Ethiopia: Lost in Translation
How do you blog about a day like today! It's challenging preaching across a cultural gap and language gap. You're not sure how much will get "lost in translation." I got up early to pray. Sometimes it seems like the Spirit's inspiration is a "trickle." Sometimes it's like the faucet is on full blast. The Spirit was pouring things into my spirit this morning.
Our first stop was at the theater where "NCC Ethiopia" is meeting. When they started singing I started crying. I was totally overwhelmed because it took me back nine years. I couldn't help but think about our early days when six or eight people would be in attendance. The Spirit "knocked me out."
I preached to several thousand people this afternoon at the Ethiopian Assemblies of God church. What an experience. Everybody was swaying and jumping and clapping. I've never seem more joyful or uninhibited worship in my life. I think part of the reason is because of how little they have in material possessions. The more you have materially the tougher it is to be sold out spiritually. It was awesome to see our team enter into worship. As they say, when in Ethiopia worship like the Ethiopians. I didn't understand a word, but I didn't need to. They worship in Spirit and in truth.
I thoroughly enjoyed preaching. I have such a heart for Ethiopia that it was easy to speak. It's tough to know what is going to resonate with them, but I felt like the Lord really used me to encourage them. And it was awesome having our team on the front row. It felt like all twelve of us were preaching. I think eleven people came forward to accept Christ. Pretty cool that eleven new names were written in the Lamb's book of life today!
Our first stop was at the theater where "NCC Ethiopia" is meeting. When they started singing I started crying. I was totally overwhelmed because it took me back nine years. I couldn't help but think about our early days when six or eight people would be in attendance. The Spirit "knocked me out."
I preached to several thousand people this afternoon at the Ethiopian Assemblies of God church. What an experience. Everybody was swaying and jumping and clapping. I've never seem more joyful or uninhibited worship in my life. I think part of the reason is because of how little they have in material possessions. The more you have materially the tougher it is to be sold out spiritually. It was awesome to see our team enter into worship. As they say, when in Ethiopia worship like the Ethiopians. I didn't understand a word, but I didn't need to. They worship in Spirit and in truth.
I thoroughly enjoyed preaching. I have such a heart for Ethiopia that it was easy to speak. It's tough to know what is going to resonate with them, but I felt like the Lord really used me to encourage them. And it was awesome having our team on the front row. It felt like all twelve of us were preaching. I think eleven people came forward to accept Christ. Pretty cool that eleven new names were written in the Lamb's book of life today!
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