Learn another language

I got an email from Stephen Shields that got me thinking about the emerging church in the States...

I use to try and act like a someone who could say something about all that but I realized quickly that I was just a little fish in the big ocean of the blogosphere and that there were others much more capable than I.

Still I think about it all because in my journey I've got to meet and befriend some of the well known voices.

When I hear about the stuff that is said about the emerging church I cringe. Sitting here in Grenoble I'm realizing more and more that the way the whole thing has developed in the US and A is so linked to that culture.

So here's one idea that would change the tone. The two sides should learn another language, Hungarian for example, and talk about their differences in that language. Here are the benefits.

1. Learning another language and hard one at that is a humbling experience. Humility is a good thing.
2. Working in a second language means simplifying what you say.
3. You loose your rhetorical tricks in a second language.

Obviously this won't happen and if it did I'd be sorry for the Hungarians. They really don't need all that foolishness in their language.

Yesterday I was helping out with an exposition on the evangelical church in France that the local pastors fellowship organized. The exposition is housed in an information center run by the Catholic Church. It was great sitting and chatting with sisters in Christ focusing on Him and not on our differences.

May God have mercy on us.

Comments

[Joshua McKenney]

Hey Matt,

This is Josh McKenney from Nags Head Church. The emerging church does seem to be tied into the modernization of our country. But I agree, I need to do much more study, before I can write about it with authority.
I am a big fan of everyone learning a second language, and you take on that makes a lot of sense.
Also, I have recently begun to blog at thereachout.blogspot.com
you should check it out.

Thanks,
Joshua McKenney
NHC

[Heidi Renee]

amen. I have this quote on my computer:

"Language goes a long way to defeating us."

Pier Giorgio Di Cicco, poet/priest

I believe much of our problems stem from this very thing.

Great thoughts Matthew!