A day to fill me with fear and trembling
Firstly I visit the Mairie.
As part of our Easter mission we are mounting an exhibition at Centre FAC which has free admission. We are told that the Town Hall must be notified of all "Portes Ouvertes". So I am off to do that today. It is not easy to convey the degree of reluctance that the French administration can inspire in the heart. I have previously reported on the ongoing saga of our friend who is seeking French nationality which entails repeated 7-hour waits in the préfecture. I try to help myself by reminding myself of how to deal with dogs in the street. If you show that you are intimidated they attack. If you appear nonchalant they accept you and leave you alone.
Secondly Bible study tonight is on the second coming.
This would not be at all problematic in Britain but in France the Scofield Bible is still immensely popular and its teachings dearly held by most churches. Some demand acceptance of some kind of dispensationalism in order to become a church member. It is not our role to challenge the teaching of the churches, nor to sow seeds of discontent with the position that churches hold. However many christian students are confused about the second coming ( fancy ! ). So tonight the big challenge is to stay on the essentials. So we are heading for 1 Thessalonians. One drawback is that the translation of the BIble we use (the Segond édition Genève 1979) has the title "L'enlèvement de l'église, l'avènement du Seigneur" above 1 Thess 4:13. Humph !
So pray that we can stay in the light and not head off into the shadows !
As part of our Easter mission we are mounting an exhibition at Centre FAC which has free admission. We are told that the Town Hall must be notified of all "Portes Ouvertes". So I am off to do that today. It is not easy to convey the degree of reluctance that the French administration can inspire in the heart. I have previously reported on the ongoing saga of our friend who is seeking French nationality which entails repeated 7-hour waits in the préfecture. I try to help myself by reminding myself of how to deal with dogs in the street. If you show that you are intimidated they attack. If you appear nonchalant they accept you and leave you alone.
Secondly Bible study tonight is on the second coming.
This would not be at all problematic in Britain but in France the Scofield Bible is still immensely popular and its teachings dearly held by most churches. Some demand acceptance of some kind of dispensationalism in order to become a church member. It is not our role to challenge the teaching of the churches, nor to sow seeds of discontent with the position that churches hold. However many christian students are confused about the second coming ( fancy ! ). So tonight the big challenge is to stay on the essentials. So we are heading for 1 Thessalonians. One drawback is that the translation of the BIble we use (the Segond édition Genève 1979) has the title "L'enlèvement de l'église, l'avènement du Seigneur" above 1 Thess 4:13. Humph !
So pray that we can stay in the light and not head off into the shadows !
Comments