Church Plant Update
MAY 2019
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Dear<<First Name>>,
The church plant amongst the nDo is at a significant juncture!
The first two years of our time here in the village is focused on learning the nDo language and culture. For us, this process started just last week when Elna was assigned her first language helper. Our teammates Zach and Cassidy have acquired a level of proficiency in the nDo language and culture that allows them to move ahead to the next phase of the church plant: literacy and evangelistic Bible teaching.
Literacy Is Essential
Here are a few reasons why our team will implement a literacy program in the village:
- God gave us his Word in written form.
- We want people to be able to review the Bible lessons after they have been taught.
- We want the nDo to be like the Bereans (Acts 17) and like the Thessalonians (1 Thess 1-2) and not accept our gospel teaching based on our word, but based on the written Word of God.
- We want the nDo to gain a level of proficiency in the Scriptures that allows them to study the Bible on their own, proclaim it, and apply it.
The literacy program will move through phases, allowing people to grow in reading and writing proficiency. It will also develop gifted students into teachers within a relatively short period of time.
Evangelistic Bible Teaching
This is why we are here. It is the heart of our church planting work. It is also the most challenging part of the mission, involving many hours of intensive Bible study, lesson preparation, and Bible translation. Careful translation of the lessons and Scripture into nDo is essential to conveying God's Word.
Think of your pastor. He spends anywhere between 12-20 hours to prepare a 60min sermon. He must study the Scripture and then craft his exposition. He uses carefully worded outlines, transitions between points, and illustrations that help you understand each point. He helps you think through the implications of the text and its application to your life. His choice of words, illustrations, and applications are culturally appropriate, drawing on words, phrases, knowledge, events, etc. that you are familiar with within your culture.
The same work must be done in our evangelistic Bible lessons, with the added burden of working in a second language and foreign culture. In our case preparation for a 60min lesson is no longer a 20 hour affair. It's much more than that, and it includes language helpers.
Zach is now at the point where he will begin this process.
Family Update
We arrived in PNG 6 months ago and moved into the village 2 months ago. We are settled in the house and Elna and the kids are in their schooling routine. We are in the last stages of learning Tok Pisin and will begin formal nDo learning soon.
We are still getting used to the culture and I am trying not to make any major blunders in my interaction with people. We do not want to add unnecessary offences because of thoughtless words or actions! One foolish word or act of generosity can cause great conflict here.
Calista and Sebastian are also learning Tok Pisin and are making an effort to speak with some of their friends in the village. By God's grace they will soon be fluent too.
As Zach and Cassidy begin the literacy program and Bible teaching preparation, Elna will help Cassidy with her kids, freeing up time for Cassidy to prepare and teach literacy. I will be available to help Zach as he prepares his lessons. In limited ways I will be able to help him think through translation choices and will also try help him find answers to exegetical questions that may arise.
Prayer
Please pray for Zach and Cassidy as they work on the literacy and Bible lesson preparation:
- For wisdom and endurance in preparation.
- For excitement, cooperation, faithfulness of the nDo people to attend.
Please pray for good relations to develop with the people in the village. Finally, please pray for our language acquisition.
In Christ,
Elna and Ryan Mitchell
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