Beyond Christianity Seminar

This is the seminar Mark attended.

SATURDAY, March 16

3:30-5pm: Introductory Session

(Option: Join a group for dinner after the session)

SUNDAY, March 17 

9am-10:30: Session #2

10:30-11am: Coffee Break

11am-12:30pm: Session #3

12:30-1:30: Lunch Together

3pm-4:30: : Session #4

(Option: Join a group for dinner after the session)

________________

The seminar was about "How do you take Jesus to the Buddhist, Hindu, and Muslim culture?" 

Wow!

What happens now is if they convert to Christianity they are shunned in the village.  If they are young they will not have any thing to do with them in most cases. Where is Jesus in that?  It has been something I have been struggling with ever since I first came here to Cambodia. I don't have answers but would like to find them.   

When I am in Cambodia I want to be Cambodian. That's what I love about the people and the country. But no matter how much I want or how long I am here I will never be one. I will never be fully Cambodian. And no matter how hard I try some things will still get to me.    

Like "TIME."  If you make an appointment at 9:00 that means it could be any time after 9:00. Usually within a hour. But not always. In the States we have day planners. Some even have month planners. And we keep to them pretty close. As a business man I always wanted to be the first one there. That's what I was taught. That your time was as important as mine. Maybe more.    

But here they look at it differently. They know that you had something important to do so they will wait on you. Because you are important. I do okay with "TIME" ninety-five percent of the time. Chinda and I have a saying, 'Cambodian or American time.'

So what I am trying to say is you can not take over one thousand years of culture out of people. Everything in Cambodia has to do with belief, songs, statues, and Wats (temples). It would be like trying to make us French. We could adapt, but we would never be French.

So what to do I? 

This conference left me with more questions than answers. I talked with Pastor John about this before I went. He brought up a phrase i hadn't heard. It is "A Jesus Follower." Well, that was the word most used at the conference. Saying when you can go to the Wat and pray to Jesus you will still be part of your community. Let them see what Jesus is doing for you! Wow!

 

This is happening in Thailand In Chiang Mai. One of the men talking is from Navigators and has lived there for nine years. Hiss name is George McBride. His email is GEORGE.MCBRIDE@SERVETHAILAND.COM. If you want to know more about what he is doing. 

As for me I believe something needs to done or we will never reach the masses. But it is not for me. I will pray about it.  One thing that can happen when you start to go in that direction is the church is not going to be happy. Why? They are being  taught by the West that you go to hell if go back to a Wat.  So there are many things to consider. My mission here is to do business. And in doing that, you don't want to upset anyone. They are your customers.

  

This ministry has to be done by someone that God has truly called. It could a rough road and if you haven't been called to this type of ministry, it could get very lonely. I know what I need to do is to open the door. For someone to understand what needs to done. As I said, the seminar leaves a lot of questions.   

Please pray about this!  

I have copy of the forward to the conference. It is very good. If any one wants it email me and I will send it to you  

God Bless,

Mark

mtmasingale@gmail.com