Ask myself am I like this today---
Am I lusting after, unhappy without, or incomplete without: A person, procession, object, amenity, and or attention?
If yes, I do not have LOVE!
Am I seeking a rush of emotions, seeking an experience more than calm delight?
If yes, I do not have JOY!
Am I filled with worry and fear? Does my mind go back to things that I should leave to God to figure out? Our do I struggle and worry about the future that I cannot change?
If yes, I do not have PEACE!
Am I quickly angered, frustrated by waiting, filled with impatience about my ministry, family, life, or future?
If yes, I do not have LONGSUFFERING!
Am I feeling unkind? Do I feel that it is a burden to be friendly, good and kind. Do I feel that I have the right to be mean and unfeeling?
If yes, I do not have GENTLENESS!
Am I filled with doubt and am I wondering if what God says is true? Do I know the truths of God’s Word and struggle to claim them, or say that they do not apply to my situation? Do I feel that I have to understand, figure out, or control the circumstances of my life, because no one else will?
If yes, I do not have FAITH!
Are my actions, thoughts, words, focused on myself? I am confident because of what I can do or have done, or am I fearful or inactive because of what I cannot do?
If yes, I do not have MEEKNESS!
Am I self-controlled (Spirit-controlled)? Do I seem to have no ability to control lust, appetites, habits, or actions? Do I live by my feeling or wants, and seem to be controlled by them even when I would like to do the right things?
If yes, I do not have TEMPERANCE!
IF I HAVE TO SAY YES TO ANY OF THESE QUESTIONS, THEN THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT FILLING ME ON A REGULAR BASIS, FOR HE PRODUCES THESE FRUITS IN ME!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Is There a McDonald's In Ghana??
Since arriving in Ghana six years ago, I have come to learn a lot of things about West African culture. One of the first things that will strike the student that is trying to understand West Africans is the way in which they interpret interpersonal relationships.
Let me try to explain: in western society as a whole one of the focuses of causal relationships is gaining information. This quest for relationship entails the trustworthy sharing and receiving of needed information. If a person has a casual relationship with someone, and finds that the information provide by that person is false, then most likely that relationship will be terminated.
For example- Jim is a contractor that buys building supplies for projects. He normally purchases these items at a local hardware store, but after meeting a salesmen named Sid, Jim discoveries that if he asks Sid if the store stocks a item that he needs, Sid will tells them that they have it, but once Jim looks around, he discovers that the item that he needs is out of stock, or not available at the store. Because Jim now sees Sid as untrustworthy he will brake the relationship and start buying his supply at the new Home Depot in the next city, where he believes they will give him proper information.
This scenario is not understood by may West Africans. Here the focus is not on the accuracy of information being relayed, but that it is being relayed. Relationships are parmount. If a person is asked for help or basic information, even if the person asked does not know the answer, an answer will be given. The African will seek to determine from body language, needs, language usage, what the person asking wants to hear, and therefore many times will give the response that they think that the person asking wants to hear. Here the focus of the culture can be seen. In the West Africa of the past, information was limited and protected, and relationships where thought to be of greater importance. In our culture here, it is thought more damaging to appear unhelpful or unkind, then it is to relate correct facts.
For example- Kofi is a foreigner that is new to Kumasi, a large city of about 2.5 million people. Kofi is a young business man that dresses according to his profession, and has come to the central market looking to buy a rare item, that he needs for his business. Because Kofi is new to the city and does not know where to find this item, he decides to ask a young man if he knows of any stores in which this item can be found. The young man quickly assures him that he knows of some places. After about two hours and ten different stores, Kofi comes to understand that the young man was just trying to be helpful, not only does he not know of any stores that sell the item, the young man does not even now what the item is. Kofi is angry at the young man for wasting his time, and as he leaves the young man is confused way the man is angry at him for being helpful. The Africa understands that even if proper information was not given he was trying to be friendly and helpful, and of course that is the most important thing.
These two examples might seem hoarse to a reader, but in truth they are an imperfect, but fair example of each cultural ideal. Now a person might wonder what this has to do with McDonald's. Well, my friend Andrew Aaron and I tried to put this theory to the test the other day. We had been traveling to the capital when the truck that we where riding in got its third flat tire of the morning, and we where stranded in the jungle for two hours. My friend had his video camera, so we decided to see if our theory was true.
Here is our theory: If a broni (foreigner) asks a local man about the location of a place that he has never heard of, he will still give him an answer, just because he does not want to offend the boni.
So with our camera in hand we set out to answer our theory. Would a African tell us there is a McDonald's in Ghana, even though they do not know what it is?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=1138220825106
From this video a person can see that most often Africans will tell the person asking questions what they think the person watns to hear. This is very important for those people trying to give the gospel to starngers. Unless an African knows a preaching of the gospel well enough or they are confronted with a clear enough Gospel presetation that attacks their foundation thoughts about life, they will got assent to all question and follow social harmony rules. This video give some evidence to this fact, and I hope it is helpful.
Let me try to explain: in western society as a whole one of the focuses of causal relationships is gaining information. This quest for relationship entails the trustworthy sharing and receiving of needed information. If a person has a casual relationship with someone, and finds that the information provide by that person is false, then most likely that relationship will be terminated.
For example- Jim is a contractor that buys building supplies for projects. He normally purchases these items at a local hardware store, but after meeting a salesmen named Sid, Jim discoveries that if he asks Sid if the store stocks a item that he needs, Sid will tells them that they have it, but once Jim looks around, he discovers that the item that he needs is out of stock, or not available at the store. Because Jim now sees Sid as untrustworthy he will brake the relationship and start buying his supply at the new Home Depot in the next city, where he believes they will give him proper information.
This scenario is not understood by may West Africans. Here the focus is not on the accuracy of information being relayed, but that it is being relayed. Relationships are parmount. If a person is asked for help or basic information, even if the person asked does not know the answer, an answer will be given. The African will seek to determine from body language, needs, language usage, what the person asking wants to hear, and therefore many times will give the response that they think that the person asking wants to hear. Here the focus of the culture can be seen. In the West Africa of the past, information was limited and protected, and relationships where thought to be of greater importance. In our culture here, it is thought more damaging to appear unhelpful or unkind, then it is to relate correct facts.
For example- Kofi is a foreigner that is new to Kumasi, a large city of about 2.5 million people. Kofi is a young business man that dresses according to his profession, and has come to the central market looking to buy a rare item, that he needs for his business. Because Kofi is new to the city and does not know where to find this item, he decides to ask a young man if he knows of any stores in which this item can be found. The young man quickly assures him that he knows of some places. After about two hours and ten different stores, Kofi comes to understand that the young man was just trying to be helpful, not only does he not know of any stores that sell the item, the young man does not even now what the item is. Kofi is angry at the young man for wasting his time, and as he leaves the young man is confused way the man is angry at him for being helpful. The Africa understands that even if proper information was not given he was trying to be friendly and helpful, and of course that is the most important thing.
These two examples might seem hoarse to a reader, but in truth they are an imperfect, but fair example of each cultural ideal. Now a person might wonder what this has to do with McDonald's. Well, my friend Andrew Aaron and I tried to put this theory to the test the other day. We had been traveling to the capital when the truck that we where riding in got its third flat tire of the morning, and we where stranded in the jungle for two hours. My friend had his video camera, so we decided to see if our theory was true.
Here is our theory: If a broni (foreigner) asks a local man about the location of a place that he has never heard of, he will still give him an answer, just because he does not want to offend the boni.
So with our camera in hand we set out to answer our theory. Would a African tell us there is a McDonald's in Ghana, even though they do not know what it is?
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=1138220825106
From this video a person can see that most often Africans will tell the person asking questions what they think the person watns to hear. This is very important for those people trying to give the gospel to starngers. Unless an African knows a preaching of the gospel well enough or they are confronted with a clear enough Gospel presetation that attacks their foundation thoughts about life, they will got assent to all question and follow social harmony rules. This video give some evidence to this fact, and I hope it is helpful.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Our Second Set of Baptisms
On Sunday the 17th of May, we had our second set of baptisms. We were able to spend two weeks teaching on baptisms in our services and talking about church membership. Though we are not a church yet, we do want people to understand that they cannot be members of a Baptist church until they are saved and baptized.
We had the pleasure of baptizing Dora and Christiana on Sunday. The Lord gave us nice bright weather. We also had a lot of people attend. It was exciting to see the spirit of expectation in the Bible Studies on Sunday Morning.
Here are a few pictures.
We had the pleasure of baptizing Dora and Christiana on Sunday. The Lord gave us nice bright weather. We also had a lot of people attend. It was exciting to see the spirit of expectation in the Bible Studies on Sunday Morning.
Here are a few pictures.
Here is our family getting ready to go to the baptisms.
Monday, May 4, 2009
From the Mouth of Babes...
It is amazing at times to watch young Christians grow. Many times when a missionary is teaching and training young Christians he can be amazed at their maturity. Wednesday of this last week Andrew and I went to Dora's house for a study about baptism. (Dora is a new convert that Patty has led to Christ). She is from the north of Ghana, and was raised in a Traditional home. The first eighteen years of her life, before she moved to Kumasi, she had never attended church.
After arriving in Kumasi, she decided that she wanted to learn more about Christianity and stop following her traditional beliefs. After attending many churches, and the Lord allowing us to meet her, she was led to faith in Christ. This brings us to our Bible study with her on Wednesday of last week. Dora lives very close to a Catholic school, and the school was having a drumming program that day. The drums where very loud, even from a long distance away. Before we started the Bible study, I made mention of the drums, and asked Dora if that was the same music style and rhythm that they played when she was growing up. She told me that the drum beats where the same, and that was how people worshipped the gods back at her home village.
After she made this point, she asked me an interesting question. She said, "Pastor when I first came to Kumasi, I attended many different churches, and I have a question, many of them when they play their instruments, play the same music that they played in my village to the false gods, why are people playing the music of traditional religion in the churches?
I will be honest, I was amazed at her understanding! Most people here have swallowed the line that all music is good, no matter it's form, as long as it talks about God. It was very encouraging to hear a baby Christian with clear understanding in this area.
Sometimes we are blinded by our own opinions, but many time when a person is converted from other religions, they have eyes that see the truth quite clearly.
Please pray for the people here in Ghana. It is quite common in almost all churches here to see people that call themselves Christians but have churches filled with Traditional Religious practices, and beliefs. Please pray that God will raise up a generation of Ghanaian Christians that know the truth and have been set totally free.
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