Who is viewing this blog?

Thought everyone might be interested in seeing where the audience for the blog has originated so far.  I would love to see the tip of Africa 'lit up' before we go there in January.  Praying for the people in Kwamhlanga.

Level Ground

Just thought I would share this little video clip that seems to sum up my "vision" and desire for "gospel simplification". 
Not just for our church setting, where everyone is on "level ground" and is of equal value before God, but also for our Africa team. 


Kelly

Here's "that" video of us!

Hi there... I'm showing Franco how posting a blog works so I thought I would share the South Africa Missions Team video launch that was shared at CITO a few weeks ago. Enjoy and pass along to your friends and family. Teresa

Create your own video slideshow at animoto.com.

I"M A BLOGGER

WOO!!

So i've finally taken the time to check out this blogging thing and now it's time for a long overdue post.

I'm looking forward to meeting up with all of you (the team) this tuesday, and discuss question in our work book!

That said i have 3 chapters to catch up on ;)

The Power of the Gospel

Ligon Duncan and David Platt reinforce the power of the gospel in and of itself to change people.

Christ - The Culture of The Church

In light of Chapter 2 I thought I would put up this video message entitled Fine-Sounding Arguments – How Wrongly ‘Engaging the Culture’ Adjusts the Gospel. I first heard this message last year at T4G and found it compelling. The speaker is Thabiti Anyabwile. It's pretty long but worth a listen for some interesting perspectives on the whole issue of culture.

If you would rather just have audio, you can find it here

Workbook Chapter 2 - Culture & Differences

I wrestled with this chapter this week. I think mostly because it only scratches at the surface of a very big subject and also because we don't have a picture of the SA culture yet. The word "culture" is a very inclusive term. It takes into account linguistic, political, economic, social, psychological, religious, national, racial, and other differences. Communication reflects all these differences - "Culture is a way of thinking, feeling, believing. It is the group's knowledge stored up for future use." (Clyde Kluckholn, Mirror for Man, p. 23)

"Let this attitude be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2: 5) I found it best to meditate on this verse after this chapter. What kind of attitude have I been developing toward others? Have I learned to regard others as more important than myself? Humility of mind is not an easy quality to develop - yet it is the only way to greatness in the kingdom of God (Chapter 1). God needs us to be "great" kingdom citizens.

Here is another quote that helped me from some supplemental reading:

"One can transport words across cultural boundaries (like bricks), but interpretation will depend on the context which their different interpreters bring to them. And that context will depend more on past experiences and present temper of the people to whom the words are addressed than on the good will of the persons who report to them." (Robert Park, Reflections on Communication and Culture)

Chapter 2 highlighted that as kingdom citizens we need to understand the culture, but also become a belonger in that culture. This is one of the greatest challenges in short term mission work - but more on that when we have Rebecca Schell come to our team meeting.

In Gods Service?

I am stealing this post mostly from the book we are going over in life group but i think its important in terms of missions so here goes. We don't serve god he serves us. Before we ever existed god was a complete being who had no need for us. He has no need for us now he created us because he desired to. I would say what we have to do before we can serve anyone we must allow god to completely fill is until we over flow. So that is our job in preparation for this trip to get full of god. We have to do this as individuals but also as a team so that when we go we serve the people in Africa and throughout our travels.

Facebook

Making life even easier for you to communicate ... CITO Missions Facebook page is up and going :)

The God of Mission has a Church in the World

Reflection - Chapter 1 - Workbook

Wow! Just a short note to encourage you to dive in. I am really looking forward to sharing our new discoveries together and hearing of the treasures you have seen that I can learn from. We are not meeting weekly, so this blog is a very important tool for us to grow in relationship and purpose.

One of my big wow moments (there were a few) in last week's chapter was right at the end when considering the statement: "The weakness of much current mission work and much current preaching is that they betray the sense that what is yet to be done is greater than what has already been done." Make no mistake - our contributions in 2 weeks in South Africa must be considered nothing compared with the work that has already been done in His people there. The roof on the building is not important and pales immeasurably compared to the meeting of God's people and His kingdom already being expressed!