Lesson 12: Making a Difference Throughout Boston

Lesson 12: Making a Difference Throughout Boston

Tuesday, April 15, 2014 / No Comments

Making a Difference Throughout Boston (Dr Hammond) (4/14/14)

Notes by Lana

Bethel’s Mission:

·     Youth Development Services

·     Local Partnerships

·     International Programs / Partners

The Fatherhood Program:

·     Piloted by Bethel in 2000, this program has been replicated successfully around the state

·     A model training course offered in partnership with local courts to 300 fathers & their families

Generation Excel:

·       Year-brown mentoring, academic support, mental health services, arts, sports & leadership development for 500-600 high-risk youth

·       “Do The Write Thing”, a creative writing & performing arts, & therapeutic program for at-risk & high-risk girls

·       90% of our girls graduate from high-school in 4 years, versus 67% for other Boston Public School females graduating

Bright Horizons:

·       A youth development program for Juvenile male offenders

Local Partnerships:

·       Boston 10 point Coalition

·       Black Ministerial Alliance ~ 20 year leader

·       Greater Boston Interfaith Organization (GBIO)

·       Nursing Home Partners

·       Educational Partners – MATCH School, Parkside

From Boston to Sudan

·       Harriet Tubman (1822-1913) – I had reasoned this out in my mind, there was one of 2 things I had a right to, liberty or death if I could not have one, I would have the other

·       Slavery: not long ago – Estimated # of slaves in the world today = 10-30 million

·       Modern day slavery: 600K – 800K (>70% females, >50% children)

·       International crime industries: $32 billion generated annually

·       Life is cheap – average price of a slave in 2009 = $90

·       Sudan: generations of conflicts

·       The work of the Kingdom is not pretty, & not easy

·       Sudan was predominantly a Muslim country, but South Sudan is now a Christian country & the churches get to stay (7^thday Aventist, Catholic churches)

Sister’s Keeper

·       Who will be my sister’s keeper? My sister’s keeper envisions a world where all women across the globe can imagine, create & sustain vibrant & joyous communities

·       Hebrews 10:35

·       Partners with resourceful & resilient Sudanese women & girls living in Sudan & throughout the Diaspora community

United Nations: Millennium Development Goals

·       Eliminate gender disparity in primary & secondary education preferably by 2005, & at all levels by 2015

·       Girls wanted to become doctors, teachers, pilots & business women

·       In 2007 – Women’s Peace School was started – Next steps is to do teacher training & development

·       Be faithful to what God has called you to, even right now

Questions for Reflection:

1.     Where is your Sudan?

·       Push against your back against the wall, & coming to realize that Jesus is all you need, & Jesus is all you have!

·       It is not going to be an easy place, & maybe it will be a lonely place- but it is the place that you will really grow in Christ

2.     Who will be your sister’s keeper?

·       If it is not you, then who?

·       If it is not now, then when?

John Ch18-19 Bible Study Notes

John Ch18-19 Bible Study Notes

Saturday, April 12, 2014 / No Comments

Background:

Passover

• Most important holiday of the Jews. Historical context: Exodus. Similar to Chinese New Year: to commemorate the people being delivered from bondage.

• Central to the Passover is the Passover lamb that each Israeli family would eat during Passover.
In the Exodus, the blood of the Passover lamb marked the house of Jewish people to prevent them from experiencing judgment that God was executing on Egypt. The Passover lamb was to point to Jesus, who would die so that his people would not experience judgment and spiritual death for their sins.

Political situation

• The land of Palestine was under Roman empire. Pilate is the governor. The Jewish people could not put anyone to death; only Pilate can.
What just happened prior to ch 18: the last supper
Remind people to read ch 18 and 19 as narrative, not as teaching.

Keep in mind to explain:
• The various prophecies from Old Testament.
• Jesus’ death is not merely important on its own, but his death and resurrection need to be considered together.


Read: John ch 18, 19

Some themes:

Person of Jesus as shown in his way to crucifixion

• Obedient

• He had option to not go through this, but he chose to.
God has ordained this ever since the beginning. Jesus’ death is not an accidental tragic happening; Jesus chose it

• Just because you know the outcome doesn’t mean the process has to be easier. Though Jesus knew the outcome would be resurrection and salvation of his people, the path to the cross is one of pain and humiliation. The same lesson can be drawn for Christians.

Q: what does this story tells us about the person of Jesus? How does the way Jesus faces his crucifixion tell us about him?

Q: imagine yourself to be Judas, or Peter, or Pilate. How would you feel if you were in their shoes?
Would you have acted the same or differently?

Q: Christians, throughout the world and throughout history, are known to face death, whether through sickness, disasters, or martyrdom, with courage and with hope. Why do you think it is the case?

Perspectives Notes - L11: Building bridges of love

Perspectives Notes - L11: Building bridges of love

Monday, April 7, 2014 / No Comments

Lesson 11: Building bridges of love – Paul Biswas (“Faith” in Bengali) (4/7/14)

Notes by Lana

Contextualizing the Messenger

·     Incarnational lifestyle evangelism

·     The message is important the messenger is more important to communicate the message

·     Missionaries can only make their message effective if they are recognized as credible messengers

·     The gospel is more than a message

·     It is an introduction to life under Christ’s lordship

·     As missionaries or cross cultural servant we need to contextualize ourselves (1 Corinthians 9:20-23 - To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law(though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings)

·     Gospel = introduction to life under Christ’s lordship

·     There are 5 gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke, John & your life!

Recommended book: Communicating Christ Cross-Culturally by David J. Hesselgrave

How can missionaries contextualize themselves?

1.     Following the Biblical model of Incarnation / Style

·     Incarnation from a Hindu’s perspective: John 3:4 - Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” Jesus answered that he must be born again

·     No other religions require a change of the inner heart; most measure by external / physical changes

·     Jesus is our model

·     Philippians 2:6-9 - who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name

·     His renunciation & identification

·     Other religions aim to “reach upwards to God”; but God “incarnated & came down to us / identified with us”

·     We are on His mission

·     John 1:14 - And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth; 20:21 - Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

·     He was giving His disciples the authority – with the same credentials as what His Father gave Him

2.     Practicing humility

Different aspects of humility

·     Challenged by the importance & difficulty – requires special effort to see beyond the limits of our cultures

·     Need to understand the culture & we need to appreciate the culture that we are going to

·     By immersing ourselves in the new social environment

·     Missionaries need to go & start where people are – we need to see the needs & issues of the local people that we are reaching out to

·     Recognize locals by leaving your own superiority complex

·     Trust the spirit – humility relies on the Holy Spirit

·     Sacrifice & service – follow the example of missionaries like William Carey, Hudson Taylor, David Livingstone, Henry Martin, Jim Eliot, Adonirum Judson, David Brainerd, Annie Armstrong, Lottie Moon, Amy Carmichael, Mother Teresa & others – Models of Incarnational Ministry

·     It starts with passion & commitment

·     Identification without loss of identity

·     Credibility

·     Integrity

Having a sense of belonging in a new culture (1 Corinthians (9: 20-23)

·     Relationship – “Building the bi-cultural bridge” (Paul Hiebert)

·     Forming special bridging relationship

·     Finding effective roles both in the culture & church (1 Thess 2:8-12)

·     Present the relational God by relating with the people of the culture where missionary serves

·     Attitudes

Missionary’s Entry Roles: Becoming a Learner

·     Culture shock (> for short term missionaries) & culture stress (> for long term missionaries) (Hiebert)

·     Initial role: Becoming learner (Donald Larson) – role of a learner serves well

·     The Hindus: “Jesus is A way, Atruth & A life” – because they believe in many gods, but Jesus says “He is THE way, THE truth & THE life”

·     Jesus is exclusive but the gospel is inclusive – He is the way, the truth & the life, but his message is for everyone!

Bonding & Relationships with locals

·       Bonding as early attachment

·       Language & culture learning – Language learning as a social, rather than academic activity; “learners” rather than “students”

Identity with Integrity

·     Serving in Terrorized, Globalized & Pluralized world – Do missionary destroy culture?

Triple Audience & a 3 Dimensional Identity

·       Unreached community – to whom we present the gospel

·       The on looking secular world – to defend the gospel

·       The church-to recruit co-labor

Communication in Social Settings

·       Tribal societies – elders dominated

·       Peasant societies – social grouping & people movement

·       Urban societies – individual decision

Basic Principles to Communicate Effectively

·       Knowing social structure & dynamics of communications

·       Knowing face-to-face or homogenous societies

·       Making personal friendship

Missions & Money – the Complex Issue

·       Contextualize lifestyle

·       Missionary has to leave the “compound” mentality