1 corinthians 13 - missionary version
"i may be able to speak fluently the language of my chosen field
and even understand its culture
but if i have no love
the impact of my speech is no more for christ
than that of a businessman who comes to exploit the people
i may have the gift of contextualising god's word when i deliver it to my hearers
i may have all knowledge about their customs
i may have the faith needed to combat witchcraft
but if i have no love, i am nothing
i may give everything that i have to the poor, to the hungry in the favelas
i may even give my life for them
but if i have no love, this does no good
love is...
thinking in their thought patterns
caring enough to understand their world view
listening to their questions
feeling their burdens
respecting them
identifying with them in their need
belonging to them
love is eternal
cultures pass away
dynamic equivalents will change because cultures change
patterns of worship and church administration will need revision
languages will be altered over time
institutions will be replaced
.....because these are not reality
since i am finite, i can only study how to express the message cross-culturally
trying to free it from my cultural bias
i am able to do this only in a limited way
but i pray that the spirit will use my life to show christ
to those with whom i work
meanwhile these remain...
identification
contextualisation
and
love
but the greatest of these is love"[jean mc cracken, sao paulo brazil]
