Reading John

We are reading John’s Gospel this lenten season.
We take for granted the availability & assessibility of the written word. For the last several days I have been around peoples (Afar, Esen, Amharic, Oromo) who are largely illiterate. This makes Discipleship a little more difficult, fortunately with the Bible & teachings on a phone sim card, we can give the Afar access to the Bible.

As you read the gospel of John over the next few weeks look for two themes that become visible.
one: missional – we are a sent people, sent into the world (locally & globally – we are glocal people) – in the same way the father sent the son, the son & the Spirit sends us.
two: incarnational – the way we are sent is to be rooted in the places we are – the gospel is different than the culture & the gospel speaks to the culture – it speaks to & offers hope to both the individual (without being individualistic) & corporate, the group (without reducing individuals to faceless masses).

I’m praying we will all see Jesus with fresh eyes this letter season

Blessings from Ethiopia

pastor Mike