Lausanne World Pulse – Contextualizing a Parable for Creative Teaching in Africa
By Suraja Raman
The Second Principle: The Learner. The second principle is that of the learner represented by the lost son and the older son. The parable of the lost son should especially motivate those in the teaching ministry to seek out the learners desiring to experience the love and forgiveness of the heavenly Father. The gospel story needs to be proclaimed to those who enter our church schools. Bible teaching includes the message of God’s love for all people and the idea of forgiveness needs to be emphasized. The good news calls for a response from the hearers/learners. Scripture needs to be taught regularly so that the learner is encouraged and ready for the many challenges he or she will face.
The older son portrays the picture of an unforgiving family member toward another family member. Christian education concerning the home is essential in any church so that issues pertaining to family development can be discussed. There need to be opportunities to help young people build relational skills and right attitudes toward one’s parents. We have heard some younger children say, “My parents do not understand me.” There is a generation gap! Before the family disintegrates, the pastor/educator and the parent need to meet so that healing can take place. To the African learners the Christian story is distinctive if the adult is there for comfort and to provide a listening ear. For the learner to identify with the biblical message the teacher needs to utilize creative teaching to make the message come alive.
The Third Principle: The Teaching-Learning Process. In the parable the father is seen as an active teacher during the encounters with both sons. When the younger son returns the father makes a deliberate attempt to welcome him home. This is a warm and loving process. The younger son will remember this experience during his development and his time with the family. But to the disappointment of the father, the older son views this return as repulsive. The father uses this opportunity to teach the older son the importance of having both sons at home and that both are equally important. The father’s reply to the older son is looked upon as an opportunity in which the teaching-learning process is crucial. The patience of the father toward both sons should be emulated by all African adults.
Contextualizing for Creative Teaching
The teacher, the learner and the teaching-learning process are important and urgent principles for any African leader working with people in the home, church and society. An African pastor/educator and parent is an effective “carrier” of the word to another African. As a respected leader of the church and the home, the pastor/educator and parent have many opportunities to teach the word of God to their families and friends. These leaders are effective witnesses through their lifestyle to the African continent and to the world.
The late theologian and educator Byang H. Kato took on the challenge of training and equipping pastors and leaders to be effective teachers of the word of God to their members.3
The African Church must stand alongside the families and believers in the battle against the attacks of Satan and the world. The Church needs to become strong through creative teaching of the truth. Families and believers need to be on their guard against false teachings through a deep and accurate understanding of the word of God. A consistent study of scripture that begins in the home and is followed by regular teachings in the church is an encouragement to people desiring to grow spiritually.4 My prayer is that God will give us strength and wisdom so that through us “the message might be fully proclaimed and all the people might hear it” (2 Timothy 4:17).
Endnotes
1. Mbiti, John M. 1969. African Religions and Philosophy. New York: Praeger, 14.
2. Anthony, Michael J. 2001. Introducing Christian Education. North Dartmouth, Massachusetts: Baker, 117.
3. Kato, Byang H. 1975. Theological Pitfalls in Africa. Kisumu, Kenya: Evangel, 140.
4. Downs, Perry G. 1994. Teaching for Spiritual Growth. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 197.
Comments on this article
First of all, this is very good article dealing with a very needed topic. Contextualization is essential if the message is to the cariied forward. However, we need to be careful in assuming that the cultural setting is autmatically foreign to the context in question. Sister Raman has pointed out several problems that African listeners would have with the story. This is legitimate, but it is important to note that Jesus’ 1st century audience would have had exactly the same reaction. Asking for one’s inheritance while the father is still alive would have been no less offensive in Jewish culture than in African culture. The purpose of Jesus’ usage of this model was for the shock value that would draw the people into the story. The message of the gospel is inheriently counter-cultural. While contextualization is important, we must be sure that the gospel does not become a slave to the culture in which we are trying to minister.
David :: 12 Jun 2006