This final blog on running an international Bible study answers some “What ifs?”
What if...
…there are people of other religions?
Don’t panic. Some will know very little about their religion. Others who are devout will probably appreciate your convictions. All are sinners trying to earn salvation, without assurance of hope or forgiveness. They need the gospel. So don’t worry if you don’t know about other religions. Ask them about their beliefs as topics arise during the Bible-study. Having listened, you can then respond with something like:
“That’s interesting. The Bible/Jesus teaches something quite different…”
Talk about the Bible or Jesus rather than what “I think” or what “Christians believe”. Rather than demolishing their beliefs, allow the clear teaching of God’s word to challenge their worldview.
…no-one speaks?
Language problems: Do they understand the passage and questions? If yes, are they too unconfident to speak in English? Get them to work out answers in pairs before discussing as a group. Or perhaps your questions are too simple. As with Brits, they may be embarrassed to respond when an answer is blindingly obvious.
Cultural differences: Internationals from Asia or Africa often regard teachers as authority figures. Students should receive expertise from the teacher, and not question it. This makes people unwilling to ask questions or reveal their opinions, and stifles discussion! Point out often that questions are good because they help us learn. Emphasise that their questions or disagreement won’t offend you. Allow newcomers to watch discussions and question sessions. Hopefully they’ll see that queries are welcomed, and disagreements treated with gentleness and respect.
…you can’t understand what someone is saying?
It happens to all of us! You can: Apologise for failing to catch what was said. Ask them to repeat it. Ask them to write it down, if possible. Ask someone else who understands to explain. Sometimes nothing works! Laugh at your inability to understand (rather than their inability to communicate). Show admiration and sympathy for them in the difficult task of learning a foreign language.
…someone can’t understand what you say?
Probably nobody will understand everything, but they’ll be happy if they understand most of the study and will enjoy interacting with you.
…you offend someone?
Is it something you’ve said, done or not done? Cross-cultural relationships are ripe with opportunities for misunderstanding. Perhaps someone else (from the same culture?) can enlighten you. Quickly apologise for any offence caused. Don’t criticise their culture or defend your way of doing things. Simply explain how most people will do or understand something in here. Remember, people of all cultures can understand and respond to an apology and friendliness.
But what if the offence comes from Bible truth? Check that they have correctly understood what’s been taught. But remember that the gospel both attracts and repels (2 Corinthians 2 v 15-16). People getting offended may indicate that God’s message is getting through, so be encouraged and keep praying for those who will be saved.
It’s our prayer that through international ministries such as friendship and Bible study, many of us will have the joy of bringing the gospel to “all nations”, right here on our own doorstep.
In our last post we looked at how to speak, what words to explain and how to phrase questions. This time we address:
1. Application
It's best to avoid terms like “implications”, “significance” or “relevance”. Ask them: If this is true, do you need to change? How?
And don’t be afraid to ask how a particular application might be received in their culture—it helps you understand the influences and pressures that can affect their response to God’s word, and it helps them see how some parts of their culture might be at variance with God’s word.
For example, Jesus tells His followers not to store up for themselves treasures on earth but seek God’s kingdom first. Some people may conclude that the Bible is undermining a very important priority in non-Western cultures—the responsibility to bring as much prosperity as possible into your family. You would need to show that Jesus does not want his followers to ignore their family responsibilities, but neither should our family be the top priority and take the rightful place of God in our lives.
2. Your illustrations
It's a good idea to ask yourself if each illustration would be easily understood by someone from a different culture. An illustration that needs a lot of explanation loses its effectiveness, and may cause confusion. Avoid mentioning…
3. Prayer
Truly Christian prayer will come as a revelation to internationals from a non-Christianised background. It’s revolutionary:
Leading in prayer is a great thing to do at some point in an international Bible-study. Why not explain what you are about to do, especially if there are newcomers present? Reassure people that they don’t have to pray themselves if they don’t want to, but can simply watch. Keep prayers fairly short and simple—use words and truths that they have learned in the Bible study. You could pause after each sentence, allowing people to add silently their own prayers. Internationals don’t generally feel uncomfortable or get offended when Christians pray.
Finally, next time… FAQs
In order to lead Bible studies well, you’ll need to give extra thought to how you ask questions, give illustrations, make applications and use words.
Think about...
1. How you speak
Speak slowly and clearly, but remember they’re language-learners—not deaf, nor children—so be careful not to speak with an exaggerated volume or intonation. Keep your face turned towards them and don’t hide your mouth behind your hands so they can lip-read as well.
2. Difficult words
When preparing, look carefully at the words and concepts that appear in the text which may not be understood (or correctly understood) by people whose first language is not English. Think about…
3. Your questions
Next time… illustrations, applications and prayer.
A. Choosing (what version?)
For most internationals (except university and post-grad students), a simplified translation of the Bible is best. The NIV may be suitable for students who have reached an advanced level of English (roughly corresponding with British university entry level). Otherwise, think about using one of the following:
Advantages
Disadvantages
Dual-language Bibles: Many internationals can get the Bible in their own language printed alongside the English version. Give them extra time to read the Bible passage in their own language as well. However, be aware that in some languages the most widely available translation may be quite archaic, so ironically, some internationals find the Bible easier in English. Dual-language Bibles usually use the NIV for the English part, so make sure that people read the English Bible in the simplified version that you’ve provided.
B. Using (helpful hints)
So how do we go about starting a Bible study group with internationals?
A. Think about what sort of Bible study to do.
Evangelistic or Christian teaching? A Bible book or a topic? Starting with Genesis or Jesus? The “big picture’” or verse by verse? These questions can help you:
B. Think about the structure of your group.
In particular, older men from cultures where seeing to be proficient is important are often reluctant to speak English in front of others for fear that their mistakes will cause them to “lose face”. Small single-sex groups or one-to-ones with British men who will work hard to build good relationships with these men are key.
Once you’ve got to know one or more internationals, why not offer them an English-language Bible study, in a group or one to one? We’re going to look at the practicalities of how to do this. But first, there are a couple of reservations about international Bible studies that are worth addressing.
A. Isn’t it better that people learn the Bible in their own language?
Even with a high degree of fluency in an additional language like English, most people understand most effectively what is communicated in their “mother tongue”. However, for many nationalities in Britain, there are few, if any, churches, Bible-studies or even Christians ministering in their first language. This is true of even major nationalities, eg: Japanese.
Also some internationals may actually prefer an English-speaking group, even when one in their own language is available.
B. Is it really possible to teach different cultures in one group?
One-to-one Bible studies are probably the best of way of bringing the gospel to an international friend. Everything can be tailored to your friend’s level of English-language and Bible knowledge, their situation and their questions. However, it can seem intimidating—there’s no one else to answer the questions!
The social side of a group will attract some people. Also you can share this ministry with other British Christians. However, unless you have a large ex-pat community of one nationality in your area, it’s likely that your group will include a mix of races.
Obviously there are differences between people of different cultures—different religions, different ways of learning; different understandings of God, sin, or Christianity; different experiences that affect their responses. But there are more things common to all of us. The Bible addresses human nature and experience, and never confines its message to just one culture.
What’s key is your relationship with the group members. Friendliness, warmth, interest, humility, gratitude, respect and compassion are easily communicated cross-culturally. Once a relationship of trust is established, cultural differences become a source of fascination and fun.
This afternoon we turn to setting up and running an English-language Bible-study group for internationals.
Once we have overcome our worries, how can we ensure we are clear? In this post we'll be looking at helpful ways of speaking to language-learners.
A. Keep things simple and direct, especially for those whose English is basic. Sounds obvious but “simple and direct” can feel a bit intrusive and impolite. We often tend to be circumspect when talking to people we don’t know—we multiply words!
| We may like: | They would prefer: | |
| I guess you live locally, do you? | Where do you live? | |
| I can’t quite work out where you’re from. | Where are you from? or What is your nationality? | |
| So you’re here to study or…? | Are you a student? (followed by: What do you study?) |
B. Be ready to ask plenty of questions. It’s more difficult for language learners to construct questions, so you are responsible for driving the conversation. Usually open questions (what/where/who/how/ why) are preferable to closed questions (yes/no). But for basic-English speakers it’s best to ask a closed question first (it’s easy for them to answer) and then follow up with an open question:
Are you a student? (Yes) then… What do you study?
Or… (No) then… Do you have a job? Followed by… What do you do?
C. Give them time. Don’t be afraid of a bit of silence. Smile encouragingly. After a moment ask: Do you understand? If they don’t, repeat the question… or change it to something simpler… or write it down… or get someone to translate.
D. Don’t be put off by short answers. For example: Is this your first time here?—Yes. Unfortunately, in English this kind of “blunt” answer usually suggests lack of interest or dislike. We prefer to multiply words: Yes, it is actually, yes. (Five words in place of one!) Language learners answer “bluntly” not because they dislike you but because it’s easier!
E. Answer your own questions. If you’ve asked where they live, let them answer and then explain where you live. This avoids a one-sided interrogation. It keeps the conversation going and the language-learner finds out about you without having to formulate questions themselves.
F. Have a pen and notebook handy. Invaluable! You can write down names, or words/phrases they don’t understand. They can write stuff that you can’t understand. Also useful for contact details, maps etc.
G. Get another Christian to join in. To keep the conversation going when you run out of things to say. To pick up words that you fail to understand because of foreign pronunciation. To explain something more clearly when you can’t make yourself understood. To become a second British friend. And to pray with you for this person.
Now, all these tips may make you feel it’s too tricky to talk to any international. If that’s you, then let me reassure you that nothing is more valuable than gospel-hearted love for others and prayerful dependence on God. These will get you through any number of misunderstandings, miscommunications and cross-cultural crises.
So, why not go find someone from overseas and get stuck in?
Perhaps you’d like to get talking with someone from overseas but there are all sorts of things you worry about:
For starters, what attitudes will help us overcome some of these worries? Here are my tips…
A. I don’t need to know lots about a person’s culture or religion before I befriend them. We’re certainly both human beings and most likely we share the same gender. So what we have in common significantly outweighs our differences. Both of us are made in God’s image… have fallen short of his glory… respond to warm, loving relationships… fear death… look for meaning in our lives… feel guilty about wrong-doing… and can be redeemed through Jesus Christ.
View this friendship as a journey of discovery about another culture or religion. Listen carefully, watch closely and be kind. Most people love to guide someone through their traditions and customs. And as they share their values, we can do the same. Our ignorance of someone’s beliefs becomes a wonderful opportunity to talk about spiritual matters. Ask questions about their religion; then show them how it compares with the Christian good news.
B. My relationship with this person could be hugely significant. It’s quite possible that I’m the only native Brit to befriend them. Most language students only ever meet English-speakers in a professional capacity and their friends are all foreign language-learners like themselves. Ex-pat communities provide much of what their fellow-countrymen need, resulting in little contact with Brits, let alone friendships. More importantly, I may be the first real Christian that this person has met. So we have both a tremendous opportunity and incentive to get to know them.
C. However stressful it is for me to talk to a language-learner, it’s far more stressful for them. They may struggle to formulate questions and answers in English, or to make themselves understood. They may feel ashamed of their lack of English, and confused about what this new culture expects of them. They will feel frustrated that they can’t express themselves adequately. Like you they fear being embarrassed.
If you’ve ever tried to use rusty foreign-language “skills” on holiday abroad, you’ll understood the pressure and panic caused by attempting even basic conversations in a second language. But despite this, for most language-learners, a conversation with a native English-speaker is a real bonus.
D. Don’t underestimate the value of compassion, a servant heart, and a self-deprecating sense of humour. These will get us through most of the misunderstandings and odd embarrassments that can occur in cross-cultural relationships. Internationals are human too—like us they respond to kindness, apologies and the funny side of things.
Not so long ago western Christians had to travel to take the gospel to nations of the world. These days English is the international language of choice for commerce, IT, academics, politics and diplomacy. And the world comes to us. So Christians in English-speaking countries have amazing opportunities to reach the world for the gospel without having to move anywhere.
You may think that you live in a predominantly “white British” area. I live in a small London suburb that looks like that. But a local church ministry to internationals here has made contact with more than 30 different nationalities! How many nations could be reached on your doorstep, by your church, in your local community?
This week on the blog we're going to look at how we can encourage one another to get involved in ministry with the international community living near each of us.
What internationals might be living in your community?
The first step is to identify the communities near you. Perhaps there are international uni students here for three or more years. Or English-language students visiting for a few months. There will be asylum seekers, ex-pat workers, au pairs, migrants recruited to fill employment gaps, and those travelling the world. Look out for ethnic grocery stores; community noticeboards advertising English classes and interpreting services; non-English-speaking parents at the school gate.
Making contact with internationals
It’s not easy for internationals to make friends with British people. Some live here for years but never enter a British home or eat home-cooked British food. Brits tend to be polite but reserved, and many of us are anxious about talking to someone who has limited English or a heavy foreign accent. (If that’s you, look out for our upcoming article on “Crossing the language barrier” tomorrow.) If you befriend an international—welcome them into your home, share food and traditions with them, take an interest in their culture and custom—most will be delighted to get to know you.
Ideas to get you started:
