Over the past year Katy and I have been privileged to attend three graduate level courses in Brussels, Belgium. Dr. Anita Koeshall, who has been doing student ministry in Europe for over thirty years, arranged these classes for European missionaries interested in learning more about cross-cultural ministry.
In these courses, we've learned tools to help us contextualize the Gospel, communicate more effectively, and develop leadership within our culture of ministry. It has been challenging for us to separate ourselves from our "default" culture and begin to see Irish culture through a fresh lens.
I, personally, have been challenged in several ways. I've found that my views on theology and leadership were, in reality, American twists on biblical principles and not in themselves biblical. I've learned that every culture needs to be redeemed...no one culture fully displays the Kingdom of God on earth. I've learned that in ministry, I must lead people not to my culture, but to my Christ.
It is of the utmost importance, no matter what ministry or culture we are in, that we assess ourselves on biblical truths, learning what aspects of our culture reveal the Gospel and what aspects must be redeemed by the Gospel.
Katy and I are so thankful for Dr. Anita Koeshall, Dr. Beth Grant, and Dr. Alan Johnson teaching us andCTS for hosting us. We've learned more about biblical leadership and cross-cultural ministry in these classes, than we have in our entire lives.
