“The greatest moments of Native History lie ahead of us if a great spiritual renewal and wakening should take place. The Native American has been a sleeping giant. He is awakening. The original Americans could become the evangelists who will help win America for Christ! Remember these forgotten people!” Dr. Billy Graham
“…we see God working in terms of Jewish culture to reach Jews, yet, refusing to impose Jewish customs on Gentiles. Instead non-Jews are to come to God and relate to Him in terms of their own cultural vehicles. We see the Bible endorsing, then, a doctrine we call biblical sociocultural adequacy in which each culture is taken seriously but none advocated exclusively as the only one acceptable to God.” Dr. Charles Kraft, Anthropology for Christian Witness, Orbis 1996
The next 10 to 20 years will bring Native cultural expressions to the body of Christ that will be a tremendous blessing to many. Richard Twiss
Biblical Christianity is never found apart from a culture. It is always part of a culture. The Christianity of the New Testament was a part of the Greco-Roman world of the 1st century. There is no such thing as plain Christianity. Christianity always expresses itself through a culture. It is unique in that it can be expressed equally well in any culture. Grunlan, Stephen A. and Marvin K. Mayers, Cultural Anthropology: A Christian Perspective. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1988, 244.
“The only way to drive out bad culture is to create good culture. We need to recognize that artistic talent is a gift from the Lord — and that developing those talents is the only way to create good culture.” C.S. Lewis as quoted at: http://www.breakpoint.org/script4.html
“We know that this nation entered into solemn treaties [with Indian tribes] which have been continuously violated for more than 250 years. It’s a disgrace. It’s an outrage. We must do everything in our power to keep those treaties. Otherwise, the word of the United States government is no good.” U.S. Senator John McCain, Presidential Candiate
“I have but one passion – it is He, it is He alone. The world is the field and the field is the world; and henceforth that country shall be my home where I can be most used in winning souls for Christ.” Count Zinsendorf
“Without Christ, not one step; with Him, anywhere!” David Livingstone
“Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God.” Jim Elliot, Missionary to the Auca (Waodani)
“Lord, make me a crisis man. Let me not be a mile-post on a single road, but make me a fork that men must turn one way or another in facing Christ in me.” Jim Elliot
The development of strategies for world evangelization calls for imaginative pioneering methods. Under God, the result will be the rise of churches deeply rooted in Christ and closely related to their culture. Culture must always be tested and judged by Scripture. Because men and women are God’s creatures, some of their culture is rich in beauty and goodness. Because they are fallen, all of it is tainted with sin and some of it is demonic. The gospel does not presuppose the superiority of any culture to another, but evaluates all cultures according to its own criteria of truth and righteousness, and insists on moral absolutes in every culture. Missions have all too frequently exported with the gospel an alien culture and churches have sometimes been in bondage to culture rather than to Scripture. Christ’s evangelists must humbly seek to empty themselves of all but their personal authenticity in order to become the servants of others, and churches must seek to transform and enrich culture, all for the glory of God. (Mark 7:8,9,13; Gen. 4:21,22; I Cor. 9:19-23; Phil. 2:5-7; II Cor. 4:5) Point 10 of the Lausanne Covenant on EVANGELISM AND CULTURE
“Suffering, if it is accepted together, borne together, is joy.” Mother Teresa
Indigenous theologians Richard Twiss, Raymond Aldred, and Terry LeBlanc offer their perspectives on the interaction between Christian faith and Native American identity, and the relationships between religion, culture, and the gospel.
The desire to be truly happy is most likely the deepest wish of every human being. When one asks how to achieve that state of happiness opposing ideas and suggestions are given.
Some think happiness is found by throwing off all restraints, by letting nobody boss them around. “No one is telling me what to do”! “No other person, organization or even the government has any right to interfere with my pursuit of happiness”, they may announce.
Others may look for happiness by accumulating “toys”. “If I just could have that car, boat, airplane… I know I would be the happiest person”.
Maybe it is a trim, healthy figure or fashionable clothes that would make you truly happy.
Just a brief look around will reveal whether these methods truly bring happiness. There are many people who seem to have it all, health, houses, and more money than they can ever spend – but are they happy? Sometimes it seems, that the more a person owns the unhappier he or she becomes. Ask the man who was stranded on an island all by himself, with everything his heart could desire and no laws and regulations but his own, whether he was happy. At best, his happiness lasted a short while.
Then there are those who do not concentrate on how they can make themselves happy but instead focus on the needs of others. Curiously enough, they have found true happiness! If you don’t believe me, ask someone like Mother Teresa!
One of my personal champions, Jim Elliott, a missionary to Native People in the jungles of South America penned these words:
“He is no fool, who gives what he can not keep, to gain what he can not loose”! Jim gave up a promising career to bring the life-giving Gospel of Jesus to a remote tribe. While pursuing his calling, he and four other sharp, promising young men literally “gave” their lives. Today, the men who killed Jim and his co-workers have come to know Jesus Christ and lead the Christian Church among their people!
By the way, for a manual of principles leading to true happiness read and meditate on Matthew 5:1-12.
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)
If you are like me, you probably are more interested in finding answers to your questions than asking them. Life with all its little details and decisions seems to throw more questions our way than we think we can handle. But I am beginning to learn the importance of asking questions because to do so may help steer me in the right direction.
There are many people who make their living by asking the right questions. Lawyers ask questions, trying to unlock information, which might help the accused to be cleared of wrongdoing. Pollsters ask questions trying to feel the pulse of public opinion about an important political or moral issue. Medical doctors ask patients where they hurt and how they can describe their pain in order to come up with the proper diagnosis.
Now, suppose I know what the most important question to ever be asked is, would you be interested to know it? Before you say “yes”, I have to warn you though, because you will be forced to give your personal answer to that question! Okay-you’re sure you want to know?!
None other than Jesus asks the most important question! We first find him posing this same question to Peter, who had just lied about him three times. Today he is asking you and me:
“Do You love me”?
Notice he didn’t ask: “Do you go to Church”? Or “Do you feel spiritual or religious”? Or “Did you do enough good deeds”? Or “Do you call yourself after my name (Christian)”? The measuring stick for having a true relationship with him is whether we love him or not!
God’s Word says that the person who refuses to love doesn’t know the first thing about God, because God is love-so we can’t know him if we don’t love. God’s kind of love is shown by Him sending his son into the world as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they’ve done to our relationship with God.
What is your response to the most important question? Do you love Jesus with all your heart, passion and intelligence?
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)
Anyone who has ever tried to get to a destination and met with construction delays, accidents or obstacles of different kinds knows the frustration. What a waste of time to be stuck in a traffic jam.
In Acts 23:11 Paul received a specific word of direction from God while he was in Jerusalem. The Lord told him: “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.” Now, what do you think how long it took for Paul to get to Rome?
To make a conservative estimate, considering the transportation available at Paul’s time, he should have gotten there in no more than 2-3 months-but it took him 5 years.
Here is what happened: Immediately following his call from God, Paul’s enemies formed a conspiracy to kill him. His life was in real danger. Paul could have asked: “How come God, you let this happen if you asked me to go to Rome and to serve you there”? First, Paul was put in prison for his own protection but then he was “forgotten” there for two years. When he finally got moving in the direction of Rome, the ship he was on encountered a terrific storm. They shipwrecked off the island of Malta but made it all safely to land. As Paul is warming up at a fire, a poisonous snake bites him. Everyone there expects him to drop dead any minute-but Paul miraculously lives, unaffected by the bite.
Finally after 5 years he arrives in Rome, yet not as a free man. He is under house arrest, with a guard watching him-but he has freedom to share and teach about the Lord Jesus Christ.
What can we learn from Paul’s situation?
The way to get to our destination may be quite different from what we envisioned it to be. God’s Word is filled with examples of people who were seemingly sidetracked from their order, yet they kept faith that it would happen according to what God had said. Noah for instance built on a huge boat in the middle of dry land for 120 years, while his neighbors laughed him out of town. Moses was called to deliver God’s people out of slavery but he was placed at the backside of the desert for 40 years until he was ready. Joseph had a dream as a boy that he would keep his people from certain starvation, but he was almost killed by his own brothers, sold as a slave, put in prison being completely innocent… until the word of the Lord had tested him-and it came to pass.
Delays are never a hindrance to God’s purpose in our life.
Delays are not denials (God hasn’t taken back his dream/vision for you).
Delays happen, so the Lord can build patience in our lives.
God is more concerned in building our character than in getting us to a destination!
Nothing done in the will of God is wasted.
So, no matter what happens, hold on to God’s call, vision and direction when delays, trials and difficulties come and keep on hoping, even when all hope seems to be gone. In all the above stories, there were considerable amounts of delays and troubles-but in all cases God’s will was done. It will be in yours if you trust him and hold on!
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)
One practical way of helping us remember things that need to be done is to simply write them down as a list. Be it grocery items that need to be bought or a reminder to turn off the coffee maker before leaving the house, a “To Do” List can prove to be invaluable. Kids, Homemakers, and Managers use them everyday!
Personally, I find it most amazing of God our Creator and Redeemer to be so practical and to provide us with “To Do” Lists, enabling us, His people to remember what is important and required of us. How about this one, straight from God’s Word: (Check it out in Romans 12:9-21*)
1. Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. 2. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. 3. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle. 4. Don’t burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. 5. Don’t quit in hard times; pray all the harder. 6. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality. 7. Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. 8. Laugh with your happy friends when they’re happy; share tears when they’re down. 9. Get along with each other; don’t be stuck-up. 10. Make friends with nobodies; don’t be the great somebody. 11. Don’t hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you’ve got it in you, get along with everybody. 12. Don’t insist on getting even; that’s not for you to do. (“I’ll do the judging,” says God. “I’ll take care of it.”) 13. If you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink. (Your generosity will surprise him with goodness.) 14. Don’t let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.
To live by God’s “To Do” List will not only give us a sense of fulfillment and accomplishment, it is also proof that we truly love God! Jesus said: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”!
*)Peterson, Eugene. The Message. Colorado Springs, CO: Navpress, 1993
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)
“If you go through the high grass where the elephant has already gone through, you don’t get soaked with the dew”. (A proverb from Ghana, Africa)
This proverb traditionally meant that young men should follow the ways of the elders rather than run off to the right or left, exploring new and untried ways. While this is an important lesson, Rev. Joshua Kudadjie, put a Christian spin on the proverb:
Christ is our “elephant.” He is bigger than we are, stronger than we are, He was here before we were, He went through more than we have to go through and He took on Himself all the bad things that should have fallen on us. I would like to add that He cleared the path for us to come into relationship with God the Father, after our sin separated us from him through his sacrifice on the cross.
It not only makes good sense to follow Jesus Christ, it is clear that the path he made is the only one leading to the Father. Jesus himself states: “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me”. (John 14:6) Since He cleared the way for us, why should we go through life on any other path than following in His steps?
Interestingly enough, many still think, we need to make our own path to God, through good works or other achievements. We follow the old but unbiblical adage: “God helps those who help themselves”. The Good News about Jesus is that he came to save, set free, heal and help those who could not help themselves.
Often it’s either pride or unbelief that holds us back from simply accepting what Jesus has done for us.
Once we have followed Jesus to the Cross, where he died for us, and experienced the new Life he gives, we follow Him, doing good works, because we have been saved, not to be saved! (See Ephesians 2:10)
Let us follow the Leader, Jesus, who made the path for us!
(Permission to reproduce this material is automatically granted on the condition it will be used for non-commercial purposes, will not be sold, and will be distributed for the sole purpose of expanding the Gospel.)
