Langham Scholar Edgar Ebojo uses an ancient treasure for a promising future

Edgar studying Papyrus 46 in Dublin

You can sense the excitement, and his sense of deep privilege, as Edgar Ebojo talks about his current studies at the University of Birmingham. Edgar has spent years working as a Bible Translator in his home country, the Philippines, where the scriptures still need to be translated into many local languages.

Edgar’s joy is that he is able to take in his hands one of the earliest manuscripts of the New Testament, known as Papyrus 46. It possibly dates from as early as 180 AD, and is known as one of the great treasures to survive from the early Christian Church. Part of it is in the Chester Beatty library in Dublin, and the rest at the University of Michigan. His experience as a Bible Translator has equipped him well for the meticulous study of this text, so lovingly preserved over the centuries.

His work is bringing fresh insights into the way the scribes copied out the scriptures by hand in the earliest centuries of Christianity, so that they might be preserved for future generations, and how other copyists checked their work and corrected any mistakes. The personality and style of the scribes emerges as does their love for their task, and their determination to preserve the scriptures accurately.

Part of Papyrus 46

Edgar Ebojo, Phillippines

Edgar is excited about returning to his work with the Philippines Bible Society, where he will oversee the work of other translators. His studies of the text of Scripture have deepened his assurance that the Bible is like no other book, and that ‘God’s Word will remain true and powerful until the consummation of time’.

There’s no doubt that it is one of the most under-resourced and demanding areas for Christian witness in the world. Some 196 million people live in the 24 countries that make up Francophone Africa. Despite the fact that this region is often neglected in terms of the global commitment to mission and resource deployment, God is at work – there is substantial growth in the Christian community, courageous Christian witness, sacrificial leadership, new efforts in training, and compassionate identification with the needs of communities impacted by AIDs, poor health care, or poverty.

So in this mixed situation – the rapid growth of the church, set in a demanding social, economic and religious context – the need for partnerships that strengthen the church and provide strategic investment of training and resources is paramount. For Langham Partnership this means there is need for good training for preachers, for literature to assist pastors and theological students, and for strengthening capacity in theological education in the region.

Christophe Sadiki, Muhindo Isesomo, Stephane Makata, DRC

Langham Preaching coordinators from several Francophone countries have just met, joined by those coordinators from English-speaking African contexts where the work has reached the stage of equipping teams of local trainers. Positive plans were made for the development of local training initiatives in each country, equipping small teams of facilitators, running basic preaching training in new towns and villages, and taking preaching modules in local seminaries. Despite economic pressure, there is positive local commitment to help support the work – churches provide food for participants, and local trainers are encouraging pastors to pay their own costs wherever possible.

Christophe Sadiki teaches in a seminary in DRC. He has been involved in the Langham Preaching training in Congo for the last few years, and is now taking the material and teaching students in the seminary. Christophe writes that, following his return from the Consultation, ‘I have facilitated two level 1 seminars, each for 24 people. The first was in Kiswahili and brought together 24 evangelists from several local churches, and the second in French made up of 24 students from the Anglican University of Congo. On Thursday 26 April I have been allowed by the governing body of the Shalom University to talk about the work of Langham Preaching’.

Across Francophone Africa over 60 small preachers clubs are meeting, encouraging pastors and lay preachers to faithfully expound the Bible and speak to the needs of their context. So much more could be done if finances permitted, but what was so impressive amongst the leaders from the region was a determination to grow the work, equip more preachers, strengthen local support and trust the Lord for his provision.

Emile Houedanou, country coordinator, Benin

Emmanuel Bagumako, country coordinator, Burundi

Albert Sindano, country coordinator, Rwanda

[This story first appeared on the Eternity News website…used with permission]

Solomons Islands: Langham Preaching Training Local Facilitators Feb 2012

Solomon Islanders could teach Aussies a thing or two about unity.

Among the island groups which have a history of conflict, Christians spanning Uniting, Roman Catholic, Anglican, Assemblies of God, South Seas Evangelical Church and Wesleyans, joined together for a “Training Local Trainers” workshop run by Langham Partnership Australia last month.

Rory Shiner, pastor of St Matthew’s Unichurch Perth, was part of a team delivering the training from February 20-24, and believes there were both direct and indirect benefits.

“You’ve got the general consequences of the lift in the quality of preaching and a more expositional approach to preaching,” says Shiner. “But then you’ve got the unintentional consequences of pastors from different denominations meeting each other.”

Shiner was first introduced to the work of Langham when he met the late John Stott. He believed it empowered local Christian leaders in the majority world to understand God’s word. “Langham is a pretty rigorously indigenising kind of movement. From the very start you’re looking for outsiders to not be needed within about five years,” he says.

After giving an injection of training for leaders in the Solomon Islands, Langham Partnership Australia will take a step back and allow locals to run preachers’ clubs and continue to train one another in preaching the Bible.

This most recent training school gathered a small group of pastors in the Solomons. It’s the fourth time Langham Australia has visited the Island group.

“This is beginning to help them see how they can train others in how to both study and preach the word of God,” says Wendy Toulmin, executive officer of Langham Australia. “Our catch cry is how to be faithful, clear and relevant.”

Langham also has programs to encourage local Bible scholarship and preachers’ clubs where local Christians gather in small clusters to give feedback on one another’s sermons.

One pastor from the Solomons remarked during a Langham preaching school, “All through the years we have been trying to interpret the Bible without allowing it to speak for itself.” Another preacher said: “One important thing I learned was to let the Bible speak for itself.”

“Australia is resource rich and response poor to the gospel,” says Rory Shiner, “and the Solomons is response rich and resource poor.”

“People in Australia have got exposure to massive resources and people are fairly lethargic to the gospel. There’s a compelling argument in terms of the allocation of resources.”

Langham Australia will return to the Solomon Islands later this year to continue their partnership with the region.

Below is a video featuring testimonies of those who have participated in preaching schools in the Solomons.

Juan Jose

The official name is Iglesia Evangelica Bautista de Constitucion (the Evangelical Baptist Church of Contitucion). Unofficially, it is known among the members as ‘The Living Room’.  Founded in 1905, the church is the oldest of the Baptist Association in Argentina. Juan Jose Barrada-Toscano (JSM/Langham Scholar, PhD 2010) has been the pastor of this community for 16 years. He started attending the church 22 years ago when he moved to Buenos Aires from Peru to study at the Baptist Seminary. He says that he specifically wanted a church that would be a family to him.

JJ’s philosophy of the church has been shaped by what he learned from his professors. He learned from what he saw them model. Nestor Miquez, a professor of Bible and Systematics, is known among the homeless because he drinks mate (the national drink of Argentina) with them. Rene Kruger, renowned professor, lives incarnationally among his students, becoming their brother and friend. Juan Jose has pushed the church to change their identity from a church that welcomes the homeless to a church that is ‘among the homeless’. This is best seen in the ‘Living Room’, which is open every week from Wednesday to Sunday. It is the place to eat, to have recreation, to study the Bible, to encounter Jesus. The church has intentionally targeted homeless men over 55 years (according to JJ, this group has the least hope among the homeless). No one can serve in the church if they do not participate in the Living Room. This includes the professionals, working class and homeless. JJ notes that they seek to be ‘unprofessional’. Even the academics are encouraged to dress simply, to experience the street, to avoid ‘higher level’ speech. Bible studies are led by the homeless as well as others. JJ has often seen the homeless with their Bibles, preparing to lead the study.

Carlos is one of the men that has been changed through the community. He has a mild psychological disorder and has had periodic times of homelessness. He currently lives in the church with eleven others. JJ notes that Carlos now invites him to breakfast – he will prepare some mate and biscuits and call JJ to eat. He serves the church, assists others in locating assistance with problems. He studies the Word and leads studies. Carlos sometimes sells socks to earn a little money – and he will contribute socks to the offering as his tithes. (Juan Jose was obviously moved when he shared this vignette from Carlos’ life).

A birthday party is often like a worship service. You can tell if a person has integrated into the church by who they invite to their party. If one invites a certain social class, it is obvious the integration has not occurred (sounds like Jesus…).  JJ does not want to focus on numbers but people. Every person is important, whether 100 or 1. The church should be a brotherhood of the redeemed.

Juan Jose hopes to start a lay-training institute that trains believers to care for the marginalized of society. The curriculum will include a focus on caring for victims of domestic violence as well as long term homeless and other marginalized groups.

The Living Room

For more about JJ’s philosophy of ministry, see this article on wordmadeflesh.org (opens in a new window)

First introduced by the Jesuits, the famous Colombian coffee bean is rich in flavour and aroma!  The landscape around the city of Armenia, one of Colombia’s main coffee growing areas, is dominated by lush coffee estates, huge banana trees and beautiful rolling green hills.  Langham Preaching country coordinators from across Latin America gathered in Armenia recently, staying in a lovely home called ‘Lamparita’ where coffee was grown and roasted. They met to discuss how training for preachers could be deepened and extended across the region, but they were stimulated in their discussion by ‘Lamparita coffee’. They even had the chance to roast some coffee from the garden.

In one of his books, Ramesh Richard tells the story of meeting a sculptor in Africa, who explained that God had made the wood, and the sculpture was what he made from what God had made.  So with sermons: the Bible is God-given, and a sermon is what we craft from what God has given.  The team in ‘Lamparita’ couldn’t help think the same about the delicious coffee: God made the beans, and the rich, bright, aromatic coffee is what we make from what God has given.

Across Latin America there are now many Langham Preaching movements⁽¹⁾, with sustained training for pastors and preachers, equipping them to serve the growing number of churches across the continent. Many of the huge churches in the region are dominated by prosperity preaching, which distorts the truth and is in danger of deceiving young believers.  But there is an army of committed women and men who are now engaged in equipping people to proclaim the truth with faithfulness and relevance.

There are many small groups (‘escuelitas’) meeting each month to work on Bible passages and to craft powerful and attractive sermons. Just like Colombian coffee, good sermons quicken the heart and sharpen the mind; they prepare us for action, and they are compelling and motivating, diffusing the aroma of Christ!  There are limits to the analogy of course, but as the coordinators discussed the challenges facing churches across the continent, they acknowledged the urgent need for preaching that is faithful to scripture, passionate in its expression, rich in content, bright in delivery, and motivating in its force.

No decaffeinated sermons, please!⁽²⁾

⁽¹⁾ Langham Preaching delegates came from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Peru and Puerto Rico. We are also working in nine Central American countries.

⁽²⁾ An encouraging comment from Juan Stam, specially for our Spanish readers: ‘pero sin café es imposible agradar a Dios’.

Roasting coffee (Nelsa Zolezzi, Peruvian Country Coordinator)

Latin America Langham Preaching Coordinators

Enjoying coffee Jorge Atiencia, Colombian Preaching Facilitator

In 1999 we received a heartfelt request to visit Greece and see for ourselves the lack of Biblical resource material. A dearth of material in Greece? Wasn’t the New Testament written in Greek? And weren’t several of the books of the Bible for Greek churches? Yet, sure enough, we discovered that there was almost nothing in modern Greek to help pastors or believers with a hunger to grow in the Word. Fotis Romeos of O Logos Publishers explains:

‘We have great writings of Church fathers, especially from the early church era, but we did not have any commentaries of the evangelical faith which could stand as a message of Biblical hope and apology of the true gospel among our fellow countrymen.’

The evangelical church in Greece has been opposed, suppressed and even persecuted in recent centuries. It is small and feels vulnerable, and denominations have understandably become inward-looking and defensive. But the visionary response from O Logos Publishers was to open up the Bible again. The request was for help in launching the first ever contemporary evangelical commentary series. They selected the Bible Speaks Today series as the most appropriate, and Langham helped kick-start the project with a grant in 2001 for ‘The Message of 2 Timothy’ by John Stott. There are now 5 BST titles in print, plus two others by Greek authors, and the series is growing slowly but steadily.

So what has happened over the last 10 years? Listen to the voices from Greece:

‘Because of the lack of resources, the church in Greece has sometimes lacked theological robustness. During the 20th Century there was a drift towards a less Biblical orientation. In the last 10 years, largely because of these commentaries, we have begun to see the tide changing again, and the Bible being preached more faithfully.’ Dr Argyris Petrou, Professor at the Greek Bible College.

‘I do believe this series is a turning point in the modern era of Christian history in Greece. For us as Greeks, they carry practically the message of the New Testament so vividly and faithfully. They create a unique bridge between the ancient Hellenistic culture and the 21st century Greek culture, blessing and benefiting lay people and church leaders by equipping them for the advancement of His kingdom.’ Fotis Romeos, pastor and missionary with AMG.

Langham would like to help speed up the project and, in the current economic chaos in Greece, another injection of funds would make a huge difference. We’re praying this will happen, and that the tide will keep turning for the wellbeing of the churches and of Greek society.

Dr Argyris Petrou, Professor at Greek Bible College, holding the first 5 Bible commentaries in Modern Greek

The majestic stone columns and arches of St. Paul’s Cathedral glowed in the honeyed light of the winter sunshine, while Christopher Wren’s great dome resounded to the music of organ, orchestra, choir and two thousand voices giving glory to God in thanksgiving for the life and ministry of Rev. Dr. John R. W. Stott (1921 – 2011). The service was held on Friday,  January 13th, 2012 and drew people from the corners of the UK and many parts of the world. 

Music for the service was led and arranged by Dr. Noel Tredinnick with the All Souls Orchestra and a gathered choir, along with soloist Elisabeth Crocker. The hymns, some of which were chosen in advance by John Stott, included “Sing to God New Songs of Worship,” written by Bishop Michael Baughen who presided, and “Lord for the Years,” written by Bishop Timothy Dudley-Smith, who preached. The service opened with a welcome and bidding by Canon Mark Oakley, Canon in Residence at St. Paul’s.

Tributes began with Frances Whitehead, John Stott’s secretary for 55 years, who was converted to Christ through his preaching and thanked God for his life — marked to its very end by faith, hope and love, along with grace and truth. Stott’s global influenced was recognized in tributes brought from Asia, Africa and Latin America by, respectively, Archbishop John Chew (Singapore), Bishop Robert Aboagye-Mensah (Ghana), and Ruth Padilla DeBorst (Costa Rica). All spoke of the influence in their continents of his life and friendship, as well as his teaching. Ruth Padilla DeBorst stressed how Stott had listened so deeply to his friends and allowed the realities of poverty and injustice in Latin America to stretch, challenge and inform his own worldview and his understanding of the scope of gospel mission.

In his sermon, Timothy Dudley-Smith, one of Stott’s oldest friends since their student days at Cambridge, preached from Revelation 17:14, where those who are with Jesus are described as “called, chosen and faithful” – words that he illustrated from Stott’s life, while challenging all present to answer the question that Stott himself would ask, “How is it between you and Jesus?” He recalled John’s sermon at the re-opening of All Souls Church in which he had said he “dreamed, among other things, of a serving church that would be salt and light in society.”

That theme was picked up by Mark Greene and Chris Wright who presented the ongoing vision that is embodied in the two organizations that they lead and which, at Stott’s request, will benefit jointly from The John Stott Memorial Fund – respectively, the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity and the Langham Partnership International. Greene pointed to Stott’s passion that lay Christians should be the agents of the gospel’s transforming power in the frontlines of their places of work, but lamented that this part of Stott’s vision had not been truly grasped or implemented in whole-life disciple-making. As a result, even though there are more Christians in the City of London than in the tents outside the Cathedral, the salt had not been doing its job. Wright pointed to Stott’s complementary passion that, for Christians to be such transformative salt and light in the world, they need the nourishment of applied Bible preaching by pastors who are committed and trained to provide it.

Prayers of thanksgiving after the tributes were led by Bishop Michael Baughen, and prayers of commitment after the sermon and ongoing vision were led by Judge David Turner. Closing prayers were led by John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, and Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, and the blessing was pronounced by Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury.

As the echoes of the last lines of the final hymn resounded among the sunlit stone vaults of the vast Cathedral spaces — “Past put behind us, for the future take us / Lord of the years, to live for Christ alone” –  250 miles away another stone stands surrounded only by the music of the sea and sky. A gravestone of rough-hewn Welsh slate now marks the spot in the tiny village cemetery of Dale, Pembrokeshire, Wales, where John Stott’s ashes lie buried. Like the man himself – slender, upright, rooted in the earth but pointing to the heavens – it is inscribed with his own words: 

Buried here are the ashes of John R. W. Stott …
who resolved both as the ground of his salvation
and as the subject of his ministry
to know nothing except
Jesus Christ and him crucified.
1 Corinthians 2:2

Chris Wright
International Director
Langham Partnership International

For more information and additional photos of the memorial service at St. Paul’s Cathedral, visit the John Stott Memorial website.

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A woman we’ll call Faith returned to Moldova from years of servitude in Turkey, Israel and Serbia, where she had been abused and mistreated as the victim of traffickers and pimps. Her suffering had really started when the authorities in Moldova removed her and her six siblings from her parents, due to her mother’s drinking and physical abuse. At age 12 she was raped by seven men, and at 18 she found herself married, then beaten and humiliated by an abusive husband. With her identity totally distorted, Faith fell into prostitution and total victimization.

For a Langham scholar like Vladimir, combining doctoral studies with ministry to women like Faith didn’t seem compatible. Young girls suffering from abuse and hunger, and children left on the streets, seemed a world apart from his books and research. ‘My initial understanding was that the only way to help abused women in my society was to pray for them and get them into the church.’ And, as a pastor, he first focused on teaching and preaching. But Vladimir’s wife Yulia was already drawn to the thousands of young women in Moldova who were paying just six dollars to abort their babies. Working with a local abortion clinic, Yulia had received permission to speak to these women before they went in for their abortions. Soon she was invited to speak in public schools about sex apart from marriage, and the devastation that abortion brings.

In 2004, as part of his doctoral studies, Vladimir was assigned a research paper on Luke 4. Digging into the passage, he made a ‘surprising’ discovery: holistic ministry and social responsibility were founded on Jesus’ ministry. In verses 18, 19 he read: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Today Vladimir serves as president of Beginning of Life, bringing not only shelter and job training, but Christ’s gracious love and freedom to those formerly imprisoned by human trafficking, domestic abuse and abortion. The organisation serves the most destitute in Moldovan society and, through their work, Faith and others like her have found love and hope for a new future. Vladimir has been supported by John Stott Ministries (Langham Partnership in the USA) for his studies at the International Baptist Theological Seminary in Prague, and he is due to complete his PhD in early 2012. His dissertation topic, ‘Rethinking Missio Dei among Evangelical Churches in an Eastern European Context’, finds fulfillment in the Beginning of Life work which he is leading.

Pictures courtesy of Beginning of Life, Maldova.

Alex and Joyte, Langham Preaching, India

Alex and Joyte are part of a new move of God. They are two of the thousands of people who have responded to God’s call and moved across India, or into neighbouring countries, as mission workers. They have learned new languages. They have moved into new cultures. They are even eating new food. They have left their homes in Meghalaya and Manipur, in North-eastern India, to serve God.

Alex is church planting in Bihar, one of the most difficult areas for the gospel in all of India. Joyte has gone to a remote region of western Nepal. Neither has the support of a mission agency, nor the assurance of a regular income.  Alex and Joyte have had some training to be cross-cultural workers. Joyte remembers how his heart was ‘pumping-up’ to reach the unreached. He started by teaching English in a school, using the Good News Bible as his textbook, and now he pastors a church. Alex works with a team of six leaders to oversee the three churches that he has planted.

Both Alex and Joyte acknowledged a need for training as preachers. Last week they boarded trains and went home to the North-east to participate in the Langham Preaching seminar in Assam. Joyte brought Rana, who speaks no English, with him and quietly translated the material as the week proceeded. After eight days of intensive learning, they have returned to Nepal and Bihar determined to pass on their training to others. Alex plans to draw his team of leaders into a preaching club.

The church in North-east India is strong in numbers and its people are mobile, often with a missionary vision. This is why Langham Preaching responded to the invitation to start the work in this region. People came from as far away as Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. Like with Alex and Joyte, they returned to the people to whom God has called them, motivated and equipped to train others as preachers of the word of God.

Langham played a large part in the production of the 1,600 page Africa Bible Commentary that was launched with great fanfare in 2006. What has happened to it since then? A lot! It is not just flying off the shelves but around the world.

More than 130,000 copies are now in print, in four languages: English, French, Portuguese and Swahili. A translation in Malagasy is due out this year, a translation into Amharic is half-completed, and a translation into Hausa has just begun. Almost all of the translation work has been done in Africa, at the request of African scholars. The book is clearly meeting a need! But translation is expensive. Paying for it has consumed almost all the royalties from the sales of the commentary. So there may be fewer new translations in future.

The commentary is also being used around the world, and not just in Africa. A 5-star review of the book on the Amazon.com website comes from Bangkok. Many others come from the USA. But the most unexpected sighting so far is a rather startling photo taken last month at the Langham Preaching Seminar in Papua New Guinea (7600 miles away from Nairobi, on the other side of the world). It shows all the participants proudly clutching the books they were given at the seminar – and one of them is clearly the Africa Bible Commentary. Similarly the commentary has been enthusiastically received further into the Pacific as indicated by the photos from the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Langham Preaching training.

We need to pray that all the similar one-volume commentaries now being written (in South Asia, Latin America, the Arab world and the Slavic world) will bring equal blessing to the writers, the readers, and believers worldwide.

Papua New Guinea 2011	Solomon Islands 2011	Vanuatu 2010

[Click on image to see full size photo]