Worldview and Animism

 

If we are to clearly share the truths of the Gospel and Scripture, we need to understand how people are understanding and interpreting what we say. 

The Worldview/Animism Seminar we wrote about in our last letter went really well.

George Walker and Greg Melendez shared on the importance of understanding peoples Worldview and how Animism is a part of so many cultures.

All people have a starting point, an ultimate frame of reference through which they view and relate to all of life. Quite simply, it is either “the fear of the LORD” as revealed in the testimony of Scripture or someone else and their testimony that will serve as the ultimate frame of reference.

Worldview, put simply is “The \’lens\’ through which one views life.”

Animism has been described as … “The belief that personal spiritual beings and impersonal spiritual forces have power over human affairs and, consequently, that human beings must discover what beings and forces are influencing them in order to determine future action and, frequently, to manipulate their power”

(Communicating Christ in Animistic Contexts, Van Rheenen, 1991, p. 20).

Almost all of our NTM Paraguay missionaries presently in Paraguay were able to attend the forty hour seminar (five, eight hour a days), as well as a number of missionaries from other organizations. We also had a number of Spanish speaking attendees. One of the things I worked on in prep for the seminar was finding translators for all the sessions. (Translating as the speaker is speaking, with no pauses, is hard work, but they all did an excellent job.)

There was lots of good interaction. Many expressed appreciation to the Lord for helping them see how to begin to deal a variety of challenges they\’ve been facing in their various works.

We can see how what we\’ve learned will help us, and our coworkers, to better understand the people we minister to and communicate more clearly God\’s word.

New President in Paraguay

On Friday, August 15th Fernando Lugo, the president elect of Paraguay and ex bishop of the catholic church, was sworn in along with his cabinet. This ushers in a change from the Colorado Party that has ruled for 61 years.

As you get a chance during these days of transition for the country, please pray for us and for Paraguay. Pray that as the waves of change shift to and fro that we will be wise in how to minister faithfully the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Your co laborer,

Randy