Importance of Communication in Christian Ministry
The Christian principles of communication are same as the characteristics of ministry. They are communication is paricipatory,libarative,builds community,nurishes culture and prophetic1. So the Christian ministry is more about communication. In christian ministry, all types of communication is involved that is intrapersonal, group etc but the interpersonal communication's role is very important. Preparing the sermons etc coming under the intrapersonal communication and preaching, teaching etc come in to the catagery of group communication.
In christian ministry, there is formal talk and informal talk which are called as trasaction and interaction in interpersonal communication. Inerpersonal communication helps to establishig and maintaing the relationships, helps to avoid misunderstanding, unites the people, giving meaningful expressionof love, gives encouragement, comfort in christian ministry.
Biblical presentation
Communication is very important role in Jesus's ministry, apostles ministry. The Bible gives us the narratives about the interpersonal communication (eg: Jesus and Samaritan woman), and Group communication (eg: sermons of Peter, Stephen etc) intrapersonal communication (eg:prodigal son, Peter in Acts 10) and Mass communication (Scriptures, Temple sturctures etc).
Paul wrote about christian miscommunication in I Corinthians 14:8-12. Hendricks observed that in verse 19, Paul's longing for gift of communication.2 Infact our christian ministry is based on the great commission which involves preaching and teaching- Proclaiming Gospal and making discipiles.Oommen defines evangelism as “Evangelism is the proclamation or comminication of the good news (Gospel) of Jesus Christ – in the power of the Holy Spirit – to a person in a manner that he understands and responds, so that he should put his trust in God through Jesus Christ, accepting Him as his Savior and serving Him as the Lordof his personal life, in the corporate fellowhip of the Church”3 this definition clearly explains about the role of communication as proclaiming, respose to the message etc.
Communication in Ministry
Communication involves differnt ways in Christian ministry. The following are some of the areas where the communication takes place in ministry.
1.Preaching and Teaching: Preaching and teaching is the main way whare communication takes place. Speaking, nonverbal communication like gusteres etc involves. Preaching in the church, in meetings, mass evangelism etc are mostly needed effective comminication. Stage is for communcation, not for monoplay or performance.
2.Personal talking and counseling: This is the most effective tool of communication in chiristian ministry. Pastor's house visitings, counseling the people, christian communicator's talking with others, all involves the way to communicate the gospel and equiviping the individual. In personal evangelism, the effective communication gives much results.
3.through stories in sunday schools, skits, singing, action songs, music etc.,
4.Media: printed media as Bible, books, and electronic media like Television, radio,Vedio tapes, Audio cassettes, Films,Computers,telephone. Many christian ministries have their won television channels. Radio playes very important role in missions.4 Movies, audio-vedio tapes etc are very useful in missions and church ministries.Many ministries have internet usage like maintaing websites, prayer cells through telephones, using LCD etc in the worship.
5.Symbolism: Through the observences like baptisPassionate and Compassionate Communication,m, communion lots of communication takes place. Church constuction, dressing of the priest etc also communicate with people.
6.Leadership: In the leadership, communication takes important role. To make the leaders, to lead the people etc, a leader must have the good communication skills in christian ministry. John Haggai wrote that the leadership requires effective communcation through speech, writing, and without effective communication, a leader never reach his/her leadership potential.5
7.Personality: “Nothing is as easy as talking; nothing is as difficult as communicating”6 this means communication through the personality is very difficut than speaking. The christian message is more communicated through the preacher's personality, life style than the preaching. Christian preaching involves the teaching and doing(Acts 1:1) This ministirial communication explained as 'concept-feeling-action'7by Hendricks, and 'BEING before DOING and SAYING'8 by Oommen.Positive personality gains positive response and negetive gains negetive. If the preacher is not practicing what he/she preached, there are much distraction in his/her communication.
Thus the communcation plays very important role in Christian ministry in many areas.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Bible women:model leaders as agents of change
Assignment
Subject: Women in religion and in society
Topic: BIBLE WOMEN: MODEL LEADERS AS AGENTS OF CHANGE
Submitted by: B.Thiophilos, BD I
Submitted to: Ms. Dong Ring
Submitted on: 6th Feb 2008
Summery
This article explains about the role of Bible women in India specifically South India. This article explains about how the Bible women bring the change in the society by their ministry in the later part of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. the author tries to find out their methodology of approach and impact on the society. From that analysis she brings some of th leadership principles useful for our present context.
The author's logical sequence started at the missing idea of the feminist scholar Jane Haggis. Haggis fails to see the Bible women's contribution to the society so the author tries to deal with that part. Most of the missions reports about women's ministries related to the work of the Bible women. In this article, the author's referred sources are from the CMS Telugu mission in Andhra, other mission reports like the American Marathi mission, and LMS has also been consulted. though the pattern of the ministry of the Bible women is same in the missions, it had slight differences depending on the context they were working. Throughout this article, the author does not underestimate the role of the missionaries but focus on the Bible women's work in changing the society.
Missionaries establish the schools, orphanages, inquirer's homes, converts' homes for girls and women. those people who studied there were mostly the widows,and elderly women converts became the Bible women. For some, mission paid and some worked voluntarily. these women were form both the high castes and the out castes. in 1909, woman's missionary movement had 441 bible women. Lat5er the ministry spread and the mission work was emphasized on the Church. So now the Bible women work is limited and it is continued in some rural congregations. But in those days, these women workers leadership and methodology is very useful for the postmodern leadership.
the Bible women were given basic education to read and trained in crafts like knitting, sewing etc. the main purpose of the Bible women's work was to reach the women in the houses with the gospel. this process involved in literacy work, vocational training to reach the women. They gave the basic guidelines to women at home regarding cleanliness and medicine. They involved in visiting the sick, bring the sick to hospital etc.
In Indian context, if any body converted to Christianity, they lost their old customs and had new social identity. thus, these Bible women had the very different identity in the society thus they impact the society with changes. When they reach the society with their new faith and education, the actually passing on their ideology and beliefs to the next generations at the risk of their own lives. they were beaten and misunderstood in some cases. These Bible women reach the society and contextualize the Christian message. In villages, they retold the Bible stories again and again by visiting the homes in mornings. In the nights, they approach the people with Burrakath, Harikatha, Suddulu and Bhajana. Many Christian songs were composed by the women.
Bible women had very easy entrance into the high cast homes, Marwadis homes etc. So thus they reach Brajhmans, Mohammedans, Goldsmiths, Weavers and all kinds of artisans. Since these Bible women were teaching the education, they had the respect of 'guru' in Indian context. They were available to the people at any time. Some women converted thus homes and villages came to Christ. Many women were living as secret Christians. Bible women were became the instrumental in bringing into being the whole new breed of Christian elite.
In the last part of the article, the author drawn the some of the leadership principles useful today like their behavior, their identity in society, their attitude in the work and their relationship with the other Bible women workers.
Evolution
The total dealing with the given topic is very good. But much references to the subject is needed since in Andhra, she took some part only. The coastal part of Andhra still have these Bible women work, but no references made referring to it. the CBCNC mission had lot of history material about this. If the author consider these also then more light is shown on the topic since the entire part of Coastal Andhra is now mostly Christianized because of Bible women and this work still continuing there.
The author's deliberate use of some statements without references made carelessly. For example, under the reference number 21, the author writes that now no single song composed by women is in the Telugu hymnal. In Telugu, there is only one hymnol book is there. In that some songs written by the women specifically by the Bible women were there for example the hymn number 121 was written by Kommu Krupa.
The author's approach to the Bible women's contribution to the society is very logical and very appropriate. Form the origin to the now, dealing with the purpose of the mission on one side and leadership recognition on other side, the author fulfills the aim of the article appropriately.
Subject: Women in religion and in society
Topic: BIBLE WOMEN: MODEL LEADERS AS AGENTS OF CHANGE
Submitted by: B.Thiophilos, BD I
Submitted to: Ms. Dong Ring
Submitted on: 6th Feb 2008
Summery
This article explains about the role of Bible women in India specifically South India. This article explains about how the Bible women bring the change in the society by their ministry in the later part of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. the author tries to find out their methodology of approach and impact on the society. From that analysis she brings some of th leadership principles useful for our present context.
The author's logical sequence started at the missing idea of the feminist scholar Jane Haggis. Haggis fails to see the Bible women's contribution to the society so the author tries to deal with that part. Most of the missions reports about women's ministries related to the work of the Bible women. In this article, the author's referred sources are from the CMS Telugu mission in Andhra, other mission reports like the American Marathi mission, and LMS has also been consulted. though the pattern of the ministry of the Bible women is same in the missions, it had slight differences depending on the context they were working. Throughout this article, the author does not underestimate the role of the missionaries but focus on the Bible women's work in changing the society.
Missionaries establish the schools, orphanages, inquirer's homes, converts' homes for girls and women. those people who studied there were mostly the widows,and elderly women converts became the Bible women. For some, mission paid and some worked voluntarily. these women were form both the high castes and the out castes. in 1909, woman's missionary movement had 441 bible women. Lat5er the ministry spread and the mission work was emphasized on the Church. So now the Bible women work is limited and it is continued in some rural congregations. But in those days, these women workers leadership and methodology is very useful for the postmodern leadership.
the Bible women were given basic education to read and trained in crafts like knitting, sewing etc. the main purpose of the Bible women's work was to reach the women in the houses with the gospel. this process involved in literacy work, vocational training to reach the women. They gave the basic guidelines to women at home regarding cleanliness and medicine. They involved in visiting the sick, bring the sick to hospital etc.
In Indian context, if any body converted to Christianity, they lost their old customs and had new social identity. thus, these Bible women had the very different identity in the society thus they impact the society with changes. When they reach the society with their new faith and education, the actually passing on their ideology and beliefs to the next generations at the risk of their own lives. they were beaten and misunderstood in some cases. These Bible women reach the society and contextualize the Christian message. In villages, they retold the Bible stories again and again by visiting the homes in mornings. In the nights, they approach the people with Burrakath, Harikatha, Suddulu and Bhajana. Many Christian songs were composed by the women.
Bible women had very easy entrance into the high cast homes, Marwadis homes etc. So thus they reach Brajhmans, Mohammedans, Goldsmiths, Weavers and all kinds of artisans. Since these Bible women were teaching the education, they had the respect of 'guru' in Indian context. They were available to the people at any time. Some women converted thus homes and villages came to Christ. Many women were living as secret Christians. Bible women were became the instrumental in bringing into being the whole new breed of Christian elite.
In the last part of the article, the author drawn the some of the leadership principles useful today like their behavior, their identity in society, their attitude in the work and their relationship with the other Bible women workers.
Evolution
The total dealing with the given topic is very good. But much references to the subject is needed since in Andhra, she took some part only. The coastal part of Andhra still have these Bible women work, but no references made referring to it. the CBCNC mission had lot of history material about this. If the author consider these also then more light is shown on the topic since the entire part of Coastal Andhra is now mostly Christianized because of Bible women and this work still continuing there.
The author's deliberate use of some statements without references made carelessly. For example, under the reference number 21, the author writes that now no single song composed by women is in the Telugu hymnal. In Telugu, there is only one hymnol book is there. In that some songs written by the women specifically by the Bible women were there for example the hymn number 121 was written by Kommu Krupa.
The author's approach to the Bible women's contribution to the society is very logical and very appropriate. Form the origin to the now, dealing with the purpose of the mission on one side and leadership recognition on other side, the author fulfills the aim of the article appropriately.
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Learning from observing
Learing from Observing
In our college, most funny thing is to hear sermons of some of the final year students. The sermon sturucture and others are secondary but in the basic issues also they fail many times. They use Greek and Hebrew terms, the history of the book though it was no connection to their message, and like that. But the suprising issue is our proffecers never use any Greek or Hebrew terminology in their message. The most experts don't use but these students who called themselves as theologians use them. They don't even observe their proffecers messages.
Another thing is the prayer. Our proffecers prayers are in very meaningful way. Our senior students preayer are going like this.” thank U Jesus for so and so... Jesus.... Jesus... (like conjection).. I ask in Jesus name, Amen!” What a prayers they are! they pray to Jesus and they again ask that prayer in Jesus name! I think that it is not wrong with any prayer or any thing. But When God gives the opportunity to learn and live correctly, if you don't learn or even observe the people who teaches you, it is very sorry state. How can you teach to others when you don't have learning attitude?
I personally encourage my friends to obser the proffecers and other people and learn the things you can! don't lost the learning attitude. Try to learn from their negetive points also. It helps U more to grow than them! It gives glory to God in the world by changing U R personality.
In our college, most funny thing is to hear sermons of some of the final year students. The sermon sturucture and others are secondary but in the basic issues also they fail many times. They use Greek and Hebrew terms, the history of the book though it was no connection to their message, and like that. But the suprising issue is our proffecers never use any Greek or Hebrew terminology in their message. The most experts don't use but these students who called themselves as theologians use them. They don't even observe their proffecers messages.
Another thing is the prayer. Our proffecers prayers are in very meaningful way. Our senior students preayer are going like this.” thank U Jesus for so and so... Jesus.... Jesus... (like conjection).. I ask in Jesus name, Amen!” What a prayers they are! they pray to Jesus and they again ask that prayer in Jesus name! I think that it is not wrong with any prayer or any thing. But When God gives the opportunity to learn and live correctly, if you don't learn or even observe the people who teaches you, it is very sorry state. How can you teach to others when you don't have learning attitude?
I personally encourage my friends to obser the proffecers and other people and learn the things you can! don't lost the learning attitude. Try to learn from their negetive points also. It helps U more to grow than them! It gives glory to God in the world by changing U R personality.
Friday, November 30, 2007
principles and methods
Back to the traditions? Is the art of preaching is old one?
In worship or mission classes, the most hearing word is contextualization. there is no wrong in that! But the thoughts like we need to sing the traditional songs with traditional musics etc are some how we need to think. Since U say we need to go back to the traditions, my question is 'to whicn tradions?'
What U say as a tradion is not the tradition now. If we sing those songs, many people con't understand even! I believe that language, dress code, traditions and every thing is changed form generation to generation. They are all ways on change. What we call now as a classic is also one day it was not classic and it occupies the place of the classic at that time. So we need to think more about this contextualization in meaningful ways.
I remember the statement “Methods are many but principles are few. Methods may change, but principles never!”. Our worship, preaching, every ting must be contextualized but the present context is not the old tradition. it is on change always. The problem is, insted of thanging the methods, we try to change the principles. I try to explain this.
Once in our class a prof told a statemet of Francis-”Do the evangelism, if necessary use the words” That statement is working in a particular context only. But Every people including our prof's mind is that our life is more evangelistic. the preaching is not needed! After some days, in one class discussion, the total students decided that, in persicution, it is not to good preach, especially in India, we preach through our life not by words.
But think about those thoughts. What the disciples did when the persicution came in Acts! Why Jesus teach not just live? Friends, again the problem is same! They did not distinguish between the principles and methods. Living Christian life is not a method, it is a principle. By this living, people may change but it is just byproduct. Evangelism is based on the living. Without living the christian lice, how can U preach?
In worship or mission classes, the most hearing word is contextualization. there is no wrong in that! But the thoughts like we need to sing the traditional songs with traditional musics etc are some how we need to think. Since U say we need to go back to the traditions, my question is 'to whicn tradions?'
What U say as a tradion is not the tradition now. If we sing those songs, many people con't understand even! I believe that language, dress code, traditions and every thing is changed form generation to generation. They are all ways on change. What we call now as a classic is also one day it was not classic and it occupies the place of the classic at that time. So we need to think more about this contextualization in meaningful ways.
I remember the statement “Methods are many but principles are few. Methods may change, but principles never!”. Our worship, preaching, every ting must be contextualized but the present context is not the old tradition. it is on change always. The problem is, insted of thanging the methods, we try to change the principles. I try to explain this.
Once in our class a prof told a statemet of Francis-”Do the evangelism, if necessary use the words” That statement is working in a particular context only. But Every people including our prof's mind is that our life is more evangelistic. the preaching is not needed! After some days, in one class discussion, the total students decided that, in persicution, it is not to good preach, especially in India, we preach through our life not by words.
But think about those thoughts. What the disciples did when the persicution came in Acts! Why Jesus teach not just live? Friends, again the problem is same! They did not distinguish between the principles and methods. Living Christian life is not a method, it is a principle. By this living, people may change but it is just byproduct. Evangelism is based on the living. Without living the christian lice, how can U preach?
Thursday, November 29, 2007
is it wrong to think critically?
when i evaluate the sermon, thoughts or anything critically, many people thought that i am always criticize others and not learn form any body. So now i want to give my view about my thinking.
whenever i hear any message, firstly i am eager to listen what God wants to speak with me. then i try to understand the sermon pattern, about speaker's views, biblical analysis, about reality and necessity of the topic etc to lean and check my own style. many times i hear in this college, what they don't practice! they are running after money, and they preach contrary to their life! I learn from the sermon, but i don't want to be deceived by these preachers. the life of the preacher is more important to the message than his content. we don't want to deceived ourselves in marketing or any thing, then why we willingly deceived by the people who are not really the servants of God by not think about their actions.
Dr.Warn W Wersbe writes about post script of the parable of the sower, that Jesus's post script is described by the first three evangelist differently. they are.."check how you listen","check what you listen","let him hear who have ears". so if we just believe every preacher without life or without content, we easily deceived by the cultic groups. no one is perfect in this earth. but the person who have the right relationship with the Lord recognized and accepted with his/her weaknesses.
whenever i hear any message, firstly i am eager to listen what God wants to speak with me. then i try to understand the sermon pattern, about speaker's views, biblical analysis, about reality and necessity of the topic etc to lean and check my own style. many times i hear in this college, what they don't practice! they are running after money, and they preach contrary to their life! I learn from the sermon, but i don't want to be deceived by these preachers. the life of the preacher is more important to the message than his content. we don't want to deceived ourselves in marketing or any thing, then why we willingly deceived by the people who are not really the servants of God by not think about their actions.
Dr.Warn W Wersbe writes about post script of the parable of the sower, that Jesus's post script is described by the first three evangelist differently. they are.."check how you listen","check what you listen","let him hear who have ears". so if we just believe every preacher without life or without content, we easily deceived by the cultic groups. no one is perfect in this earth. but the person who have the right relationship with the Lord recognized and accepted with his/her weaknesses.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
real tesimonies?
here is my imaginary writing on the testimonies i hear in my college recently
Topic : Real testimonies
conversation between
Ravi Gopal and B.Thiophilos
Ravi: Hai ra, how do you feel about that testimony? It's nice na..
Thio: Of course! it's OK! but...
Ravi: but...what...?
Thio: As in that book we read yesterday, Muggeridge said, all news is old news, happening to the new people!
Ravi: Then what?
Thio: All testimonies sound like same... everybody told their testimonies as god bring them to UBS miraculously, and wonderfully... but...I don't believe that
Ravi: Why? we also came like that na..
Thio: Hey, if god bring anybody miraculously, why don't they don't have any interest in studies? they don't care about classes or any necessary works
Ravi: So you mean they are hopeless...But how can we say they are false testimonies because of their actions
Thio: ha ha.. what Jesus said in the sermon on the mount? Every tree shall be known by it's fruit!
Ravi: But what if we are unfaithful to what god had done for us? then how..
Thio: You are also correct... many times we forget our calling! we need god's help...
Ravi: Yes! though what you say is correct, we think this side also. that doesn't mean there is no imaginary testimonies... we also need to beware of that
Thio: Why don't we pray for us and for the people who testify for we may faithful to what god had done for us?
Ravi: Ya! come, let's go to newly builted prayer hut
Topic : Real testimonies
conversation between
Ravi Gopal and B.Thiophilos
Ravi: Hai ra, how do you feel about that testimony? It's nice na..
Thio: Of course! it's OK! but...
Ravi: but...what...?
Thio: As in that book we read yesterday, Muggeridge said, all news is old news, happening to the new people!
Ravi: Then what?
Thio: All testimonies sound like same... everybody told their testimonies as god bring them to UBS miraculously, and wonderfully... but...I don't believe that
Ravi: Why? we also came like that na..
Thio: Hey, if god bring anybody miraculously, why don't they don't have any interest in studies? they don't care about classes or any necessary works
Ravi: So you mean they are hopeless...But how can we say they are false testimonies because of their actions
Thio: ha ha.. what Jesus said in the sermon on the mount? Every tree shall be known by it's fruit!
Ravi: But what if we are unfaithful to what god had done for us? then how..
Thio: You are also correct... many times we forget our calling! we need god's help...
Ravi: Yes! though what you say is correct, we think this side also. that doesn't mean there is no imaginary testimonies... we also need to beware of that
Thio: Why don't we pray for us and for the people who testify for we may faithful to what god had done for us?
Ravi: Ya! come, let's go to newly builted prayer hut
Friday, November 16, 2007
where to start theology?
Every theologian starts his/her theology at various points like sin, bible, god etc.
But in later part of 20th century, the motto is changed. people started to say 'theology must started at where the pain is there' so all theology must see in the perspective of the starting point. Feminist theologians tell that we must start with the women oppression because the pain is there.
But the point according to definition is that the real problem is not the oppression or poverty or racism but the root cause of the problems was SIN. So according to my view point, theology must started at the point of Original sin or God, not the context. We must see the context from the eyes of the Bible, not see the Bible form the point of our context. I remember G.K.Chesterton's Orthodoxy, where he starts with the illustration that he try to search new place but end up with the old place. Like that we all ways try to find new theology to block the Bible, if we try to understand the mind of God, we all ways come to the same point- Orthodox!
But in later part of 20th century, the motto is changed. people started to say 'theology must started at where the pain is there' so all theology must see in the perspective of the starting point. Feminist theologians tell that we must start with the women oppression because the pain is there.
But the point according to definition is that the real problem is not the oppression or poverty or racism but the root cause of the problems was SIN. So according to my view point, theology must started at the point of Original sin or God, not the context. We must see the context from the eyes of the Bible, not see the Bible form the point of our context. I remember G.K.Chesterton's Orthodoxy, where he starts with the illustration that he try to search new place but end up with the old place. Like that we all ways try to find new theology to block the Bible, if we try to understand the mind of God, we all ways come to the same point- Orthodox!
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