Crosslinks programme aims to improve Biblical literacy internationally
Neil Watkinson
Imagine being a member of a church in which your pastor-preacher has no training in understanding or teaching the Bible, where there are few or no commentaries in his heart language, and where the model of preaching everyone has grown up with (and he has therefore copied) is simply telling stories or speaking on a Bible verse ripped out of context.
Add to this the prevalence of the "prosperity gospel", which continues to spread like wildfire.
What is the value of running intensive preaching training weeks cross-culturally?
Having been involved in short intensive weeks of preaching training for pastor-preachers and Bible teachers in Africa and Asia for the last 17 years – six of them based in SE Asia with Crosslinks – it’s been good to reflect on the question: ‘Of what value are these – do they not simply run the risk of cultural imperialism, even in preaching style?’
Local churches across the globe are growing without us, as Christ is proclaimed and the gospel bears fruit. So why do such Bible teaching and preaching training?