Things I'm Learning

1. Biblical Contextualization
a. Define contextualization. According to Hesselgrave and Rommen, why must it be both authentic and relevant?

Contextualization is presenting God’s Word accurately while being applicable to the cultural context in which it’s shared. God’s truths in the Bible do not change. You must correctly read the truths in the Bible to be able to transfer them to a particular people group. A difficulty in contextualizing is being able to take the Biblical truths out of your own frame of reference before trying to make it relevant to another culture. What does God really say, not how does my own culture apply this truth? Instead, what does God really say and how can these people apply this truth to their thoughts and behaviors? Contextualization is being faithful to the Bible and being relevant to the culture.

According to Hesselgrave and Rommen, it must be authentic in order to be faithful to God’s authority. He has revealed Himself to the world through creation, man’s conscience, Jesus, and the Bible. You cannot be faithful to God without accurately handling His truth (2 Timothy 2:15). It must be relevant so that the people group will be able to apply God’s truths no matter how they think or interact with each other.

One last thought: contextualization can only be effectively accomplished through prayer and the powerful work of the Holy Spirit.


1. Biblical Contextualization
d. Briefly describe the three steps of contextualization as laid out in “Folk Religion.”

The first step is to understand the people as the people understand themselves (phenomenological). An in-depth study of the people’s beliefs, thought processes, expressions, behaviors, communications, relationships, and decision-making processes is necessary. It answers the questions who are these people; what do they do; when, where, and how do they do things; and very importantly why do they do the things they do? The answers are not completely from an outsider’s perspective but takes specific note on how the people understand their practices for themselves.

The second step is to test the people’s beliefs and practices based on the truths of Scripture and objective reality (ontological). Are they correctly theologizing the invisible, worship, history, the kingdom of God, the cross of Christ, discernment, pain, death, and community? What proof do they have for their ideas? What do they observe and how are they rationalizing?

The third step in critical contextualization is to evaluate all their findings according to God’s Word. Then the Christians in the culture make decisions with the enlightenment.

There is also a fourth step that “Folk Religion” mentions as a finale for critical contextualization: transformative ministries. Simply stated, God helps people get where He wants them.


2. Worldview Ethnography
a. Describe three key components of epistemology and show how any one effects two other quadrants of Worldview.

Epistemology centers on how one thinks. One key component is authority. What is the highest authority? What makes the rules? These authorities can be either textual, experiential, or some of each. Another key component is logic. This has to do with systems of proof that match with what is assumed. How is something to be proven true or false? It can be linear or connectional or some of each. A third component is persuasion. What would be enveloped in argumentation to make the person listening convinced?

Authority in epistemology effects ontology because that authoritative book or that authoritative incident or emotion is how someone understands being. For example, if one has authority as the Bible there are specific beliefs that evolve about God, like that God particularly longs to be intimate with his human creations. On the other hand, a Muslim who has a different authoritative book underlying his epistemology would say that God is too far above human therefore cannot be personal with them.

Authority in epistemology also effects axiology. Who gets to make the rules and say what is right and wrong? It depends on what the authority is to even know if something is right or wrong. Many couples have intimate relations with each other outside of marriage and many truly do not think that what they are doing is wrong. Whatever their authority on how something can be known, we know that their authority is not the Bible which clearly states that such action is wrong behavior.


2. Worldview Ethnography
c. Briefly describe four components of a team strategy for doing ethnography amongst a particular (any) community using the paradigm of the “FOQUS” cycle.

F – Focus

O – Observe
Watch. Don’t just look from the outside; participate in the life of the people. While you eat, talk, laugh, shop, party, and dance with them pay attention to what is being said and done. Open your eyes to things that you may not have paid much attention to before. Record your observations.

Q – Ask Questions
How do you know the heart of a people without asking? This is mainly done with a cultural helper who is ready and willing to give you honest answers. A very important part is listening intently so you can build off of the questions you asked and the answers received. There are mainly three types of questions: descriptive, structural, and contrast. Ideally, it shouldn’t be interrogation but with a genuine interest in the person you’re questioning. Allow this question-and-answer time to be as normal as possible but also keep the conversation guided and on course with what will be truly beneficial.

U – Understand
Record everything, read carefully, and think. Look at the information, look for patterns, look for different interpretations, and wait for your thoughts to solidify. Allow a lot of time to really try to understand and make sense of your observations and answers. Talk all your findings through with the rest of your team members.

S – Strategize
What’s your theory? What’s the outcome of all the time you spent thinking? The whole point of this system is to be able to apply the new found and in-depth cultural knowledge of a people group to evangelize and eventually plant a church for the Kingdom of God. Finalize and write a report with the purpose of motivating people to that end.