Pray for Greece

I posted some reflections on the church landscape of Greece and the need to pray for the advance of the Gospel there.  It is a land of great natural beauty and brilliant sunshine, and yet there is much spiritual darkness.  Pray for Greece.
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Images of Greece

I've posted several pictures from the time in Greece (in higher resolution than the images posted here) at my photo page.
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Back Home in Pennsylvania

Saturday night and Sunday morning we said our farewells to one another, and then team members parted ways for home (or, in a couple of cases, for some extra days in Greece).  A few of us took a (very speedy) cab ride to the airport Sunday morning, then boarded Air Canada's flight to Toronto at noon.  We arrived in Canada at 3:30 p.m. after ten and a half hours in the air.  Then connections were made to our various cities, and I arrived in Philly about 7:30 p.m.  So it was a long day--but great, great for reflecting on the time of ministry in Athens, and great for getting back home with family!

This Sunday, June 24, I'll be preaching at Goshen Baptist Church from Acts 17:16-34, Paul's message to the philosophers at Athens about "The Unknown God."  I'll also share a brief mission report and show some photos.

A big thank you, once again, to all who have prayed for this mission project.  We as a team have been blessed to spend this season of concentrated time in God's Word with brothers and sisters in Christ whose zeal for the honor of the Lord is beautiful to behold.  Pray for their growing faith and deepening understanding of God's truth and effectiveness in advancing the Gospel and establishing healthy churches among numerous immigrant groups in Athens and beyond!

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Day Trip to Corinth

Today is our last full day in Greece—we’ll fly out tomorrow. 

Our classes concluded last night (and at breakfast today there were lots of great stories of lives deeply impacted through the course!).  So today, free of teaching responsibilities, we took a trip to the ancient city of Corinth (read Acts 18) and other sites nearby. 

By the way, you may know that Corinth is on the isthmus between mainland Greece and the Peloponnesian peninsula.  In modern times, the feat of digging a canal (see photo) through the three-mile neck of land at Corinth makes it possible for ships to save some 200 nautical miles when traveling from, say, eastern Italy to western Turkey.

I took the picture of my feet because I’m standing on remnants of the original white marble pavement of the main city square in Corinth where the Apostle Paul walked many times (he lived there for about a year and a half—and most likely he wrote the Letter to the Romans during his stay in Corinth).

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Athens, New & Old...

 

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Final Session Tonight

We’re gearing up to teach the final session of the Biblical Theology course to our various language groups tonight.  It’s been a FULL week for teachers and students alike—lots of study and reflection and questioning and mind-stretching and soul-enriching work immersing ourselves in the Word of God.  And as that week winds up, I think it finds us all in a mingled state of weariness and thankfulness—thankful for the privilege of getting to know brothers and sisters in Jesus from some previously very different corners of the world. 

One thing that hits me is how cross-culturally universal the Gospel of Christ really is:  the church of Jesus Christ is taking root and growing strong in so many different social and language and ethnic groups! 

Anyhow, as we head into the final class session (it will take place today, Fri., at 1:00 p.m. eastern time in the USA), please pray for my students, my interpreter and me:  for focus and energy and a sense of what matters most as we wrap up and part ways.

Tomorrow is a “day off” prior to flying out on Sunday morning.  Tomorrow our team will take a day trip to Corinth (an hour away). We’ll be able to take in various sites related to the Apostle Paul’s ministry recorded in the New Testament, and rumor has it we’ll also look for a beach somewhere to get in that ever-so-blue Greek water.

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In Athens

We took a walk this morning (Thurs.) in central Athens.  The building above (top) is the Greek Parliament, and the square in front of it has been the site of various demonstrations.  (Depending on the outcome of the general elections to be held here this Sunday, June 17, there could be more tensions...)  In the second photo, one of the two men pictured is an official, ceremonial guard on duty outside Parliament.  The third picture is of the ubiquitous Athenian Leaf ceramic figure at the edge of almost every tile roof.  Next is Mars Hill from below (the site of Paul's speech recorded in Acts 17:16-34.  And finally we have a classic Greek Salad with the standard (large) block of feta cheese atop.

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Day Three in Class

Last night a couple of our students returned after missing session two—so glad of that!  But they and everyone else arrived late (and not just a few minutes).  I had to stop my impatient self and recognize that several of the Albanian church leaders taking this class have various lifestyle challenges—like getting across town on subway and bus after a full work day, and making arrangements for childcare with few options and limited funds.  In any case, after “a while” we were able to dive into the study of Scripture’s great overarching themes, especially noting the great grace of God who continues to care for and lovingly correct his wayward people.  In the end it was a very good time of study and worship as we immersed ourselves in the Word of God.

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Around Athens

We visited the First Greek Evangelical Church today (a friend of our team leader is the pastor) and learned much about the church situation in Greece.  About 3% of the population attends church services, and only a tiny fraction of those people are evangelical / born-again believers.  Much to pray about.

We also wandered through the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

The motorcycle picture above is a typical traffic line-up at a red light--countless motorcycles.

The photo with the crane is there for the cloud in the distance:  first cloud spotted in 6 days in Greece.  (By the way, about 100 degrees today.)
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Day Two Review

The second session of our biblical theology course last night went well—a good bit better than the first one.  On day one we struggled a bit (students, interpreter, and I) to track with each other—to get that thought across clearly and efficiently, and to keep the thinking process from bogging down.  But day two things improved, which made for a smoother evening and better interaction.

A disappointment was that some of the Albanian church leaders who attended the first night didn’t come back the second.  A few had brought their children the first night, assuming (or hoping) that childcare would be provided even though no announcement of this had been made (thankfully, though, a missionary who was in attendance was able to step out for the evening and play with the kids).  So for day two, seeing that childcare was not offered, a handful of students opted to stay home.  It’s a tough decision:  the course sessions run until 11:00 p.m. each evening, and even on “Greek Time” keeping your children out until 11:00 is, shall we say, not ideal.  At the same time, babysitting or other options seem to be problematic for various reasons (e.g., locations, costs).  In any case, we missed some smiling Albanian faces for day two.  Please pray that the Lord will work things out for their return tonight.  The content of the course is best, by far, if one can be present for the whole series or at least nearly all of it.  Thanks for praying!!

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Visit to the Acropolis

This morning we hiked up the Acropolis (Greek for “high city”), a massive marble outcropping of rock in the center of Athens where the Parthenon stands.  We—along with a few thousand other visitors!  It was HOT and sunny and dry (yes, drinking a lot of water)—in fact, I haven’t seen a single cloud yet in Athens.

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First Class Session

Monday night was the first session of our “Biblical Theology” class.  Nine Albanian church leaders attended (this is one of five classes based on language—total attendance for the five groups was 65-70).  We began our one-week investigation of the Bible’s grand plot of God’s glory and grace.  Each student received a 250-page workbook with the outline and main information of the biblical theology curriculum so that they can follow along and take notes. 

The atmosphere was very cordial and informal, and there was a good bit of Q&A interchange.  Our discussions did wander down a few rabbit trails, and when everyone got talking to each other in Albanian my interpreter was rather at a loss to help me understand the whole conversation.  I found the process of teaching via an interpreter—as well as receiving questions and providing responses via interpreter—to be a real challenge.  Not only are the subject matter and theological vocabulary a bit technical, but languages can “work” differently and thus there isn’t always an easy one-for-one exchange of words or ideas. 

Case in point:  when Genesis 2:15 speaks of Adam’s duty to “till and keep” the garden God provided, the Albanian rendering of the second verb in that sequence was more like “protect.”  So they asked:  which is it, keep or protect?  (How would you answer that?)  My response was that to keep or care for the garden includes various key tasks, such as protecting it—protecting the holy place God has provided and in which he personally meets with his people (Eden is not unlike a temple in that regard).  Of course, when we come to Genesis 3, the need to protect the purity of Eden from intruders and corruption becomes painfully clear.  Well, all in all, we had a good discussion about God’s charge to Adam and the original ideal intentions for his creation.  As you may guess, one of the “destinations” in our tour of biblical theology is the “new creation” hope of the Bible that is realized in the final chapters of Revelation.  But I’ll stop before saying more—I’m getting ahead of myself.

Thanks again for praying.  Please pray that God would grant me stamina for the hours of nighttime teaching and for mental focus and communication dexterity as I seek to convey God’s Word and the theological themes that bring all his truth together.

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“Let the Peoples Praise Him”

Today our team was in several different churches in Athens join in worship.  I and three others went to a Romanian Baptist church about 15 minutes across town (by car) for a 9:00 a.m. service.  It was my privilege to preach and to have Daniel, a Romanian brother who flew in yesterday to join our team, translate for me. 

I preached on John 11 about the sickness, death, and resurrection of Jesus’ friend Lazarus, and how this episode speaks to our sometimes-feeble faith:  like the sisters of Lazarus, Mary and Martha, we’re prone to scold the Lord for not comforting us on our terms and our timetable—but he often has better things in mind for us than to do just what we say.  How thankful we can be for his ongoing mercies.

The worship service lasted almost two hours, and it included many songs (which the people sang with “radical vigor”), several Scripture readings and prayers, and a worship song by the church choir—and their choir was outstanding!

Afterward we were invited to the pastor’s home for Sunday dinner (he and his wife and three-year-old daughter live just two blocks away from the church), where we were fed with bountiful blessings—a meal that “just kept coming”—and enjoyed great conversation on everything from immigrant churches in Athens to European Cup soccer to Romanian traditions and more.  The food and the company were wonderful.

Later in the afternoon I met with two missionaries, Bob and Andrew, who coordinate ministries among Albanians living in Athens.  We drove (about 10 min.) to the community center where my class will meet Monday thru Friday nights—a newly-renovated and very attractive building that's well set up for these gatherings.  (More info next time on how it actually goes the first night of class.  Please pray for great connections with all students in tomorrow’s first session.  Thanks!)

Then in the early evening we joined a Farsi-speaking fellowship of believers nearby for worship (with singing that was also highly exuberant), followed by Iranian rice, pita bread and hot sweet tea for everyone.  Several of these brothers and sisters in Christ can speak some English (zero of us speak some Farsi), so we got acquainted a bit and heard many fascinating life-stories.  For the most part, these are refugees who are in Greece now but desire to relocate to other countries, especially in Western Europe.  There are many prayer needs.

By the time we got back to the hotel, the sun was going down, and from our seventh-story balcony there were some great views of the city skyline (including a few bizarre contrasts of architecture and rooftop clutter, plus a certain Parthenon in the distance)—see photos in the previous post.

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Athens Skyline

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Saturday by the Sea

Today (Sat.) we visited the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio, Greece (on the southern tip of the Greek mainland—2 hours from Athens by bus).  Learning much about the long history of the Greeks, including about the fears and yearnings reflected down through the ages in their legends and religious aspirations.  This afternoon we had a great meal (gyros), and then a few of us had a chance to visit with Daniel, a Romanian church leader and missionary who just flew in from Bucharest and will translate when I preach in a Romanian church here in Athens tomorrow.  Speaking of preaching tomorrow, much to do to get ready!  Asking the Lord to uphold and guide and accomplish his good work in people’s hearts as we attend to his Word.  Thanks for praying for me!

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Arrived in Greece

It’s late on Friday night.  Arrived in Athens this morning.  Already we’ve seen some amazing historic sites and natural scenic beauty in this part of the world.  Getting well acquainted with the team—wonderful group.  Eager to dive into the ministry in the days ahead!

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Team of Ten Gets Together

Our teaching team of ten gathered for the first time this afternoon in Minneapolis.  From left to right:  David, Ethan, Peter, Christy, Kyle, David, Christine, Bill, Meghan, Alex and Darren (Darren is President of TLI; he's not traveling along on this trip).

It was great to meet everyone face to face (Skype is nice, but in-person is so much better)!  We spent time hearing everyone's faith story--and there were so many encouraging and amazing accounts of God's remarkable saving work and unique leading!!  Our gracious and ingenious God really does weave an intricate and beautiful tapestry in his people's lives.  Looking forward to the coming days with these new friends.

We fly tomorrow (Thurs.) morning to Toronto, and then later in the afternoon we'll catch a flight from Toronto to Athens (arriving there Friday morning).

Thanks for praying for me and the whole team--much appreciated.

Will post again as soon as possible from Athens.
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9Marks Journal on Biblical Theology

An issue of the 9Marks e-journal on "biblical theology" can also provide a helpful overview (the course I'll be teaching in Greece is on biblical theology--see also the post below on "what is biblical theology?").
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Turmoil in Greece

Greece has been in the news a bit lately—to say the least.  Economic woes there have caused ripple effects throughout the Euro Zone and in markets around the world.  Economic crisis, of course, means hardship for many, including the weak and vulnerable.  Pray that Greek leaders would act wisely and with courage and compassion.  Pray for God’s direction in the upcoming general election on June 17.  And pray for the advance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in the midst of the turmoil there and beyond.  FYI, here’s a glance at the demographic and religious profile of Greece provided by Operation World, including info on how to pray for Greece.

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So what is biblical theology?

The course I'll be teaching in Greece June 6-17 is called "Biblical Theology."

That's a curious expression.  From a Christian point of view, we might respond by asking, "Okay, but what other kind of theology is there?"  Would we teach a theology that's "unbiblical"?  Hopefully not.  But biblical theology (BT) isn't just theology that draws on the Bible or is in harmony with the Bible.  It's something more precise than that.

BT is not the same as systematic theology (ST).  ST raises logical and philosophical questions (about the nature of reality, and about God and humans and sin and salvation...) and then goes to the Bible to compile overarching, timeless truths on those topics.  BT begins with and proceeds through the story of the whole Bible--Genesis to Revelation--and it seeks to uncover the plot line and progressively unfolding truths of God as they play out in the epic historical tale of Scripture.

And, from another angle, BT is not the same as Bible study.  We may launch into an up-close analysis of a Bible passage (for the purpose of teaching or preaching or personal enrichment), but such study, if it is restricted to the analysis of what our passage says and nothing more, stops short of BT.  By contrast, if in our Bible study we focus on a given text but also open the lens wider to its "inter-textual" dynamics (e.g., how a NT passage recalls OT events or texts; or how an OT passage anticipates a greater fulfillment that is yet to come), we've jumped into the waters of BT.

Case in point:  we're reading in Genesis 12 and subsequent chapters about God's covenant with Abraham; later we see how the law of God revealed to Moses at Sinai spells out the terms of a covenant; then we come to Jeremiah 31 and Ezekiel 36 and read a prophecy of a future "new covenant" that will involve heart surgery (so to speak); and then we come to Jesus in the upper room speaking with the disciples about "the new covenant in my blood"; and then we venture in Hebrews and find that ch. 8 quotes the new covenant promise from Jeremiah 31 and applies it to Jesus--how Jesus mediates this superior covenant between God and his people.

BT grapples with the themes and plot-lines of the Bible to tease out Scripture's continuity (e.g., a divinely initiated biblical pattern of covenant promises to bless God's people) and discontinuity (e.g., God's adjusting of some of the terms of his covenant arrangements such that the new covenant is "better" and the old is "obsolete" (Heb 8:6-7, 13)) as the whole story of the Bible unfolds.

Here's a short video clip of Ray Ortlund and Sam Storms talking about what BT is.  And here's another helpful interview, this one with T. Desmond Alexander.
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Teaching Assignment

I'll be meeting with a group of Albanian pastors and church leaders for the class on biblical theology.  This is one of several language / nationality groups that will be gathering in Athens to participate in the TLI course.

Here's a glance at Albania from the Operation World prayer guide and from Joshua Project (go to the drop-down menu at the upper right and select Albania).

Please pray for me (and the interpreter who will help me--whom I have not yet met).  Pray for vital spiritual growth for teacher, interpreter and students alike.  Thanks!!
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Joshua Project

In case you're not familiar with Joshua Project, let me recommend a visit to their site (and be prepared to spend some time perusing the data on this world's people groups and the progress of the Gospel).  Ask the Lord to show you how this information about his world should be translated into prayer, your prayers for the completion of his great mission.

See also the other "Missions Resources" posted at the GBC website.
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Teaching Trip

I'll be participating with Training Leaders International June 6-17, teaching a course on "Biblical Theology" to a group of pastors and church leaders in Athens.

To learn more about our TLI team of teachers, click here.

I'm thanking the Lord for my church family at Goshen Baptist Church--the GBC congregation has provided the funds to send me on this mission trip.

I plan to post info and photos throughout the trip.  So check back here as the days pass!

Lord willing, I'll be preaching back at Goshen on June 24, and the message from God's Word will be centered around his heart for the world and the experience I will have had on this ministry trip.

Please do PRAY for me:  for good rest and needed strength (jet-lag and all); for insight on how best to work with and through my interpreter; for discernment to target the teaching material to the right level; for sustained concentration while teaching 4 hours a day; for valuable learning by both teacher and students through this class--learning from God's Word and about how to apply his truth in practical, faithful ways; for spiritual encouragement for all involved--that we would love and honor Jesus Christ more and more.  Thanks for praying!

~Peter

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