In the previous post, I asked a question people have been asking, “What does the fox say?” But then we looked at a more important question, “What does the gospel say?” Sadly, people often have the same reactions to both: If it’s not “I don’t know,” then they might just guess. This was a first response I listed in the last post. There is a second frequent response to the question, “What does the gospel say?” 2. A lot of... Read more
Are you one of the 100+ million people who’ve seen this video? I know that for some people, the first time they saw it, they felt just a little dumber. One person left this comment on YouTube, “I’m so embarrassed to live in this generation.” On the other hand, it is a catchy song. When it’s all said and done, you really do start to wonder, “Well, what does the fox say?” Nobody knows what the fox says … so... Read more
Traditional western theology may not be wrong, but it also may not be as helpful as we’d like. Why Western Theology is Not Enough First of all, the phrase “Western theology” should not carry negative connotations. Some books treat Western theology like it’s the theological “boogeyman” Our theologies always reflect the cultural lens through which we read Scripture. People readily talk about “African theology,” “Chinese theology,” “Puritan theology,” and whatever other kind of theology. Yet, when someone says “Western” theology,... Read more
My previous post, examined the story of the rich, younger ruler (Mark 10:17–30). I suggested that Jesus shifts our focus from “what” to “who.” If this is correct, then what does this mean for gospel preaching? “Who” is our hope The reason why people “do works” is not merely because they want to “earn salvation.” Rather, they just want to be accepted. For many, “salvation” (as Christians talk about it) has never entered their mind. Therefore, they settle for social... Read more
How do you use Mandarin to talk about honor and shame (i.e. “face”)? What if you don’t speak Chinese? For those not interested in speaking Chinese, there’s still plenty here to help you learn about how language reveals culture. Some observations may help people think about how to use language to share God’s message, regardless of one’s cultural settings. Presuming to exhaust the depths of Chinese honor-shame language is laughable. There are hundreds of words and idioms that convey variously... Read more
Western Christians make a big deal of the rich young ruler story (Matt. 19:16–29; Mark 10:17-30; Luke 18:18–30). The account has become the quintessential expression of a legalist trying to earn his salvation. Is this interpretation correct or is it just a caricature of the rich man? Our understanding of the story matters significantly because it shapes the way many people perceive a sinner’s problem and thus do evangelism. To explore this question further, let us consider what we would... Read more
This is a warning for those living anywhere near the Beijing and Shanghai areas. Benny Hinn is coming to China in December. Here is an excerpt from an interview in which he announced his visit. The following comes from an article by CharismaMagazine titled, “Benny Hinn: The Anointing Is Still in Operation.” Hinn: Doors are swinging open. I’m going to China, by the way, if you can believe it. I’ve been invited to preach in two cities, Shanghai and Guangzhou,... Read more
Short-term volunteers are a major part of mission strategy. Long-term missionaries have mixed feelings about the benefit and best use of a volunteer team. However, there is broad agreement about one point: short-term volunteers need more pre-field preparation. Although this topic deserves multiple blog posts, for now, I want to focus on one area in particular—contextualization.I am frequently saddened to find long-term workers relatively unconcerned or unfamiliar with the whole notion of contextualization. Therefore, it is not surprising that many... Read more
Here’s a beautiful example of what contextualization does not look like. Related articles The Gospel with Chinese Characteristics (www.patheos.com/blogs/jacksonwu) Train Short-term Workers to Do Contextualization (Orientation Packet) (www.patheos.com/blogs/jacksonwu) When Short-Term Workers Don’t Contextualize (www.patheos.com/blogs/jacksonwu) — my next post Read more
Help me by taking a quick poll. Someone suggested that they needed more time between my posts in order to digest what all I was saying. Previously, this has been my typical plan: Two posts per week Published on Tuesday and Thursday mornings (East Asia time) I try to make each post substantial Each post averages between 500-800 words However, I’d like to hear from you. Given the kind of posts I write, are two posts per week too... Read more
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