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MentorNet #50 PRIORITY OF VERNACULAR LANGUAGE IN CHURCH
PLANTING Copyright
© 2007 by Galen Currah and George Patterson. George Cowan observes, “Indigenous churches
take root and grow when the Scriptures are translated into the language of
the people and laymen can witness using vernacular Scriptures” (Importance
of Using the Vernacular in Church Planting). Patterson and Currah, like thousands of
others, bear testimony to the greater effectiveness of church planting
efforts through the preferred language of local populations. Patterson took
years to become fluent in a rural Spanish dialect of Even among non-literate
people groups, the Bible has been the guiding source for doctrine, church
polity and life itself. While Church Planting Movements have occurred among
peoples without the Bible translated into their own language, the majority
had the Bible either orally or in written form in their heart language. In
every instance, Scripture provided the rudder for the church’s life, and its
authority was unquestioned. (Church Planting Movements, 34) Vernacular language in training Christian
workers Where
workers have received training in language other than the local tongue, problems
have been noted over the centuries. These concern the
choice of trainees for Christian work, the ability of these workers to
understand their training, and the respect that local people show to these
workers. Giving priority to the vernacular avoids these problems.
Those who must train Christian
workers by using an outside language should ensure that the vernacular language
remains the priority. We recommend the following actions: ·
Train workers who speak both languages fluently, having lived in the
local culture. ·
Talk with these workers often about how to express ideas in the local
tongue, and about what local customs apply to church planting. Be a learner
as well as a trainer. ·
Employ training materials written in the local language. You may have
to teach your workers to read that language, if they were educated in an
outside language. ·
Insist that apprentices witness and teach using the vernacular that local
people prefer. ·
Make efforts to gain, at least, a rudimentary knowledge of the
language, until you can carry on a simple conversation and ask the right
questions about expressing ideas. Vernacular language in planting
new churches The apostle Paul explained to the Corinthians
that, in church meetings, he would rather speak five words in plain language
than a thousand in an unknown tongue, so that others would
be edified (Acts The heart language of the people emerges in
their prayers, songs, sermon illustrations and applications. Worship in the
common heart language keeps it accessible and within reach of all members of
the community and allows everyone to participate in a new church's formation.
Missionaries who identify and embrace the heart language of the people they
are trying to reach are well positioned to stimulate
a Church Planting Movement. (37) Some mission agencies require tribal workers
to learn trade languages in order to ‘get around.’ The workers, having spent
a year doing so, will not endure another year learning a third language, and so
they fail to bond with the people they serve. Christians often adopt traditional
or colonial, church traditions that they learn through an outside language.
Terms like church, pastor, evangelist, preach, elder, deacon and many others,
as used in Western and mission-founded churches, can evoke non-biblical ideas
that stifle church reproduction and body life. We recommend taking the following
actions: ·
Gain enough ability to
speak and think in the vernacular language, that you and your local co-workers
can find expressions that accurately convey biblical ideas. ·
Use a vernacular
translation of the Bible, even if it is incomplete. If the translators used a
lot of outside, traditional vocabulary, then explain those words and phrases
in the local language, assigning biblical meanings. ·
Encourage a lot of
discussion, sharing and dialogue in the vernacular language as a normal part
of church life. Avoid teaching workers to “preach” monologues. ·
Encourage and support
production of affordable materials in the vernacular, especially materials
that local folks can afford to purchase and share with others. ·
Translators in pioneer
fields should work closely with church planters, to make sure that their
translation of Scripture makes sense to them and is actually used. Resources Reproducible Pastoral Training, to multiply churches, O’Connor: Mentoring tools and sites, visit <http://www.MentorAndMultiply.com>. Train &
Multiply®, Pastoral training, church
planting. Info: [email protected]. Free training materials for new
leaders & missionaries, <http://www.Paul-Timothy.net> Download “Come, Let Us Disciple
the Nations” (CD-ROM), visit <http://www.Paul-Timothy.net>. Order Church
Multiplication Guide from a bookshop or via <http://www.WCLbooks.com>. To subscribe or to download
earlier MentorNet messages, visit <http://www.MentorNet.ws>. Training materials that combine
pastoral training with church planting: |