Participants:
Series Code: MTS
Program Code: MTS002405B
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00:08 Welcome back to Baltimore City.
00:10 And behind me, you can see one of the cannons here 00:12 at Fort McHenry Park 00:14 at the entrance to Baltimore's inner harbor. 00:16 Next up, Dr. Oscar Osindo 00:19 talks about some of the challenges 00:21 of working cross-culturally. 00:23 My name is Oscar Osindo. 00:25 I work for the Institute of World Mission. 00:31 I'm an associate director alongside Ronald Kuhn, 00:36 as well as our director, Cheryl Doss. 00:41 The Lord has called all of us onto the mission field. 00:45 And the Lord has called you 00:47 and everyone on the mission field 00:49 and that means working cross-culturally. 00:53 The Lord says, "Come and let us reason together." 00:57 And so the Lord is calling you to go on the field and reason, 01:03 reason with the people, 01:06 reason on the mission field, reason missiologically. 01:09 But then as we do that, there are challenges, 01:14 there are barriers that we meet because every people group, 01:19 every society have their own peculiar ways 01:23 of doing things of thinking. 01:27 They have their own ways of looking at things, 01:32 manners and customs as well. 01:34 And so when we go from where we come from, 01:37 we also have our own culture. 01:39 We also have our own way of how we do things, 01:43 our own behaviors, 01:45 and there is likely to be a clash, 01:48 the clash of cultures, a clash of values, 01:55 even a clash of worldviews, 01:59 and so then what do we do? 02:04 That is why we as the institute are here for you. 02:08 We're here for you. 02:10 Now take for example, 02:15 even a simple thing like greetings, 02:20 cultures have different way that they greet. 02:23 In other cultures, people stretch hands and shake. 02:28 In other cultures, 02:30 people don't stretch their hands, 02:32 they don't shake. 02:34 People may do like that in other cultures, 02:37 other cultures people just do like them, 02:40 other cultures people hug. 02:41 And those are simple things that we need to be aware 02:46 and they actually cause challenges 02:49 and obstacles when we go on to the mission field. 02:52 So how do we then reason missiologically 02:56 with the people that we work amongst 02:59 so that then we can be able to bring to them 03:03 the good news of Jesus Christ? 03:10 Even as we do these, even as we think 03:12 of cross-cultural witnessing, even as we think of culture, 03:16 we still privilege the Word of God. 03:18 The Word of God is above culture, 03:22 but humans operate within specific 03:25 and given cultures 03:28 that create obstacles and barriers that we need 03:32 to overcome. 03:35 I just mentioned worldview. 03:38 Worldview is like a set of glasses 03:43 through which we see everything. 03:45 And every society has their own set of glasses, 03:50 through which they see, they view the world. 03:54 They think through that. 03:56 We also have hours and when we meet with such, 04:00 then what do we have? We have a clash of worldviews. 04:06 So then what do we need to do? 04:11 We need tools that will help us 04:15 to go across these cultures, 04:18 to go across these different customs and manners. 04:24 And therefore, our recommendation, 04:26 my recommendation is we need an ethnographic mindset. 04:31 What is an ethnographic mindset or ethnographic thinking? 04:36 That helps us to actually bridge 04:39 between insiders and outsiders. 04:43 Remember, when you go to a community, 04:45 you are an outsider, they are the insiders. 04:49 So you need an ethnographic thinking 04:52 that will help you to bridge these two. 04:56 And so we welcome you. 04:58 If you are thinking of going overseas 05:02 on the mission field, come to the mission institute. 05:07 Join other missionaries. 05:09 The setting is a round table, sit around tables, 05:12 discuss with other missionaries 05:14 and interact with other missionaries. 05:17 Hear from us. 05:18 Let's share your view and let's help to equip you 05:22 for the mission field. 05:26 I'm looking forward to seeing you 05:28 at the next Mission Institute. 05:32 Next up let's travel to the country of Georgia 05:35 and see how Adventists are creatively engaging 05:38 with their community. 05:48 It's a busy day at the park. 05:50 Almost 70 people have come to experience the Seventh-day 05:54 Adventist church's community health expo. 05:57 In the country of Georgia, 05:58 Adventists regularly hold events 06:00 focused on meeting people's needs 06:02 and connecting with community members. 06:05 In this small city, people are interested in learning more 06:07 about healthy living, 06:08 so Adventists worked with the local government 06:11 to arrange this special event. 06:13 Eight health stations line the walkway 06:15 for people to visit. 06:16 Each station demonstrates a different principle 06:18 for health. 06:20 From fresh air to exercise, visitors get a holistic look 06:23 at healthy living and learn firsthand 06:25 how to practice these concepts in their own lives. 06:29 Young Adventists in Georgia created a group called Reflect. 06:35 The main goal of Reflect is for Adventist youth 06:38 to meet other young people and build good relationships. 06:42 We want to bring more youth to God. 06:45 We chose the name Reflect 06:47 because we want to show the youth 06:49 how to shine and reflect good, positive things. 06:54 With one Global Mission pioneer's help, 06:56 Reflect continues to grow as they co-host events 06:59 such as art programs, movie nights, 07:01 and community outreach activities 07:03 like this health expo. 07:05 Just before an event like this starts, 07:08 young Adventists split into groups 07:10 and invite people throughout the neighborhood 07:12 to visit the expo. 07:24 After the final station, people find out more 07:26 about opportunities to connect with Adventists. 07:30 Many of the attendees leave their feedback, 07:32 sharing that they appreciated learning new ways 07:34 to live healthfully. 07:36 Events like this help build relationships 07:39 and are strengthened by having a good reputation 07:41 among the people. 07:42 Global Mission pioneers like Tea open doors 07:46 to the community. 07:47 Because of the relationships she built, 07:49 many people came to learn about what the health expo 07:52 had to offer. 07:53 Aside from health, Tea also found that 07:55 the local children were eager to learn about the Bible. 07:59 So she created a series of Bible lessons 08:01 and held weekly studies with the kids. 08:04 This program is only 12 lessons, 08:05 but the kids wanted to continue. 08:07 They felt sad that they had completed all the lessons, 08:10 so I had to create more for them. 08:12 On this Sabbath morning, 08:13 Tea is holding a graduation ceremony 08:15 for everyone who completed this round of Bible studies. 08:19 The youth proudly demonstrate the things they learned 08:21 through songs, skits, and reciting memory verses. 08:25 Some of their family members 08:26 even came to show their support. 08:28 Soon many of these young graduates 08:30 will connect with the Reflect group 08:32 so they can continue being the hands and feet 08:35 of Jesus and find fellowship in service. 08:38 Tea's efforts, along with the work 08:40 of hundreds of Global Mission pioneers 08:42 around the world are winning young people 08:44 to God's Kingdom. 08:46 Thank you for your continued prayers 08:48 and selfless gifts. 08:50 Please consider how you can support pioneers like Tea 08:53 through faithful giving to Global Mission. 08:59 Thank you very much for supporting Global Mission 09:01 and projects like these. 09:17 Well, that's about it for today's program, 09:19 but I hope that you've enjoyed our 360-degree view 09:21 of mission around the world, as we've visited Moldova, 09:25 and Georgia, and right here in Baltimore. 09:28 And I wanna thank you for your continuing support 09:30 of Adventist Mission through your prayers, 09:32 through your mission offerings, 09:34 and through your personal involvement. 09:36 We're for Adventist Mission. I'm Gary Krause. 09:38 And I hope that you can join me next time, 09:40 right here on Mission 360°. 09:53 Currently I feel so small Smaller than my trials 09:58 They threaten and intimidate My faith has seen some miles 10:03 'Cause there has never Been a day 10:05 When You have not come through 10:08 My history makes it known That You will prove that You 10:14 Are never just enough You are more 10:20 It won't be my strength 10:23 But Yours Forever The same always 10:30 The ages declare 10:33 You've never changed O Father You're faithful now 10:39 And You always will be 10:44 Your love is timeless 10:57 Your love has never let me stay Worried and afraid 11:02 You use the circumstances That I'm in 11:05 To make me free and brave 11:07 You spin me round To stand and face 11:10 The mountains in my way 11:12 You laugh with me as it moves When I sing out Your name 11:19 You're never just enough You are more 11:24 It won't be my strength 11:27 But Yours Forever The same always 11:34 The ages declare You've never changed 11:39 O Father You're faithful now 11:43 And You always will be 11:48 Your love is timeless 11:53 You'll never cease to be My ever daily Bread 11:59 You'll always be to me My chosen fear in life 12:05 No other pleasure in this world Could ever be as great 12:10 Your love will remain 12:15 Forever the same always 12:20 The ages declare You've never changed 12:26 O Father You're faithful now 12:30 And You always will be 12:33 Forever the same always 12:38 The ages declare You've never changed 12:44 O Father You're faithful now 12:48 And You always will be 12:52 Your love is timeless. |
Revised 2020-08-07