trip? What is God telling you through these disappointments? What are the ambitions that you harbour and that God wants to take them away?

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Love vs Tension/Hate: Which are the moments that make you angry or agitated? What was it that made it difficult for you to love another team member or the people there? How could you have reacted better during the conflict or moments of tension? What do these moments teach you about yourself, your sinful nature? Who encouraged you most and who did you encourage most during the trip? Joy What gave you great joy during the trip? Do you think the reasons for your joy are biblical ones? Glory of God What are the lessons about God that you have learnt? What are the things that God is challenging you, regarding your Christian walk and your understanding of missions? How can you use this experience in the future? How can you stay involved?

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Part IV: What’s Next?

What on earth am I here for? Just as in a mission trip, where we might be wondering what role we play during the trip, similarly, we too wonder from time to time what role we should play in life in God’s world. What on earth are we here for? What are our lives about? What plans should we make? The Westminster Confession sums up the purpose of man very succinctly and beautifully: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.” And this takes place in all facets of our lives: during work, play and rest. All of life is an act of worship. So how do we glorify God and enjoy Him forever in all of our lives? Read Romans 12:1–2 (NIV):

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.

The key is to remember God’s mercy to us as the main motivation of living out our lives as living sacrifices for God. As we make the change from making plans for ourselves to making plans for God’s glory, we begin to know and affirm His will for our lives – the will that is good, pleasing and perfect. One of God’s plans for the world is for all nations to know Him, and to bow their knees before Him through the work of His Son, Jesus.

Reaching the Unreached In Joshuaproject.net, the 100 largest unreached (those who have no access to the Gospel) people groups in the world are shown in the map here below:

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To reach these people, many times we have to enter these countries through our God-given professional skills. We work in these places, to live out our redeemed lives among them, both declaring and demonstrating God’s love to them. At the same time, many of the people who reside in these places are working outside their home countries due to globalization. Interestingly, in God’s sovereignty, many of them are now residing in countries where there is access to Bibles, churches and the Gospel! Thus, the opportunities to reach the unreached are endless, and modern missions can be said as from “anywhere to everywhere”. And the common theme is work! Work in itself is meaningless (c.f. Ecclesiastes), but in light of God’s mercy, when we do our work unto the Lord, it becomes meaningful and purposeful, because it is now part of God’s plan for the world.

23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, 24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Col 3:22–24 (NIV)

It is beyond the scope of this missions training material to cover this topic adequately. But here are some materials that may help you to reflect on this issue:

1. Read the following article on seeing work as part of our worship of God: http://businessasmission.com/sacred-secular-asia-australia/

2. Watch the following YouTube video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B41VYlA_CfY

3. Read the book “Every Good Endeavour” by Timothy Keller.

Missions at ARPC Finally, the missions committee organizes regular mission prayer meetings, missions retreat and discussion groups (called Roundtable). So do make it a commitment to join us to pray and serve God through cross-cultural missions. For it is our hope that this ministry will help you to take a closer walk with God, and to surrender more of your life to our Lord Jesus, and allow Him to take you on new adventures as you serve Him in His grand plan of reaching the nations for His glory.

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Annex A: Financial giving policy How do I give financially to support our missionaries and the projects they are involved in? The biblical principle in giving to missions should be 2 Corinthians 9:7

7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (NIV)

Thus, the missions committee works with our church leaders to support our missionaries fully (i.e. 100% of their needs), so that they do not have to solicit funds for their personal expenses. At the same time, ARPC leaders plan annually to give to support the projects our missionaries are involved in (in a significant and meaningful amount). In short, ARPC leaders decide on behalf of the congregation to support our missionaries financially. In times of shortfall of funds and in crises, our missionaries approach our leaders directly to communicate their needs, so that we can respond lovingly. This helps to prevent our congregation members from giving out of compulsion and suffering from “giving fatigue” as the members respond to a solicitation of funds due to a lack of planning. Of course, in the event where a person feels led by God to give, the giving should then be channelled through the missions committee, who will pass the money to the partnering missions agency to ensure full accountability for the usage of the funds.

How do I give financially to the “locals” that I met during the mission trip? In general, the principle is never to give directly to the locals. Always give to the mission projects through the respective missions agencies, for accountability. Giving to locals directly could cause dependency on foreign support, and hinder the maturity of the locals and the church in the respective countries. Furthermore, some missionaries have reported that locals who can communicate better (and so are more effective in obtaining money from overseas) will end up as the unofficial leaders of the new believers there, instead of those who are appointed because of their godliness. This caused disunity among the believers. So before giving, always check with the missions committee and our partnering missions agencies.

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Annex B: Sample Trip Schedule

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Annex C: Sample Trip Budget

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Annex D: Writing your testimony

Part I: Contagious Christian Sharing the Gospel is about using both words and actions to declare God’s goodness and the arrival of His kingdom. And there would be opportunities to do so during mission trips. One of the more effective methods is to share one’s testimony of how God has changed one’s life. To do so effectively in a cross-cultural setting, we need to prepare our testimony beforehand. This would help to prevent having some of the communication problems that were highlighted in Session 6. Sharing the Gospel is more than just preparing your “elevator pitch” or 10-minute script of how you came to know Christ. The effectiveness of a person’s ability to share the Gospel, or to be a “Contagious Christian” is well-captured in the following “formula”: Contagious Christian= Christ-like Character + Close Contact + Clear Communication

Part II: Clear Communication Here are some Tips: The testimony should not last more than 10 minutes. You might find it helpful to include your testimony with the following points:

(i) what you were before you became a Christian, how you became a Christian, and the changes you have made in your life now that you are a Christian;

OR (ii) how God has challenged and changed you recently, in an area of

discipleship. Be natural and do not hesitate to use your personal details and experiences, while grounding your sharing on biblical truths. By being yourself, you can avoid sounding exactly like the next team member!

Exercise Read your testimony to each other, and help each other by looking out for terms that would sound too culturally foreign to the listeners (i.e. Christian jargons such as “born

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again”, “Gospel”, etc, or words/acronyms specific to your culture e.g. “O-levels”, “HDB” etc). Finally, help each other to explain Christian concepts that could be misunderstood by non-Christians due to their differing religious beliefs, and apply what you have learnt from the principles of contextualization.

Part III: Close Contact Secondly, there is preferably a need for close contact between the person sharing and the one receiving the Gospel. This means time and effort would be required to develop godly relationships through meaningful conversations (Colossians 4:6). And the aim is to understand the hopes and fears of the other person, knowing what drives the person toward certain goals, and seeing how the Gospel could address these issues in a meaningful way. In other words, we are not called to regurgitate information from some tracts in a mechanical way, but to share the Gospel in a loving way to the one we are called to love. As part of our trip preparation, it is thus important to know the culture of the people whom we are serving. We could learn this by doing research (Internet, books etc.) and asking our partnering missionaries what they have learnt about the people they are ministering to.

Part IV: Christ-like Character Last and most importantly, the one sharing is also called to bear a Christ-like Character, for the credibility of the message lies in the life of the person sharing it. For Paul exhorted Timothy with the following words

16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Tim. 4:16 (NIV)

And remember, we are not to draw attention to ourselves, but to the saving work of Christ in our lives, so that people will want to see Christ, for we are only jars of clay, carrying the treasure of Christ.

5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 2 Cor. 4:4–7 (ESV)