NEWS END OF DECEMBER 2013

Merry Christmas to all!

Joining the fellowship late, I expected it to be almost done. “I’ve just come to hear the word” I said. So then, although there were almost only ladies present, I didn’t get to share. Listening to the African woman sharing reminded me of something that I had just read of early 20th Century missionaries to Africa! One hundred years ago missionaries found witchcraft to be a BIG issue in Africa . Now with an African woman preaching, the same topic came up again and again and again. Of course she was not pro-witchcraft. Her frequently repeated point was that she believed in one God, so didn’t need to fear that which other women in the community feared.

A missionary in Africa wrote in 1929 that: “much missionary preaching is like a boxer striking the air instead of planting well directed blows in the spot where they are most likely to take effect”. I wonder how much of my preaching, and that of other missionaries, is still that way today?

This is something very much in my mind as we seek to go ahead with theological training that takes account of African culture and language. I completed a training course a year ago on how to teach over the internet. Internet Theological Education by Extension - Kenya is set up and running. The director wants me to start up teaching in African languages. I anticipate that this will be discussing linguistic (and associated cultural) impacts on biblical interpretation at depth. We plan to engage in discussion through the medium of Swahili, and other African languages. The launch, with one or two students, will hopefully be in January 2014, or whenever the director can get me the right web access.

On arrival back from UK , I have found all to be well. At home, the children are well. Please pray for us as we consider adding another child. Here at Coptic in Maseno, as usual there are a lot of young people visiting from around the world. They have re-started a theological teaching programme here, which I may get involved in come January. We are planning to meet to see the way forward for our Yala theological programme also in the next couple of months.

It is always strange coming back from the UK , one expects things to have changed, but yet they haven’t changed. I am having a lot of trouble sending and receiving emails, so apologies for any delays.

Bye for now,

Jim