...they wanted to "lose the white face" to minimize suspicion. I smiled to myself, they were beginning to think like indigenous missionaries!

I was excited to see twelve members from the Quichua church in Santo Domingo show up to join the Tsachila church in Congoma for a day of prayer and fasting! When we got out of the car, Rosa came over from her nearby home and greeted us warmly with an Ecuadorian hug and a kiss. Pastor Lorenzo walked over to talk with a Tsachila man who was unlocking the church for our visit. Then.... all of a sudden... the Tsachila man and Rosa left! We were alone....

As if not to be deterred by the absence of our hosts, the Quichuas entered the Tsachila church and began to pray. Rosa came back after having changed into a multicolored Tsachila skirt dressed for worship. She sat in the back happy for the opportunity to share the day with other believers. We sang songs, and prayed for the Tsachila church. Pastor Lorenzo and I took turns giving a reflection on fasting and prayer, and we sang and prayed some more.

After about 3 hours we moved outside in search of relief from the encroaching heat that was rising inside the church. Rosa shared that only a few Tsachila Christians come to church now (about 10). Some walk over an hour to attend. "People from the outside came from other groups 'to help us' and there was division in our church. Some left to help these groups begin their new work, others just stopped coming." Rosa looked off in the distance and was quiet.

Lorenzo thought that perhaps one of the reasons other Tsachila believers did not show up, was that our group was perceived as another threat to the church. I also began to wonder about the communication between the two indigenous groups that arranged our meeting.

The Quichuas sat quiet for a moment, then one simply said, "we will have to try again." Another said, "we can bring food, everyone comes when there is food!" Various ideas of how to continue were shared. They decided to finish out the day by attempting to visit some Tsachila homes nearby.  I was encouraged, and started to join them when Lorenzo pulled me aside and said, "Hermano David, perhaps we might be better received if we tried to make this visit without the presence of a North American.  I got the message, they wanted to "lose the white face" to minimize suspicion. I smiled to myself, they were beginning to think like indigenous missionaries!

While we did not make the contact we had hoped in this visit, we were able to deepen our relationship with Rosa, and our Quichua partners and had a good opportunity to grapple with some of the realities and complexities missionaries face when trying to share the gospel in another culture. Please continue to pray for our efforts to reach the Tsachila through the Quichua as part of our program of Discipleship Training.

Thank you to those who fasted and prayed with us last Wed 2/8. Please continue to pray as we press on. For the road to the gospel is not one without opposition.

A Tsachila invitation to prayer!

Tsachila outreach team in front of the newer Tsachila church building

"Hermano David," Lorenzo's voice crackled over the poor cell phone connection, "I have good news! Leaders from the Tsachilla church in Congoma called to invite us and members of our church to join them for a day of prayer and fasting! Can you come?"

I was encouraged,  this invitation came in response to our survey trip to Congoma last week.

Our recent outreach to the Tsachila people was born out of several years of prayer.  I think it very fitting that our first contact* with this small band of believers will also begin in the context of prayer!  (*beyond our initial visit with Rosa last week)

Please join us on Feb 8 (8am-4pm) for a time of prayer and fasting with the Tsachila church.  When you close your eyes to pray, picture a Tsachila hand in your left, and a Quichua hand in your right, as they will be praying next to you in Spirit from Congoma. Together, with one voice we will magnify the Lord and pray for his gospel witness to go forth among the Tsachila people.

Let us know, I am sure word of your participation will greatly encourage them!

Do you see the unseen? The importance of knowing the cultural and Biblical worldview of the people we disciple!

When our kids were young we used to play "I see something... what do I see?" One person would find something hard to guess and the rest of us had great fun trying to find it.

When I look at the indigenous Quichua, I often wonder "what do they see?" 

Concepts of truth, justice, poverty and suffering are different here. Trust, family obligation, shame, and self-worth are based on a practical need for survival rather than an ideal they cannot connect to. "Do I see what they see?" 

If we are not careful we can import a western gospel of independence, self-sufficiency, and multiplication, that is foreign to their world of relationship, dependence, or loyalty to community. "Of course they see what I see!" 

Yet... if the power of God is placed in the broken, the presence of Christ made manifest in suffering, and in the Spirit of the Lord we find liberty,  Perhaps it is better to first sit with the hurting and be present with them in their world, unjust and corrupt as it is. Then we can walk out together to a new place of hope and learning. For when we turn to the Lord in the midst of our afflictions, we find an eternal weight of glory! "Do you see the unseen?" (2Cor 3:17-4:18)

From an abandoned building to a "living stone": our quest to find the Tsachila Church

Tsachilla evangelical church in Congoma, 

My heart grew heavy as I looked at the broken down, abandoned, church building. From what we understood there was only one Tsachila evangelical church among this "least reached" (2%) people group. I paused at a feeling of spiritual defeat. It was almost as if the building was a visible monument to a battle lost.

We pushed on to find out what happend to their members. My spirits began to lift when we met Rosa, a Tsachila believer who told us that her church had not entirely disbanded, but a small remnant of roughly 15 believers continued to meet twice a month in a newer building next to her home. (see previous post)  http://evmissiontalk.blogspot.com/2017/01/partnering-with-quichua-to-reach.html

As Rosa told us about her church, I was struck by her humility. She spoke broken Spanish, could not read, and lived in a very humble home.  When I prayed for her she grasped my arm tight, then looked at me with the light of Christ behind her tears and simply said "thank you!" Behind her words another voice seemed to say... "Thank you Ross, for looking beyond an abandoned church building to Rosa's home. For 'I am not the God of the dead, but of the living' (Mat. 22:32). As we pulled away I realized we had found one of the "living stones" of the  Tsachila church (1 Pet 2:5).

Partnering with the Quichua to reach the Tsachila through Discipleship Training!

This picture represents an incredible connection God has put together in relation to our outreach to the Tsachila people.

On the left is Lorenzo, a pastor of a Quichua church in Santo Domingo and part of Ross' Pastors Discipleship Group. Next to Lorenzo is Jessica, a Tsachila woman who is married to Luis, a Quichua man (not in photo) who attend Lorenzo's church in Santo Domingo.   Next to Jessica is Rosa, a Tsachila sister who attends the Tsachila church in Congoma, whom we met this morning! Rosa knows Jessica's grandmother and is happy to serve as a connection for both Lorenzo and I in a future visit when the church is meeting! Next to Rosa is yours truly!

Unfortunately the Tsachila church in Congoma has gone through a split which has greatly reduced their size to about 15 attenders! The others have left to joined a heretical denomination which has greatly reduced the already small evangelical witness and will create confusion as the two churches begin to present a different message among their people!

Stay tuned and keep praying!

Depression and the importance of "being present" with those who struggle in mission

"But God, who comforts the depressed... "(2Co 7:6a NAS)

Part of a discipleship ministry involves the equipping and sending of a "Titus" to bring the presence of God to comfort those struggling with depression.

The Greek word "ταπεινοὺς," (Tapeinoús) translated as "depressed" or lit. "downcast" refers to those struggling with the "relative inability to cope" (BDAG)".

At a time when Paul felt "afflicted on every side: conflicts without, fears within". (2Co 7:5 NAS) Titus showed up with a renewed spirit and the joy of the Lord and brought encouragement and comfort from the church of Corinth.

At times, when we see fellow believers burdened with the relative inability to cope,  we can be a "Titus" to come alongside to listen with a refreshed spirit and the joy of the Lord to help our hurting friends regain perspective and hope.

When we cannot be physically present with those who are weary in their struggle, we can pray for and send a "Titus" to stand in our stead to be present with those who are weary in the battle.

It is important to note that it was not only the presence of Titus that encouraged Paul, it was the word of "repentance without regret" among the members in the Church of Corinth that encouraged Paul in his depression! How we strive to know Christ and to make Him know at home, directly affects the support and encouragement for our missionaries we send to take the gospel to foreign lands! (2 Cor 7:10-13)

Sometimes, like Paul, we need a Titus to draw near to be present with us when we struggle in our faith.

Let us lean into, and be present with the depression of those who suffer with the "relative inability to cope," to bring perspective, hope and God's presence to those who struggle for the gospel.

"But God, who comforts the depressed, comforted us by the coming of Titus" (2Co 7:6 NAS)

10 Foundational Principles For Missions. Part one: Before The Foundation of the World (cross post)

In preparation for this blog “EV Mission talk” I am beginning a preliminary study that will look at the following 10 Biblical foundational principles for missions

1.   Origins and Identity – God – Christ – Church – Missionary- what is missions? what is a missionary?

2. Biblical mandate – Biblical, Theological, Cultural: What did Jesus send us out to do?

3. Historical and cultural context – worldview drives values

4.Theological & Philosophical considerations and confusion: indigneous concepts, poverty, liberation, global partners.

5. Western and Non-western perspectives and expectations

6. The local economy and the need for a multicultural perspective

7. The players: who sends who? Where? How long, and why?

8. Treasure heart principle - the use of Kingdom resources

9.  A call for collaboration between the Seminary, Church, Missionary and Agency...

10. The end game – What are we really trying to accomplish? 

The big idea is that God created our world and all of life to glorify Himself.  Through the revelation of  Himself,  (His image and nature) both through His creation, (general revelation) and His Word (Special revelation), one discovers that our primary purpose as human beings is to glorify God through a journey of transformation that conforms us into the image of His Son, Jesus Christ. As we journey from creation (Gen 1) to the His new creation (Rev. 21), we glorify God through our engagement in worship and mission, as we seek to know God, and to make Him known! In fact, one (worship or mission) cannot fully be realized without the other! We worship God as we go out in mission, and our mission moves us to worship.  It is through our relationship of mission and worship that we glorify God!

So before we can start a dialogue on mission, we need to understand the context. Where and when does missions begin. We will start with the word “foundation” and two little prepositions pro and apo, Before, or “from/since” My first statement in regards to the origins of missions is that it began both before and from the foundation of the world!  Before Adam and Eve fell, before men worshiped, before Christ came into the world, missions was on God’s mind. 

For this post only I will cross posted with EV Bible Talk  evbibletalk.blogspot.com in order to show the relationship between the two. Future posts in EV Mission Talk will reference but not include all the background study.

Here is part 1 of EV Bible Talk:  Before/From the Foundations of the world (prep. Pro & Apo)

πρὸ (ἀπὸ) καταβολῆς κόσμου  (pro [apo] kataboles kosmos)

The word “foundation” καταβολῆς (kataboles) also translated as “creation” (NIV)” only appears in the N.T. in the phrase “the beginning of the foundation of the world”*  the only variation is with the preposition “Before” πρὸ (pro) and “Since, or from”  ἀπὸ (apo)  (*with the exception on Heb 11:11 which uses the accusative case καταβολὴν (katabolen) in the sense of sowing seed or begetting with the prep εἰς lit. to sow into life) 

Consider the context of these passages

"...so that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.'" (Mat 13:35 NAS)

"Then ^athe King will say to ^bthose on his right, 'Come, you ^cwho are blessed by my Father, ^dinherit ^ethe kingdom ^fprepared for you ^gfrom the foundation of the world'".  (Mat 25:34 ESV)

"...in order that the blood of all the prophets, shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation," (Luk 11:50 NAS)

"Father, I desire that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I am, in order that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou didst love Me before the foundation of the world." (Joh 17:24 NAS)

"...just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love (Eph 1:4 NAS)"

"For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, 'As I swore in My wrath, They shall not enter My rest,' although His works were finished from the foundation of the world." (Heb 4:3 NAS)

"Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." (Heb 9:26 NAS)

"For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you" (1Pe 1:20 NAS)

"And all who dwell on the earth will worship him, everyone whose name has not been written from the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who has been slain." (Rev 13:8 NAS)

"The beast that you saw was and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and to go to destruction. And those who dwell on the earth will wonder, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come." (Rev 17:8 NAS)

What is the difference between “Before” πρὸ (pro) and “Since, or from”  ἀπὸ (apo)? Consider the definitions and implications of the verses.

πρὸ  (pro) Before,  Prep. w/ Genative Before: marker of a point of time prior to another point of time, earlier than, before  (BDAG lexicon)

A. Basic Uses (with Genitive only)

1. Spatial: before, in front of, at

2. Temporal: before

3. Rank/Priority: before

(Wallace)

So when looking at Pro:  one has to determine the use of "before" with the nuance of  “Spatial, Temporal or Rank”  for example, in considering 1, 2 and 3,  The BDAG chose 2 (temporal). As a “marker in time. Others may emphasize  3 “Rank” as in the choosing of one over another for salvation. There are theological implications here, but both conclusions recognize the point that God’s Love and sacrifice were intentionally highlighted as part of God’s plan in the beginning.

Look again at the context of pro (Before) as they relate to the foundation of the world…

The Love of the Father to the son (implied to the disciples)- Jn 17:24 (Before)

Chose us, the believer (context of predestination) (before) Eph 1:4

Christ foreknown (context of blood shed) (before) 1 Pet 1:20

ἀπὸ (apo) Basic sense ‘separation from’ someone or something., fr. which the other uses have developed. In the NT it has encroached on the domain of Att. ἐκ, ὑπό, παρά, and the gen. of separation; s. Mlt. 102; 246; Mlt-Turner 258f. (BDAG)

The basic force of ἀπό in classical Greek was separation from. “In the NT it has encroached on the domain of Att. ἐκ, ὑπό, παρά, and the gen. of separation . . . .”³⁷

1. Separation (from place or person): away from

2. Source: from, out of

3. Cause: because of

4. Partitive (i.e., substituting for a partitive gen.): of

5. Agency (rare): by, from

(Wallace)

Here the BDAG looks at 1 (separation) as the general use of the word. Also the idea of 2. (source) can add a nuance of context. For example in Heb 4, the source of the Sabbath, as it related to it’s purpose in creation provides a context for the finished works of Christ in Heb 4:3. Could God have had an understanding of the gospel  when he rested on the seventh day of creation?  Could His plans be that sure in the begging of time regarding their outcome, even before sin and death entered the world? Is His word that sure? What does it mean His works were finished since the foundation of the world?

 The New Living Translates 'They will never enter my place of rest,' " even though this rest has been ready since he made the world. (Heb 4:3 NLT)

Consider the separation or source with the word apo (from or since) in the following passages as they relate to the foundation of the world…

These things (re: the Kingdom) – Mat:13:35, the Kingdom (25:34) (since)

The blood of the prophets shed – Lk 11:50 (from)

His Works finished (context Sabbath rest) (From) – Heb 4:3

Suffer (context Christ’ death sufficient one time) (since) Heb 9:25

The names written in the book of life (of the Lamb who was slain) (from) Rev 13:8, 17:8

Part one will conclude where part two will pick up with a short definition of the word “foundation” καταβολῆς (foundation NASB), (Creation NIV) the act of laying someth. down, with implication of providing a base for someth., foundation. Readily connected with the idea of founding is the sense beginning (BDAG)