We have finished our short stay in the state of Karnataka. We were housed at the YWAM base here in Belgaum, along with the DTS students of that base who are also on their outreach. Belgaum is a large city of over a million people and I've enjoyed going around the city via bus and autorickshaw.
This week we visited a number of houses for prayer and meetings. We also visited a village for an open-air program of singing, skits and preaching. My favourite time was attending a retirement party for a church lady - the church members met outside in the court area of a government housing project and after the program we all sat down for dinner. I've been impressed by the generosity we've experienced here. We've had two meals with local Christians and every home we visit we are offered tea and cookies, even in the village. Another good time for me was being able to give the lesson at a pastor's meeting on Saturday for 45 minutes - a good opportunity to use my speaking skills and pass on some of the teaching I've received.
One other thing - there are no "maximum occupancy" rules here, at least none that are enforced. Yesterday coming home from dinner at a home, we crammed 21 people into an autorickshaw that ought to only carry 10!. Granted two members were hanging out the door so they weren't exactly "in" the rickshaw but still!
Tomorrow morning we are heading for the state of Maharastra and it will be another long journey.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Hinduism
One thing I've observed in this India sojourn is that Hindus are spiritual people. On my way into town I walk past a temple. It is not very large, and has an open-air style. It is painted cream and white with a terracotta tile roof and a tile floor. Inside is the shrine which contains the figure of the deity which is maybe a foot in height. At certain times the doors of the shrine are open and the hanging oil lamps are lit. Devotees go into the temple to look at the deity and to pray. There is not much noise - the people just look quietly with their hands folded.
I particularly enjoyed my week of Hindu studies. I learned some valuable concepts that will help me during our outreach part of the DTS. I don't want to come across as a foreigner proclaiming a foreign religion that requires someone to totally change their community in order to convert.
In particular I learned about gurus, Hindu holy men who have forsaken worldly pursuits in order to acheive peace and enlightenment. A "guru" is someone who leads you from darkness into light. Ring any bells? Read John 8:12 and you'll see what I mean. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%208:12&version=31
I particularly enjoyed my week of Hindu studies. I learned some valuable concepts that will help me during our outreach part of the DTS. I don't want to come across as a foreigner proclaiming a foreign religion that requires someone to totally change their community in order to convert.
In particular I learned about gurus, Hindu holy men who have forsaken worldly pursuits in order to acheive peace and enlightenment. A "guru" is someone who leads you from darkness into light. Ring any bells? Read John 8:12 and you'll see what I mean. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=john%208:12&version=31
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Half Way Thru Phase One
As I was walking down the road through town to get to the internet cafe, I was struck again by the thought "I'm in India." Of course, I know I'm in India, but I guess I feel like I'm really here. The first few weeks are novel and you just feel like a visitor. But I've been here now for six weeks so that visitor feeling has worn off and I feel more "in place" I guess.
I must confess, for a couple weeks I was not overly happy about being here. I didn't dislike it, but I was at best just tolerating things. But I'm past that now and really enjoying both India and my teammates and the program. I have to say I'm glad God led me to do a DTS. He's been doing great things in my heart, just pouring out His love and helping me to feel secure just as I am; that His love is unconditional and that I can rely on Him to sustain me in my difficult moments.
And I really appreciate my teammates and the staff. They are a fun, generous bunch and have been very kind and encouraging to me.
Last week I had some difficult moments, feeling useless and hopeless about the future and God was able to show me how I've been relying on my own feelings instead of His word. I had a good cry and a good talk with one of the staff and spent time talking with God and I really received encouragement from Him about my future. My future has felt like a bit of a blank but I have some ideas percolating in my brain now and I'm so thankful that God has helped me with this. But it's not so much that I have ideas for what to do after the DTS but that I'm growing more sure of God's love for me and that He does have good plans for me. I've always believed that in my head but it didn't transfer so well to my heart. I'm sure some of you reading this know what that's like!
Anyway, we have a couple presentations of drama and music to do at a couple churches tomorrow and then next week I believe our lectures will be on ministry to Muslim's.
Don't know if I mentioned but I've seen a few elephant's by now! And a chipmunk in a banana tree!
I must confess, for a couple weeks I was not overly happy about being here. I didn't dislike it, but I was at best just tolerating things. But I'm past that now and really enjoying both India and my teammates and the program. I have to say I'm glad God led me to do a DTS. He's been doing great things in my heart, just pouring out His love and helping me to feel secure just as I am; that His love is unconditional and that I can rely on Him to sustain me in my difficult moments.
And I really appreciate my teammates and the staff. They are a fun, generous bunch and have been very kind and encouraging to me.
Last week I had some difficult moments, feeling useless and hopeless about the future and God was able to show me how I've been relying on my own feelings instead of His word. I had a good cry and a good talk with one of the staff and spent time talking with God and I really received encouragement from Him about my future. My future has felt like a bit of a blank but I have some ideas percolating in my brain now and I'm so thankful that God has helped me with this. But it's not so much that I have ideas for what to do after the DTS but that I'm growing more sure of God's love for me and that He does have good plans for me. I've always believed that in my head but it didn't transfer so well to my heart. I'm sure some of you reading this know what that's like!
Anyway, we have a couple presentations of drama and music to do at a couple churches tomorrow and then next week I believe our lectures will be on ministry to Muslim's.
Don't know if I mentioned but I've seen a few elephant's by now! And a chipmunk in a banana tree!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
One month down, four to go...
Well, I've been in India for one month now. This weekend was nice. On Friday it was Indepedence Day and we were invited to a church to participate in their service. I had a chance to participate in the singing contest, performing Steve Bell's "Wings of an Eagle" and eight of us team members performed a dance to "This is my Desire". During the message I was a little distracted by the geckos on the wall chasing a dragonfly that was fluttering around the lights! In my room at the house there is a little gecko that usually spends the night on the wall close to the ceiling - I call him our "little friend."
On Saturday the whole team was invited to the home of the pastor of the church we have been attending and we had a good time of worship and games. The pastor was also very encouraging, telling us examples from his own experience of how the Lord has provided for him and his family and praying for each of us individually. We had a very good dinner of chicken and rice and beef stew which we shared with other church members who came to visit with us. I so appreciate the hospitality.
This past week our lectures were on the subject of "Submission to Authority" and we looked at the life of King David and of Jesus as our exemplars. It was a very good series and so pertinent for life as a Christian. Please pray that I will continue to open my heart to accept God's love for me and to stop trying to earn love from Him and from others.
Thank you all for your prayers and emails.
In Christ,
Amy
On Saturday the whole team was invited to the home of the pastor of the church we have been attending and we had a good time of worship and games. The pastor was also very encouraging, telling us examples from his own experience of how the Lord has provided for him and his family and praying for each of us individually. We had a very good dinner of chicken and rice and beef stew which we shared with other church members who came to visit with us. I so appreciate the hospitality.
This past week our lectures were on the subject of "Submission to Authority" and we looked at the life of King David and of Jesus as our exemplars. It was a very good series and so pertinent for life as a Christian. Please pray that I will continue to open my heart to accept God's love for me and to stop trying to earn love from Him and from others.
Thank you all for your prayers and emails.
In Christ,
Amy
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Finding My Place
Last Thursday, during the KidZone "thanks for serving this year" BBQ, everyone gathered around me to lay on hands for me to be prayed for as a kind of "sending out," in recognition of my upcoming time away in India with YWAM. On Friday I attended another BBQ, this time by my SIRVA friends from church (people who have gone on my church's annual mission trip to Mexico) and there was another time of laying on hands by the group and praying to send myself and three other girls out who are going on missions. Then on Sunday my small group went out for supper as a "sending out" for me as well.
Over the last ten years since college I have not had many ties. I have come and gone from a few places and never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I have been attending my church for 5 years and it has taken a long time but now I finally feel like I belong somewhere where there are people who care about me and will miss me when I'm gone and who are eager to hear about my experiences and will look forward to my return.
I have tended to be a loner in life and to shy away from affiliation. I have really identified with the character in the movie "Heat" who said "Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out on in 30 seconds or less if you feel the heat coming around the corner." Relationships are work and can be messy and in the end you have to say goodbye. But my isolation has made for a lonely journey.
My experiences at my church and the activities connected with it over the last 5 years have helped me to both give and receive love, compassion and service. To enter into other people's lives and have them enter into mine. And to realize that people genuinely like me. These three times of being gathered around and having people lay hands on me and pray for me and just hang out with me have been so precious and have taught me the value of being connected with others, especially those in the faith. I know I will make many connections and friendships while I am in India but I do cherish the ones that I already have right here at home.
Over the last ten years since college I have not had many ties. I have come and gone from a few places and never really felt like I belonged anywhere. I have been attending my church for 5 years and it has taken a long time but now I finally feel like I belong somewhere where there are people who care about me and will miss me when I'm gone and who are eager to hear about my experiences and will look forward to my return.
I have tended to be a loner in life and to shy away from affiliation. I have really identified with the character in the movie "Heat" who said "Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out on in 30 seconds or less if you feel the heat coming around the corner." Relationships are work and can be messy and in the end you have to say goodbye. But my isolation has made for a lonely journey.
My experiences at my church and the activities connected with it over the last 5 years have helped me to both give and receive love, compassion and service. To enter into other people's lives and have them enter into mine. And to realize that people genuinely like me. These three times of being gathered around and having people lay hands on me and pray for me and just hang out with me have been so precious and have taught me the value of being connected with others, especially those in the faith. I know I will make many connections and friendships while I am in India but I do cherish the ones that I already have right here at home.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Emptying
Today I have been cleaning out my storage room, in preparation for moving to India. A tedious chore has turned into a thoughtful experience as my trip, which always felt so far off in the future, is starting to feel quite close. Before, it was just something I talked about but now I'm taking concrete steps. I'm on the verge of laying down a few thousand dollars for a plane ticket, I get my shots on Wednesday, I have visa forms to fill out and I have to get rid of most of my worldly goods.
This purging of my stuff is, as I said, though-provoking. I've been a bit of a pack rat over the years - it's not gotten out of control but has still made for a lot of stuff hanging around. When you have space you tend to fill it so that's what I've done. But now, I have almost no space. I can only keep what will fit in a small corner of my parent's attic so I find myself needing to be ruthless and getting rid of things I have hung onto for years. Even useful things like appliances and dishes and housefold goods.
Winnipeg has been my home for five years and I've made a comfortable space for myself here in my apartment. I'm leaving but it's not to another apartment. Then I would just box and move everything. But my leaving is of a different kind. It's a complete life change. Going to India is a major marker in my life just as leaving home for college in '95 was a significant marker. I've moved several times since then but this is different. I'm not moving, I am emptying. Emptying my life of my physical possessions, most obviously. But as I box up things for the thrift store or bag them for the garbage, I'm starting to empty my life in other ways. Emptying it of certain ways of thinking, of certain values and expectations and desires. I do not know when I will return or if I will return. I don't know where I will be in one year's time or what I will be doing. I'm looking forward to finding out and I'm also looking forward to the liberty that comes with having few possessions.
This purging of my stuff is, as I said, though-provoking. I've been a bit of a pack rat over the years - it's not gotten out of control but has still made for a lot of stuff hanging around. When you have space you tend to fill it so that's what I've done. But now, I have almost no space. I can only keep what will fit in a small corner of my parent's attic so I find myself needing to be ruthless and getting rid of things I have hung onto for years. Even useful things like appliances and dishes and housefold goods.
Winnipeg has been my home for five years and I've made a comfortable space for myself here in my apartment. I'm leaving but it's not to another apartment. Then I would just box and move everything. But my leaving is of a different kind. It's a complete life change. Going to India is a major marker in my life just as leaving home for college in '95 was a significant marker. I've moved several times since then but this is different. I'm not moving, I am emptying. Emptying my life of my physical possessions, most obviously. But as I box up things for the thrift store or bag them for the garbage, I'm starting to empty my life in other ways. Emptying it of certain ways of thinking, of certain values and expectations and desires. I do not know when I will return or if I will return. I don't know where I will be in one year's time or what I will be doing. I'm looking forward to finding out and I'm also looking forward to the liberty that comes with having few possessions.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Being
Paper Journal entry from Sept 5/07
I was wasting time this evening looking thru old videotapes and felt like I was wasting time and that I should be praying. I wasn’t enthused about the idea but shut off the TV and went to the living nonetheless. My typical thought was to pray but I couldn’t think of what to say. Bible reading seemed out too. I teared up and I don’t know why. I ended up just sitting. Not making requests or talking about my thoughts or feelings or how my day went. I fingered the cover of my Bible but didn’t open it. I did not let my mind wander and daydream. I just…was.
I have heard it said that we are human beings not human doings. By we live as though we need always to be doing and we bring this in our relationship with God. We talk to Him and make requests, we read our Bibles, we sing, we ponder, and all this has its place. But I got the distinct impression tonight that God just wanted to be with me. Just to be. Just to sit in each other’s presence and focus on each other, without words, without gestures, without volumes of information being exchanged, just to be.
It was kind of hard. I can sit and daydream or consider a problem but to just sit still and focus on something without evaluating or measuring or setting off on some other chain of thoughts – well, that was new and felt a bit odd. Yet I could identify with God’s desire. I have often thought that, should I ever find a mate, I should like very much every so often to just be with him. Not talking or doing something but just sitting and looking and being.
So then God’s desire is not so hard to grasp. I just wonder why He wants to be with me. The thought of being and not producing is foreign but if that’s how I view this relationship, it will never reach the depths of intimacy that I want in it. And I will never understand God’s love nor His grace. Grace is undeserved. The Creator of the universe wanting to do nothing and do it with me. That’s an undeserved privilege.
I was wasting time this evening looking thru old videotapes and felt like I was wasting time and that I should be praying. I wasn’t enthused about the idea but shut off the TV and went to the living nonetheless. My typical thought was to pray but I couldn’t think of what to say. Bible reading seemed out too. I teared up and I don’t know why. I ended up just sitting. Not making requests or talking about my thoughts or feelings or how my day went. I fingered the cover of my Bible but didn’t open it. I did not let my mind wander and daydream. I just…was.
I have heard it said that we are human beings not human doings. By we live as though we need always to be doing and we bring this in our relationship with God. We talk to Him and make requests, we read our Bibles, we sing, we ponder, and all this has its place. But I got the distinct impression tonight that God just wanted to be with me. Just to be. Just to sit in each other’s presence and focus on each other, without words, without gestures, without volumes of information being exchanged, just to be.
It was kind of hard. I can sit and daydream or consider a problem but to just sit still and focus on something without evaluating or measuring or setting off on some other chain of thoughts – well, that was new and felt a bit odd. Yet I could identify with God’s desire. I have often thought that, should I ever find a mate, I should like very much every so often to just be with him. Not talking or doing something but just sitting and looking and being.
So then God’s desire is not so hard to grasp. I just wonder why He wants to be with me. The thought of being and not producing is foreign but if that’s how I view this relationship, it will never reach the depths of intimacy that I want in it. And I will never understand God’s love nor His grace. Grace is undeserved. The Creator of the universe wanting to do nothing and do it with me. That’s an undeserved privilege.
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Getting What You Want
Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself also in the LORD and He shall give you the desires of your heart.” So often I believe, Christian thinking on this verse goes something like, “If I read the Bible and pray and go to church and give ten percent and keep my temper and be kind, then God will give me that thing I really want” like a spouse, children, this job, that home, protection from misfortune, healing from disease, emotional stability etc.
But that is not what that verse means at all. Think of it. “Delight yourself also in the LORD”. What does it mean to delight in God? Well, what does it mean to delight in another person? If I am in love with a man, I am interested in him, his thoughts and desires. I want to know what pleases him so that I can do that thing and so bring him pleasure. If his desire is inconvenient for me, I still try to get to know it and to support its fulfillment, because I am delighted with him and what is important to him is important to me. What would it look like if I were to say in my heart, “I will spent time with him and listen to him and laugh at his jokes and let him pick the movie because if I do that then I can get him to do the stuff that I want.” That seems manipulative and not loving at all. That seems like I don’t really care about him, I’m just using him to get what I want.
It’s the same thing with God. If we delight ourselves in the LORD, that means we get to know Him without strings attached. We explore Him and obey Him for the sake of loving Him. And we find that, instead of being disappointed because our desires are not met (and let’s be real - often they are not), we find that God has changed our desires, to reflect His. Then, because we truly want what He wants, He is delighted to give us our desires.
What keeps that from being manipulation on God’s part is the simple fact that He is God and God is good. His will is perfect, His understanding is unfathomable, His power is limitless and He loves us. He can see the end from the beginning and He knows when that thing that I am hung up on will not do me good even though I am convinced it would. He knows what is truly important, when I am blinded by my own small thinking.
I have been enjoying intimate fellowship with God lately and He has been illustrating the truth of this verse to me. Today, for example: There is a person that I care about and want desperately to spend time with. I had hoped to be able to do so this evening, yet I was thwarted and instead, found myself alone in the chapel, crying to God about it and some other things that were burdening my heart. I was so disappointed to not be with that person, yet I was not bitter. In the quiet and raw vulnerability of that moment, God was showing me a better way: that there are important things in life and as I was expressing myself regarding those other issues, I felt in my soul a deep desire regarding them that I had had not felt before and I truly wanted something that was certainly God’s will, which had previously not been y will.
And as for my desire for that person, I understood in my soul that it was better for me to be with God tonight then it was for me to be with someone else. That was God’s will for me and, even though I was sad, I was truly grateful.
I think that verse means that if we delight ourselves in God, He transforms our desires so that the thing that we desire above everything else is His will. All the other things we want, no matter how badly we want them, take a backseat to God’s will and we are made glad to have it so. I used to think following Christ meant living a life of drudgery and disappointment. I am now discovering that it is freeing and peaceful. It may not be well with my circumstances but, as the hymnist put it: “It is well with my soul.”
But that is not what that verse means at all. Think of it. “Delight yourself also in the LORD”. What does it mean to delight in God? Well, what does it mean to delight in another person? If I am in love with a man, I am interested in him, his thoughts and desires. I want to know what pleases him so that I can do that thing and so bring him pleasure. If his desire is inconvenient for me, I still try to get to know it and to support its fulfillment, because I am delighted with him and what is important to him is important to me. What would it look like if I were to say in my heart, “I will spent time with him and listen to him and laugh at his jokes and let him pick the movie because if I do that then I can get him to do the stuff that I want.” That seems manipulative and not loving at all. That seems like I don’t really care about him, I’m just using him to get what I want.
It’s the same thing with God. If we delight ourselves in the LORD, that means we get to know Him without strings attached. We explore Him and obey Him for the sake of loving Him. And we find that, instead of being disappointed because our desires are not met (and let’s be real - often they are not), we find that God has changed our desires, to reflect His. Then, because we truly want what He wants, He is delighted to give us our desires.
What keeps that from being manipulation on God’s part is the simple fact that He is God and God is good. His will is perfect, His understanding is unfathomable, His power is limitless and He loves us. He can see the end from the beginning and He knows when that thing that I am hung up on will not do me good even though I am convinced it would. He knows what is truly important, when I am blinded by my own small thinking.
I have been enjoying intimate fellowship with God lately and He has been illustrating the truth of this verse to me. Today, for example: There is a person that I care about and want desperately to spend time with. I had hoped to be able to do so this evening, yet I was thwarted and instead, found myself alone in the chapel, crying to God about it and some other things that were burdening my heart. I was so disappointed to not be with that person, yet I was not bitter. In the quiet and raw vulnerability of that moment, God was showing me a better way: that there are important things in life and as I was expressing myself regarding those other issues, I felt in my soul a deep desire regarding them that I had had not felt before and I truly wanted something that was certainly God’s will, which had previously not been y will.
And as for my desire for that person, I understood in my soul that it was better for me to be with God tonight then it was for me to be with someone else. That was God’s will for me and, even though I was sad, I was truly grateful.
I think that verse means that if we delight ourselves in God, He transforms our desires so that the thing that we desire above everything else is His will. All the other things we want, no matter how badly we want them, take a backseat to God’s will and we are made glad to have it so. I used to think following Christ meant living a life of drudgery and disappointment. I am now discovering that it is freeing and peaceful. It may not be well with my circumstances but, as the hymnist put it: “It is well with my soul.”
Monday, February 11, 2008
Quitting my Job and Taking the Next Step
I resigned my position as Director of Community Life at Booth College and have been accepted to attend a YWAM DTS (Youth with a Mission Discipleship Training School) in India this July.
I chose YWAM because it focuses on growing Christians in community which is something I have sorely lacked over the last several years. I have lived and worked in a more isolated state than is healthy and I am looking forward very much to living and working and learning with a group of people over several months. I enjoyed a taste of that kind of living on my trip to Mexico with a group from my church in July '06. I spent two weeks with 35 other people 24/7 and it was such a good thing.
I also chose YWAM because I'm wanting to adopt a simpler lifestyle with fewer possessions. So I will be getting rid of the bulk of my stuff in the upcoming months instead of storing it. I don't intend on coming back to Winnipeg or even Canada any time soon so those things would be better off being used by someone else rather than sitting in a storage locker, racking up bills.
I chose India because I want a cross-cultural expereince. I have some awareness of India through reports I recieve from organization that I support such as Gospel for Asia (http://www.gospelforasia.org/) and Voice of the Martyrs (http://www.persecution.net/). Also, India in an inexpensive place to live and so it will cost me significantly less to attend a DTS there then say, Australia or Europe.
I chose YWAM because it focuses on growing Christians in community which is something I have sorely lacked over the last several years. I have lived and worked in a more isolated state than is healthy and I am looking forward very much to living and working and learning with a group of people over several months. I enjoyed a taste of that kind of living on my trip to Mexico with a group from my church in July '06. I spent two weeks with 35 other people 24/7 and it was such a good thing.
I also chose YWAM because I'm wanting to adopt a simpler lifestyle with fewer possessions. So I will be getting rid of the bulk of my stuff in the upcoming months instead of storing it. I don't intend on coming back to Winnipeg or even Canada any time soon so those things would be better off being used by someone else rather than sitting in a storage locker, racking up bills.
I chose India because I want a cross-cultural expereince. I have some awareness of India through reports I recieve from organization that I support such as Gospel for Asia (http://www.gospelforasia.org/) and Voice of the Martyrs (http://www.persecution.net/). Also, India in an inexpensive place to live and so it will cost me significantly less to attend a DTS there then say, Australia or Europe.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Love Languages and Kingdom Building
I was complaining to God the other night that I didn't feel loved by him. Awhile back I read the book "Love Languages" and I think my language is quality time. I enjoy gifts and words of affirmation and physical touch but spending time with someone I care about is what really makes me feel cared for. I'm usually always conscious of God's presence so you would think I would always feel loved by Him but my preception of Him is often that He is there but He's just sitting there looking at me. Like the fish in the aquarium doesn't feel loved by the person on the other side of the glass.
Anyway, I've been having an email conversation with an atheist about evolution, and I was thinking about it yesterday, what I might say next, what the problems with the theory are. The thoughts were just coming to me and it hit me. I was spending quality time with God. He was there with me, and not just looking at me but interacting with me - it was him giving the thoughts I was having. That was Him showing me love, by spending time with me.
In the book "Captivating" the author talks about how women long to play an inportant role in something great but they want to do it with their man, not on their own. What I am doing in this conversation is evangelism - the whole point is to try to help the guy understand that the Bible is a reliable document so that I can share the gospel. That's an important task and I'm not doing it on my own - I am getting insight and discernment from God. We are doing this task of kingdom building together. That's love from God, I just didn't recognize it before.
Anyway, I've been having an email conversation with an atheist about evolution, and I was thinking about it yesterday, what I might say next, what the problems with the theory are. The thoughts were just coming to me and it hit me. I was spending quality time with God. He was there with me, and not just looking at me but interacting with me - it was him giving the thoughts I was having. That was Him showing me love, by spending time with me.
In the book "Captivating" the author talks about how women long to play an inportant role in something great but they want to do it with their man, not on their own. What I am doing in this conversation is evangelism - the whole point is to try to help the guy understand that the Bible is a reliable document so that I can share the gospel. That's an important task and I'm not doing it on my own - I am getting insight and discernment from God. We are doing this task of kingdom building together. That's love from God, I just didn't recognize it before.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sharing the gospel, finally
Jesus commanded us to "go into all the world and preach the gospel" Mark 16:15 and it has always bothered me that as a Christian I have not made much effort to share the gospel. This has been due to not really knowing what to say, not knowing how to make the gospel relevant to the people around me. It's not like you can just share with someone from scripture anymore since the Bible is not overly believed or respected anymore. Yet we are are commanded to share the gospel. What then are we to do?
Well, Paul gives us the answer in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: "the weapons of our warfare are...mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." Everybody has an argument against believing in Jesus. It's up to us to find out what that argument is and to cast it down so that person is in a better position to accept Christ.
This is particularly relevant to me because I have just entered into conversation with an atheist. Now, formerly I would have not had a clue how to proceed with sharing the gospel with an atheist and thus would have been too scared to try. But actually, the door of opportunity, the foothold, has been quite simple. We've started talking about origins. See, if he doesn't believe in God then he has no use for Jesus because he is not a well-loved, created in God's image, sinner. In his mind he has no need for a saviour. So to share the gospel with him, I need to start at the beginning, with creation. Now of course, he is an evolutionist and so I need to demonstrate the falisty of that postion in order to pave the way for the truth of God's existence, the veracity of the Bible, God's perfect creation of man, man's fall in sin and death, Jesus' substitutionary atonement and resurrection and man's need to repent. Everything is connected.
I'm glad to have an opportunity to share the gospel that I'm actually taking advantage of.
Well, Paul gives us the answer in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5: "the weapons of our warfare are...mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God." Everybody has an argument against believing in Jesus. It's up to us to find out what that argument is and to cast it down so that person is in a better position to accept Christ.
This is particularly relevant to me because I have just entered into conversation with an atheist. Now, formerly I would have not had a clue how to proceed with sharing the gospel with an atheist and thus would have been too scared to try. But actually, the door of opportunity, the foothold, has been quite simple. We've started talking about origins. See, if he doesn't believe in God then he has no use for Jesus because he is not a well-loved, created in God's image, sinner. In his mind he has no need for a saviour. So to share the gospel with him, I need to start at the beginning, with creation. Now of course, he is an evolutionist and so I need to demonstrate the falisty of that postion in order to pave the way for the truth of God's existence, the veracity of the Bible, God's perfect creation of man, man's fall in sin and death, Jesus' substitutionary atonement and resurrection and man's need to repent. Everything is connected.
I'm glad to have an opportunity to share the gospel that I'm actually taking advantage of.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Logic, Arguments and Critical Thinking
I find the study and use of logic fascinating. Trying to understand the relationship between ideas has been with me since my youth when I wrestled with understanding the doctrines of Christianity. I think that's why I nearly failed math in high school. I would day dream during the lessons, thus not learning the relationships betwen numbers and how they could be used and so when I had assignments and tests I did poorly. I guess I daydreamed because I consider myself to be a slow thinker - sometimes it takes me time to grasp things and when I didn't instsantly grasp mathmatical equations I lost interest, thus not taking the time to learn them. But all that math never had much of a relevancey for my life either then or now so it hasn't had a lasting negative effect.
What has made a difference for me is finding an issue I'm interested in and seeing how logic applies to it. Doing so has helped me to be a more critical thinker. I have a tendancy to just accept things at face value instead of asking questions and the study and practise of logic has helped me to stop doing that.
The issue that has fueled my interest in logic is the debate between creation and evolution. I have always believed in a 6 day recent creation and have either faced or read the many arguments against that belief. In search of answers I have come across the subset of logic that is particularly appealing to me - the detection of fallacious arguments. I suppose it appeals to me because I naturally struggle to think critically, to know what to look for or even what questions to ask.
My greatest resource by far has been reading real-life examples of fallacious arguments and their rebuttals by the organizations Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International on their website feedback pages.
Thru their works I have learned, for example, about argumentum ad populum or argumentum ad numerum, meaning "appeal to the masses." It means "if many people believe it is true, it is true." This is frequently invoked in the creation/evolution debate, along the lines of "all scientists accept evolution." This particular argument has a false premise, that "all scientists accept evolution" and so it is an invalid argument. Even the argument "most scientists accept evolution" is invalid because the amount of people that subscribe to a particular belief has no effect on whether that belief is actually true. For example, at one time it could be said that "most biological scientists accept that the appendix is a vestigial and useless organ" but in that case the majorty was wrong as born out by subsequent research.
This is particularly important for Christians who claim the Bible is the final authority in all matters. We may argue that somthing is true because the Bible says that it is, regardless of what other humans think. For example, the Bible teaches that God created in six literal days (according to grammatical usage) and so that may be argued as true regardless of the fact that many people believe God created over a much longer period of time.
What has made a difference for me is finding an issue I'm interested in and seeing how logic applies to it. Doing so has helped me to be a more critical thinker. I have a tendancy to just accept things at face value instead of asking questions and the study and practise of logic has helped me to stop doing that.
The issue that has fueled my interest in logic is the debate between creation and evolution. I have always believed in a 6 day recent creation and have either faced or read the many arguments against that belief. In search of answers I have come across the subset of logic that is particularly appealing to me - the detection of fallacious arguments. I suppose it appeals to me because I naturally struggle to think critically, to know what to look for or even what questions to ask.
My greatest resource by far has been reading real-life examples of fallacious arguments and their rebuttals by the organizations Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International on their website feedback pages.
Thru their works I have learned, for example, about argumentum ad populum or argumentum ad numerum, meaning "appeal to the masses." It means "if many people believe it is true, it is true." This is frequently invoked in the creation/evolution debate, along the lines of "all scientists accept evolution." This particular argument has a false premise, that "all scientists accept evolution" and so it is an invalid argument. Even the argument "most scientists accept evolution" is invalid because the amount of people that subscribe to a particular belief has no effect on whether that belief is actually true. For example, at one time it could be said that "most biological scientists accept that the appendix is a vestigial and useless organ" but in that case the majorty was wrong as born out by subsequent research.
This is particularly important for Christians who claim the Bible is the final authority in all matters. We may argue that somthing is true because the Bible says that it is, regardless of what other humans think. For example, the Bible teaches that God created in six literal days (according to grammatical usage) and so that may be argued as true regardless of the fact that many people believe God created over a much longer period of time.
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