Heart Language

Two particular conversations with friends over the past week really got me to thinking about several threads that have been weaving themselves through the fabric of my thoughts over the past several years.

Wycliffe Raises Questions
First, my friend is now preparing to go overseas with Wycliffe Bible Translators. It has been so fascinating for me to watch her go through this whole process and learn with her about Bible Translating. Wycliffe realizes the power of the Word as revealed through his written word. Their focus, then, becomes putting the word of God into the heart language of people groups, and in fact, has as a goal to have it in the language of all people groups. After reading and watching videos about their work, I am more impressed with the speciial significance to the people groups of having the Word in their language. Alongside Bible Translating, Wycliffe does work in ethnomusicology. They maintain that music is not the universal language, but rather peoples have different music styles, etc., that speak to them. In their study of ethnic music, they find ways that people groups can worship through their own methods. Their heart music.

An interesting question that has rolled around in my head concerns literal versus thought-for-thought translation. I have always automatically been drawn toward literal translation with no exceptions. Consider, however, the tribe in the jungle who has never seen snow. What meaning do they attach to "your sins will be white as snow"? Jesus seemd to speak in stories that resonated with his culture. Bring that attitude home then. What about translations such as the Message and the New Living Translation? I am inclined to hold English speakers to a higher standard, but is that merely my middle-class snobbery? God's word is powerful indeed, for it "strips the forest bare." I am still drawn to "better" translations like the ESV and NASB, but rightfully? Is there a line over which we cross into diminishing the Gospel's effectiveness by human frailty, or is our concern actually lack of faith in the power of God in salvation? Sigh.

Relevancy in the Church

While I have done minimal study on this particular subject, I am intrigued by the rising movement known as Emergent Theology. As far as I can tell, they are growing groups of Christians concerned about the rise of post-modernism and what they perceive as the church's failuer in adequately responding. Therefore, they propose what they call "new ways" of responding through worship and evangelism, etc. On the one hand, I am leary both of motives and methods of such a group (or conglomeration of groups), especially when using terms like "new," when there is nothing new under the sun, not even post-modernism. For another thing, I cringe to think that the motive might be to make Christianity more appealing (so as to grow in numbers and have similar goals) approaching a more "seeker-friendly" mode. The Gospel, even Christ himself, is offensive and divisive. There is a balance that is sometimes hard to find. So as I study this movement more, I may find different motives, goals and methods, but intend to ask hard questions to really figure out what they are trying to say and do.

On the other hand, I find myself nearly ready to jump on board with such thinking. As I sat in church this summer, at times I found myself thinking, "Is this my Christianity?" with an embarrassed grimace. I almost feel as though mainstream evangelicalism has taken on a Kraft macaroni mentality- very comfortable, easy, and ultimately, very cheesy. I always hate to be critical of the church because I find often that criticism of the church often leads to bitterness and separation, when Christ called us to love and serve the church. However often I fail, my desire is that if a person is turned away from Christianity, he has stumbled on Christ and teh Gospel and not the manner by which we have presented it.

Anyway....Worship wars continue to rage. In addition, I sometimes feel that as Christians (and more so in conservative circles) we sometimes choose something just because it's "old" and not because it's biblical. Back on track, though, it happened to be the music that particularly made me grimace. We would sing a hymn, but it might be one of those gospel songs that everyone knows and older generations love. As I consider the words, I think, what does this mean? Some of those hymns are so fluffy and meaningless, and yet they are old favorites. Huh. And the conversely, some of the praise songs we sang were equally as embarrassing and empty. At times, we didn't even sing the new, hipper songs, either, but flashed-back to the 80s. Yikes. I guess what really got me about these songs was this: perhaps they are comfortable and familiar songs but if a non-believer was at church that week, what would they think? I especially thought about the high school generation, that is so world-weary, bitter and dark in so many ways. Are teenage skater boys drawn in by the feminized praise songs? I am not advocating seeker-friendliness by any means, but perhaps our methods are worth considering. I sometimes fear that our presentation of the gospel is the stumbling block and not Christ himself. Consider again the work of the ethnomusicologist who says that music is not the universal language. So what music speaks to our generation?

I guess what this all means to me as far as the church is a challenge to the church and myself. The world out there is changing, perhaps not evolving into something new, but is changing. Are we as a church engaging that culture? Are we listening to its heartbeat and asking good questions? Are finding the heart language of our youth, risking relationship with them, and feeding them Christ. We have this tendency to throw cheesy phrases and chic tracks at people rather than risk meeting them heart to heart. Adults, at times, though ready to impress upon youth the majesty of Christ, fail to measure the heartbeat whose rhythm is not his own. We all too often stand on the precipice above shouting down to the raging sea, "Just swim!...not that way....Kick your legs!" rather than diving in, just to say, "I am here with you. We can swim this one together." I believe that is what our youth especially needs, adults willing to listen and find their heart language and speak in a way that upholds the gospel but does not diminish their hearts. I know I did.

Training Up Hearts

This topic of heart languages seems also to tie in very strongly with my new job. I am almost overwhelmed at the enormity and responsibility of teaching a class of seven 5th/6th graders, not only to be responsible for giving them knowledge, but to teach their hearts and share in the work of conforming their character to Christ's. It is very humbling work.

I am amazed at the creativity of God in creating each of these children, and how their backgrounds, choices and experiences (of which I know so little) have formed them. And I realize that I am dealing with seven distinct and impressionable hearts that yearn (sometimes in ignorance) for the love of Christ, and how inadequate I am for the task of feeding them. I must remind myself that however much I have "matured" or moved on in the experiences of life, nothing is so important to their hearts as what they are feeling at this time, even if is something as seemingly small as a playground squabble. I must by careful oberservation and interaction to hear and to speak their distinct heart languages, and to love them. What a task! I sometimes think I can get lazy and throw empty, detached words at students, like "God told us to love each other so that's what you should do." That may be true, but I opt for the easy way rather than asking good questions about what might be going on in their heart, and learning to lead their desires to Christ. Sometimes, that just can't be done with words.

I have found that children have wonderful minds, and that I can teach a child to memorize anything or learn a math concept so easily. What requires more work is to train their hearts. One of the major roadblocks to this work is my own heart. I can trace my perception of situations or reactions to students back to my own assumptions and experiences. Praise God that he is strongest in our weakness.

So, these ramblings might be just that...and more scattered than I actually intended. But as I wrote extensively in my thesis, I believe that the heart is so important, in training and discipling kids, in relating to friends and in understanding ourselves. Rather than letting our own experiences, knowledge and assumptions dictate, it is so important (and really a delight) to undertake the risky task of understanding and learning to speak another's heart language.

The Maine points only...

Phew. So, I have much to write. For now, I will only abbreviate and hope to catch up completely later. I am in Maine now. Matthew and I moved here with no glitches. God has been so good to us. I started my job last Tuesday and have a wonderul group of 5th and 6th graders. More on everything later. Sigh. I feel overwhelmed with all I could and want to say....I suppose I will postpone for another day.

Oh. The most exciting news..we got a puppy! We have a cute little beagle puppy named Sydney. Whoohoo!

WWW.edding

Thanks to my cousin Brian, Matthew and I now have a wedding website. It's really cool. Check it out: www.grinderwedding.com.

Just Call Me, "Mrs. Grinder."

Ok, well, not quite. The wedding is three months away yet, but that's what my fifth and sixth graders at the Maine Classical School are going to call me in the fall. Yes, that's right. A few weeks ago, I applied to this Classical Christian School in Freeport, ME, near where Matthew and I are going to live in Brunswick. I had a phone interview a week later, and a week and a half later, they flew me out for some teaching time and more interviews. The Schoolmaster just called me this afternoon to offer me the 5/6 position. I am so delighted!

Thank you to all who have supported and prayed for me about this opportunity!

Graduation went well. I got to spend time with Emily S. and Michelle afterward. as well as see other friends from near and far. I can't quite believe that it's over. Life is moving on quickly...and on that note, I'll end. I don't know when I will be back with wedding plans and all, but we'll see!

Fun times...

This is Matt and I at his parents' house caught between rounds of Phase 10. He beat me...but just barely. Grrr. Anyway, it was a relaxing break all around, thanks to both families. Marriage couseling is awesome and made me ten times more excited about getting married. Whoohoo.

There isn't much time now for a real post because I need to go study for my Religion Comps, which I am taking at 8 am tomorrow...

Spring Break!

I am officially on Spring Break now. Tomorrow, I will be flying out of Detroit and meeting Matthew in Minneapolis, then we will fly home together! (via Seattle, which doesn't make sense to me either..oh well) I haven't seen him in six months so I am super excited. We will be spending some relaxing time with his family in Cut Bank and mine in Great Falls. We will also be getting some more wedding plans done. Whoohoo! Needless to say, I will not be updating until after Easter. Happy Easter, Friends!


"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "-1 Corinthians 13:1

Christians Before a Watching World

Wow. More and more it has come to my attention that there are major issues within Reformed theological circles. You would think that good, solid doctrine would breed good, solid and unified people. Tragically, I am learning that it doesn't always and that the problem is more widespread than I had previously imagined. If the dissention isn't over doctrine, what is it? Rob Schlapfer, although having recently come into controversy over his websites antithesis.com and discerningread.com, has some good things to say about this very topic. I am going to repost his newletter article from last year here. Enjoy!

Christians Before a Watching World
The Dangerous Pursuit of Reformed Theology

Why is it that, with all too many of us, themore familiar we are with sound Christian teaching the less Christ-like we become in our daily lives? Why are so many "Reformed" belivers, in particular, so lacking in love, kindness, patience, gentleness, meekness- the fruit of the Spirit's work within us? Why so cold- abstracring trith fromt eh real world of people with needs? Is there a danger pursuing theology- especially, in our times, Reformed Theology?

Yes. There is a very real danger. I can testify to it personally...with tears. If left unchecked it can cut us off from brothers and sisters whom we are called to love and serve- simply because they do not hold our same convictions. And it undermines our proclamation of the good news of Christ's kingdom to a lost world in need.

How? By presenting a caricature of the Christian faith- exaggerating certain areas of truth and pushing them to the forefront- that, as Francis Schaeffer puts it, "is hard and lacks beauty." It creates "ugly Calvinism" that is more a reaction to the "easy-believism" of our times than "thorough, Biblical Reformation." Sad, but all too true.

What are its salient features? It places undue emphasis upon God's Holiness, at the expense of His Love. It speaks often of our integrity- the need to maintain a good conscience before God and people- but rarely about the fervent love we are to have "one for another." It has little room for mercy when wronged, and will carry a grudge for years if offended. It dwells on the wrongs of others and seems oblivious to teh idea that love conquers a multitude of sins. It is quick to got to war in defense of some personal conviction, forgetting that "peacemakers" will be called the sonsof God. In short, it lacks the very grace it seeks to promote. (How ironic.)

In many respects, it has similarities with one of the reformation movements found on the pages of the New Testament: the Pharisees. Sinclair Ferguson notes well that,

"The Pharisees were men who had originally set out to restore God's people to orthodox, supernatural doctrine. They were men who had sought to promte holiness of life. They were men who knew something about what it was to have a God who was concerned about the details of men's daily walk before Him...

Many of the doctrines that we love were also loved by the Pharisees. And yet, the tragedy of their lives was that- through mistaken application of God's truth and a failure, especially, to see that the doctrines of God's grace are meant to show us the grace of God Himself- they used their doctrines and their application and their ethic to hide their souls from God. They needed to learn that the doctrines of Grace need to be lodged in hearts of grace in order to produce live of grace...

There is a perennial danger in the religious heart: thatin the midst of all our desire to understand precisely and to live precisely we may lose sight of the grace of God who [after all] sent His Son to be the Saviour of the World. [Not its judge-now.]"

A Question of Balance
Don't misunderstand me. I am grateful that I was introduced to the riches of Reformed Theology some twenty years ago. But the study of such theology is not an end in and of itself. It is always to make us more like Jesus-the gentlelamb of God who conducted a gracious ministry amongthe poor, describing Himself as gentle and lowly of heart. (Matthew 11:29) When Biblical-Theological study produces something other than that it is worse than useless- it can, in fact, be damning. And it presents a watching world with a distorted vision of The God who is There. As Paul, the Biblical scholar, aptly puts it, This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.

rob schlapfer, christiancounterculture.com