A few years ago, by the recommendation of a co-worker, I purchased a book. Unfortunately, it sa
t dormant on my shelf until a few months ago. After I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down.
Don Richardson in his autobiographical work, Peace Child, describes the cross-cultural mission work he did among the Sawi people of Netherlands New Guinea beginning in 1962. It is a fascinating story of hope, courage and perseverance. Richardson spent countless hours learning the language a
nd studying the culture. He encountered many hardships and obstacles in trying to teach the word of God. Then, in a moment, he witnessed the connection that would allow him to help the Sawi connect with the Gospel. The Peace Child!
Part of Richardson’s success involved his desire to find that connection or what he calls the “redemptive analogy” that would help the message of Jesus make sense to the Sawi. I believe that we have to be looking to find that same analogy in order to help the 21st century person understand and connect with Jesus. The reality is, for whatever reason, people don’t get the message of Jesus. Our job is to help them see and understand Him.
Stay tuned as we discuss how to seek the redemptive analogy.
Richardson, Don. Peace Child. Ventura: Regal Books, 2005.
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