Language & Culture Archives

Why missionaries should learn languages

Posted on: 4th November 2022

Louise Simon is on the teaching staff at St Andrew’s Hall, and is a language consultant for CMS. She and her family served with CMS in South-East Asia, and Louise has also lived and worked in East Asia. Why should cross-cultural workers learn language? Wouldn’t it be quicker and easier to use English—especially since so […]

Language & Culture language learning Louise Simon

When God turns the tables

Posted on: 1st July 2022

Chris and Kristy Galea are in their first term serving as CMS missionaries. Their current focus is learning language and culture, and developing friendships with mission partners and people in their community. Chris shares how learning Maltese reminds him of teaching his own children.

Bible Chris & Kristy Galea Europe humility in mission Language & Culture language learning Malta

Singing God’s story

Posted on: 16th June 2022

CMS worker J is serving in the Middle East. Here she describes how the telling of Bible stories can open pathways to faith for women and their families. My teammate and I are sitting on mattresses that line the edge of the living room—four refugee women and us. There are five children jostling around me, […]

Bible storytelling Gospel in music Language & Culture Middle East

Engaging deeply

Posted on: 15th June 2022

In this highly literate context, telling the story (rather than simply reading it) is helping people engage with the gospel. Those who memorise the narrative dwell deeply on the story as they see the patterns and the way it fits together.

Bible storytelling Church planting Colin & Catherine Puffett France Language & Culture

Learning through weakness

Posted on: 14th June 2022

Being in a new town with a new job has made me feel like a beginner again, and I’ve been daily aware of my complete dependence on God.

humility in mission Language & Culture Pray St Andrews Hall

Re-enacting Ruth

Posted on: 13th June 2022

Ruth opens a unique door into Israelite family life in the time of Israel’s Judges. It makes it easy to think about the cultural life of the ancient Israelites and the life of our students—the things that seem similar and the things that seem different.

Bible storytelling Ian & Jenny Wood Language & Culture Nungalinya College

Stories in the sand

Posted on: 9th June 2022

The most common way we use storytelling is as the initial way of engaging people with the Bible. Before we bring out written passages, we first story-tell and discuss the passage in Bislama, the national creole.

Bible storytelling Joel & Tiff Atwood Language & Culture Vanuatu

Faithful in translation

Posted on: 8th June 2022

Listening to stories has been a core element of our language-learning and it continues to be an important means of loving the Timorese people.

Bible storytelling Chris & Grace Adams Language & Culture Timor-Leste

Christmas in Japan: fried chicken and Jesus

Posted on: 7th December 2021

CMS missionaries Adam and Helane Ramsay work in church ministry in the Japanese city of Chiba. Helane shares what Christmas is like for their family in a nation with little exposure to the message of Jesus but lots of fried chicken. Christmas in Japan A boy and a girl stroll through the city hand in hand on a chilly night, looking at the Christmas […]

Christmas East Asia Evangelism Helane Ramsay Japan Language & Culture

Grace, the undeserved reward

Posted on: 6th December 2021

CMS missionaries Sam and Shan-Shan Chrisp serve in Taiwan. They share their surprise at the practice of rewarding good behaviour in many areas of Taiwanese culture. One thing we’re learning about in Taiwan is what we call the ‘reward’ culture. Elijah often comes home from preschool with new small toys or food snacks. When we ask him […]

East Asia grace Language & Culture Reward culture Sam and Shan Shan Chrisp Taiwan

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