Uongozi wa Kichungaji na Misheni ya Ulimwengu ya Kipentekoste — Sehemu ya 8: Misheni Miongoni mwa Wasiofikiwa, Tafsiri ya Biblia na Teolojia ya Lugha ya MamaPentecostal Pastoral Leadership and Global Missions — Unit 8: Mission among the Unreached, Bible Translation and Mother-Tongue Theology

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Wakrete na Waarabu, tunawasikia wakinena kwa lugha zetu matendo makuu ya Mungu." (Matendo 2:11, SUV)"Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:11, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza "kundi la watu lisilofikiwa" (unreached people group) ni nini na kwa nini Wapentekoste huyapa makundi kama hayo kipaumbele.1. Explain what is meant by an "unreached people group" and why Pentecostals give priority to such peoples.

2. Kuonyesha kutoka katika Maandiko, hasa Matendo 2, kwa nini Injili inastahili kuwa katika lugha ya kila watu.2. Show from Scripture, especially Acts 2, why the gospel belongs in every people's own language.

3. Kueleza kazi ya kutafsiri Biblia na kutaja mifano kutoka historia.3. Describe the work of Bible translation and name examples from history.

4. Kueleza "teolojia ya lugha ya mama" (mother-tongue theology) na faida na hatari za kufundisha, kuomba na kuabudu katika lugha ya moyo.4. Explain "mother-tongue theology" and the benefits and dangers of teaching, praying and worshiping in the heart language.

5. Kueleza jinsi kanisa la mahali la Kipentekoste linavyoweza kutuma na kusaidia watu kwenda kwa kundi lisilofikiwa, kwa kuzingatia lugha, utamaduni na uongozi wa Roho.5. Describe how a local Pentecostal church can send and support people to an unreached group, with attention to language, culture and the Spirit's leading.

Sauti ya Kozi HiiThe Voice of This Unit

Kipindi hiki kimeandikwa kutoka ndani ya mapokeo ya Kipentekoste ya asili, kwa ajili ya wanafunzi wanaoyahusu. Tunaamini kwamba Biblia ni Neno la Mungu lililopuliziwa na kwamba Roho Mtakatifu analiwezesha kanisa kuipeleka Injili kwa mataifa yote. Tunaeleza kwa haki maswali na pingamizi ambazo wengine huibua, na tunajibu kutoka kwa Maandiko. Mifano mingi inatoka Afrika na Amerika ya Kusini, ambako Wapentekoste wengi wanaishi.This unit is written from inside the classical Pentecostal tradition, for students who belong to it. We believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God and that the Holy Spirit empowers the church to take the gospel to all peoples. We state fairly the questions and objections that others raise, and we answer from Scripture. Many of the examples come from Africa and Latin America, where most Pentecostals live.

Kazi IsiyokamilikaThe Unfinished Task

Yesu alisema, "mtakuwa mashahidi wangu, huko Yerusalemu, na katika Uyahudi wote, na Samaria, na hata mwisho wa nchi" (Matendo 1:8). Agizo Kuu linatuita kuwafanya "mataifa yote" wanafunzi (Mathayo 28:19). Neno lililotafsiriwa "mataifa" katika Mathayo ni ethne, linalomaanisha watu, wenye lugha na desturi zao wenyewe. Maono katika Ufunuo 7:9 ni ya umati mkubwa "kutoka katika kila taifa, na kabila, na jamaa, na lugha" wakisimama mbele ya kiti cha enzi. Kwa hiyo kusudi la Mungu si tu kwamba kila nchi isikie Injili, bali kwamba kila watu waisikie kwa njia wanayoweza kuielewa.Jesus said, "you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Acts 1:8). The Great Commission calls us to make disciples of "all the nations" (Matthew 28:19). The word translated "nations" in Matthew is ethne, which means peoples, with their own languages and customs. The vision in Revelation 7:9 is of a great multitude "of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues" standing before the throne. God's purpose is therefore not only that every country hear the gospel, but that every people hear it in a way they can understand.

Paulo anaeleza tamaa yake mwenyewe: "Hivi nikijitahidi kuihubiri Injili, si pale alipokwisha kutajwa Kristo, nisije nikajenga juu ya msingi wa mtu mwingine" (Warumi 15:20). Paulo hakufanya kazi yote mahali alipokuwa ameshakwenda; alisonga mbele hadi maeneo ambayo hapakuwa na kanisa. Wapentekoste siku zote wamevutwa na kielelezo hiki. Historia yetu imejaa wanaume na wanawake waliokwenda sehemu za mbali kwa nguvu za Roho. Vipindi vya awali vilisimulia jinsi misheni za Kipentekoste zilivyoanza (Kipindi cha 2), na teolojia ya misheni inaonekanaje (Kipindi cha 1). Kipindi hiki kinauliza swali lililo mahususi zaidi: ni nani ambaye bado hajasikia, na tunawafikiaje vizuri?Paul describes his own ambition: "And so I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation" (Romans 15:20). Paul did not do all the work in the places where he had been; he pressed on to places where no church existed. Pentecostals have always been moved by this pattern. Our history is full of men and women who went to far places in the power of the Spirit. Earlier units told how Pentecostal missions began (Unit 2), and what a mission theology looks like (Unit 1). This unit asks a more focused question: who has still not heard, and how do we reach them well?

Kundi la Watu Lisilofikiwa Ni Nini?What Is an Unreached People Group?

Wanafikra wa misheni kama Donald McGavran na Ralph Winter walivuta fikira katika karne ya ishirini kwa ukweli kwamba ulimwengu unaundwa na watu wengi, si nchi nyingi tu. Nchi inaweza kuwa na kanisa kubwa wakati kabila dogo ndani ya mipaka yake halina karibu kanisa lolote. Neno "kundi la watu" (people group) linajaribu kutaja jamii kama hiyo, kwa kawaida yenye lugha, historia na utambulisho wa pamoja, na "kundi la watu" huitwa lisilofikiwa (unreached) pale halina bado jumuiya ya waumini yenye nguvu ya kutosha kuipeleka Injili kwa watu wengine wa kundi lao wenyewe bila msaada kutoka nje. Ufafanuzi kamili unabishaniwa, na takwimu hubadilika watafiti wanapokusanya taarifa mpya, kwa hiyo tunaepuka kunukuu takwimu hapa.Missions thinkers such as Donald McGavran and Ralph Winter drew attention in the twentieth century to the fact that the world is made of many peoples, not only many countries. A country may have a large church while a minority people inside its borders has almost none. The term "people group" tries to name such a community, usually one with a shared language, history and identity, and a "people group" is called unreached when it does not yet have a community of believers strong enough to bring the gospel to the rest of its own people without help from outside. The exact definition is debated, and the numbers change as researchers collect new information, so we avoid quoting statistics here.

Baadhi ya wanafunzi makini wanaibua pingamizi za haki.Some careful students raise fair objections.

Pingamizi la 1: Neno hilo ni nadhifu mno. Makundi ya watu hayana mipaka isiyobadilika. Miji huchanganya watu, na vijana wengi hutumia lugha ya taifa na hawafuati tena desturi za babu zao. Watafiti hutofautiana mahali pa kuchora mistari.Objection 1: The term is too neat. People groups are not fixed. Cities mix peoples, and many young people use a national language and no longer follow the customs of their grandparents. Researchers disagree on where to draw the lines.

Jibu letu. Tunakubali kwamba neno hilo ni chombo na si mafundisho. Linatusaidia kuuliza swali sahihi: Je, kuna mtu yeyote miongoni mwa watu hawa anayeweza kuwaambia habari za Kristo kwa njia yao wenyewe? Lugha ya Biblia ya "mataifa" na "lugha" inaonyesha kwamba swali hilo ni la Kibiblia, hata kama ramani zetu hazijakamilika.Our answer. We agree that the term is a tool and not a doctrine. It helps us to ask the right question: Is there anyone among this people who can speak to them of Christ in their own way? The Bible's language of "nations" and "tongues" shows that the question is a biblical one, even if our maps are imperfect.

Pingamizi la 2: Tunapaswa kwanza kumaliza kazi iliyo karibu nasi. Wachungaji wanaweza kusema kwamba kuna watu wengi ambao hawajaokoka katika mji wetu wenyewe, na kwamba kutuma wafanyakazi kwa watu walio mbali ni kuvuruga.Objection 2: We should first finish the work near us. Pastors may say that there are many unsaved people in our own town, and that sending workers to far peoples is a distraction.

Jibu letu. Matendo 1:8 inaweka Yerusalemu, Uyahudi, Samaria na mwisho wa nchi pamoja. Kanisa lisilotoa chochote kwa sehemu za mbali hukua kuwa nyembamba, wakati kanisa linalotuma wafanyakazi mara nyingi hufanywa upya nyumbani. Katika Matendo 13:1-3 kanisa la Antiokia lilikuwa kanisa la mahali linalokua, na bado Roho Mtakatifu alisema, "Nitengeni sasa Barnaba na Sauli kwa kazi ile niliyowaitia." Walifunga na kuomba, na wakawatuma. Mungu aliomba kanisa linalofanya kazi liwaachilie viongozi wawili bora. Jibu letu ni yote mawili na si moja au lingine.Our answer. Acts 1:8 puts Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the end of the earth together. A church that gives nothing to the far places soon grows narrow, while a church that sends workers is often renewed at home. In Acts 13:1-3 the church at Antioch was a growing, local church, and still the Holy Spirit said, "Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." They fasted and prayed, and they sent them. God asked a working church to give up two of its best leaders. Our answer is both and not either.

Pingamizi la 3: Misheni ni ukoloni. Baadhi ya wakosoaji wanasema kwamba misheni imetumikia mamlaka za kigeni na kuharibu tamaduni za mahali.Objection 3: Missions is colonial. Some critics say that missions has served foreign powers and damaged local cultures.

Jibu letu. Historia ya misheni inajumuisha makosa, na Wapentekoste wanyofu wanayakiri. Lakini pia ni kweli kwamba Injili mara nyingi imewapa heshima watu wanaoipokea, na kwamba Biblia imekuwa rafiki wa lugha ndogo. Leo Wapentekoste wengi wako Afrika, Amerika ya Kusini na Asia, na wamisionari wengi wanatoka katika maeneo hayohayo. Picha ya zamani ya misheni kama kitu kinachofanywa na Wamagharibi tu kwa kila mtu mwingine haiendani tena na ukweli.Our answer. Mission history includes mistakes, and honest Pentecostals acknowledge them. But it is also true that the gospel has often given dignity to the people who receive it, and that the Bible has been a friend to small languages. Today most Pentecostals are in Africa, Latin America and Asia, and many of the missionaries are from those same regions. The old picture of missions as something done only by Westerners to everyone else no longer matches the facts.

Roho na Lugha za MataifaThe Spirit and the Languages of the Nations

Pentekoste yenyewe ni somo kuhusu lugha. Roho aliposhuka katika Matendo 2, wanafunzi walinena kwa lugha nyingine, na wageni kutoka nchi nyingi walisikia "kwa lugha zetu matendo makuu ya Mungu" (mstari wetu mkuu). Luka anataja sehemu nyingi: Waparthi, Wamedi, Waelamu, na watu kutoka Misri, Roma, Krete na Arabia. Haikuwa lazima kwao kujifunza lugha ya mitume kwanza. Mungu aliwajia katika lugha walizozijua.Pentecost itself is a lesson about language. When the Spirit fell in Acts 2, the disciples spoke in other tongues, and visitors from many lands heard "in our own tongues the wonderful works of God" (our key verse). Luke names many places: Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Egypt, Rome, Crete and Arabia. It was not necessary for them to learn the language of the apostles first. God came to them in the languages they knew.

Wapentekoste wamejadili maana ya tukio hili kwa muda mrefu. Tunashikilia kwamba lugha za Matendo 2 zilikuwa lugha halisi zilizoeleweka na wasikilizaji, na kwamba tukio hilo linaonyesha upendo wa Mungu kwa kila watu. Baadhi ya wafasiri wanasema kwamba Pentekoste hubadilisha kutawanywa kwa lugha huko Babeli (Mwanzo 11), na Wapentekoste wengi wanaona picha hiyo ya msaada. Wengine wanaonya kwamba Luka hasemi hivyo, na tunapaswa kutumia ulinganisho huo kwa uangalifu. Kile Luka anachosema ni kwamba Injili inasikika katika lugha za wasikilizaji wenyewe. Huu ndio msingi wa misheni ya lugha ya mama.Pentecostals have discussed the meaning of this event for a long time. We hold that the tongues of Acts 2 were real languages understood by the hearers, and that the event shows God's love for every people. Some interpreters say that Pentecost reverses the scattering of languages at Babel (Genesis 11), and many Pentecostals find that picture helpful. Others warn that Luke does not state this, and we should use the comparison carefully. What Luke does state is that the gospel is heard in the hearers' own languages. This is the foundation of mother-tongue mission.

Lazima pia turekebishe kosa kutoka katika historia yetu. Baadhi ya wamisionari wa kwanza wa Kipentekoste waliamini kwamba Roho angewapa lugha ya watu wanaokwenda kwao, ili kujifunza kusiwe lazima. Wazo hili, ambalo wakati mwingine huitwa "lugha za kimisionari" (missionary tongues), limejadiliwa katika Kipindi cha 2. Halikushikilia katika uzoefu, na misheni za Kipentekoste leo zinatarajia wamisionari kujifunza lugha kwa subira, kwa maombi na kwa mbinu bora zinazopatikana. Karama yetu ya lugha katika maombi na ibada ni ya kweli, lakini haichukui nafasi ya kujifunza lugha. Mmisionari anayeweza kuomba katika Roho bado anahitaji kujifunza jinsi ya kusema "Mungu anakupenda" kwa mama wa kijijini katika usemi wake mwenyewe.We must also correct a mistake from our own past. Some early Pentecostal missionaries believed that the Spirit would give them the language of the people they were going to, so that study would not be needed. This idea, sometimes called "missionary tongues," is discussed in Unit 2. It did not hold up in experience, and Pentecostal missions today expect missionaries to learn languages with patience, with prayer and with the best methods available. Our gift of tongues in prayer and worship is real, but it does not replace language learning. A missionary who can pray in the Spirit still needs to learn how to say "God loves you" to a village mother in her own speech.

Tafsiri ya BibliaBible Translation

Ikiwa kila watu wanapaswa kuisikia Injili katika lugha yao wenyewe, basi Maandiko lazima yatafsiriwe. Kazi ni ya polepole na ya gharama. Inahitaji kujifunza lugha, mifumo ya kuandika pale ambapo haipo, uandishi wa makini, kujaribu na wasemaji asilia, na kukagua dhidi ya lugha za asili.If every people should hear the gospel in its own language, then Scripture must be translated. The work is slow and costly. It needs language study, writing systems where none exist, careful drafting, testing with native speakers and checking against the original languages.

Mifano michache inaonyesha jinsi tafsiri imefanya kazi.A few examples show how translation has worked.

• William Cameron Townsend alikuwa mmisionari huko Guatemala aliyefanya kazi miongoni mwa watu wa Kaqchikel. Aliona jinsi Kihispania chake kilivyowasaidia kidogo watu waliosema lugha yao tu, na akaendelea kusaidia kuanzisha vikundi vilivyokuja kuwa Wycliffe Bible Translators na SIL International.• William Cameron Townsend was a missionary to Guatemala who worked among the Kaqchikel people. He saw how little his Spanish helped people who spoke only their own language, and he went on to help found the groups that became Wycliffe Bible Translators and SIL International.

• Samuel Ajayi Crowther alikuwa Mwyoruba aliyekombolewa kutoka meli ya watumwa katika ujana wake. Alikuwa mfanyakazi wa misheni na baadaye askofu wa kwanza Mwafrika wa Kanisa la Anglikana. Alichukua nafasi ya kwanza katika kutafsiri Maandiko katika Kiyoruba na lugha nyingine za Afrika Magharibi. Hadithi yake inaonyesha kwamba waumini Waafrika walikuwa watafsiri na viongozi, si wasomaji tu.• Samuel Ajayi Crowther was a Yoruba man who was freed from a slave ship in his youth. He became a mission worker and later the first African bishop of the Anglican Church. He took a leading part in translating Scripture into Yoruba and other languages of West Africa. His story shows that African believers were translators and leaders, and not only readers.

• Katika sehemu nyingi za Amerika ya Kusini, jumuiya za Biblia na vikundi vya misheni vimefanya kazi kutoa Maandiko kwa watu wa asili wanaosema lugha kama Kikechua, Kinahuatli na lugha za Kimaya, mara nyingi pamoja na Biblia ya Kihispania inayotumiwa na kanisa kubwa.• In many parts of Latin America, Bible societies and mission groups have worked to provide Scripture for indigenous peoples who speak languages such as Quechua, Nahuatl and Maya languages, often beside the Spanish Bible that the larger church uses.

Mwanahistoria Lamin Sanneh, aliyezaliwa Gambia, alihoji kwamba kutafsiri Maandiko katika lugha za mama kumekuwa sababu kuu ya ukuaji wa Ukristo katika Afrika na kwingineko. Watu wanaposoma Neno la Mungu katika lugha yao, hujifunza kwamba lugha yao inastahili kubeba ufunuo wa Mungu, na hawawategemei tena watu wa nje kuwaeleza Mungu alichosema. Wapentekoste, wanaopenda Neno na Roho pamoja, wanaweza kusema amina kwa moyo wote.The historian Lamin Sanneh, who was born in the Gambia, argued that the translation of Scripture into mother tongues has been a central reason for the growth of Christianity in Africa and elsewhere. When a people reads God's Word in its own language, it learns that its language is worthy to carry God's revelation, and it no longer depends on outsiders to explain what God has said. Pentecostals, who love the Word and the Spirit together, can say a hearty amen to this.

Tafsiri pia huleta matatizo ambayo mchungaji anapaswa kuyaelewa. Neno katika lugha ya mahali la "Mungu," "roho," "dhambi" au "mtakatifu" huenda tayari lina maana kutoka katika dini ya jadi. Watafsiri lazima wachague kwa uangalifu na kujaribu chaguo zao na kanisa la mahali. Lazima pia wawe waaminifu: tafsiri mbaya inaweza kupotosha. Na pale tafsiri bado haipo, wamisionari na waumini wa mahali wanahitaji njia za kushiriki Maandiko kwa wakati huo, kwa kusoma kutoka sehemu iliyotafsiriwa, kukariri vifungu, kusimulia hadithi za Biblia na kurekodi sauti. Watu wengi hujifunza vizuri zaidi kwa hadithi na wimbo, na desturi ya Kipentekoste ya ushuhuda na mafundisho ya mdomo inafaa tamaduni kama hizo vizuri (tazama Kozi ya 4, Kipindi cha 5).Translation also brings problems that a pastor should understand. A word in a local language for "God," "spirit," "sin" or "holy" may already carry meanings from the traditional religion. Translators must choose carefully and test their choices with the local church. They must also be honest: a poor translation can mislead. And where a translation does not yet exist, missionaries and local believers need ways to share Scripture in the meantime, through reading from a translated portion, memorizing passages, telling Bible stories and recording audio. Many peoples learn best by story and song, and the Pentecostal habit of testimony and oral teaching fits such cultures well (see Course 4, Unit 5).

Teolojia ya Lugha ya MamaMother-Tongue Theology

Teolojia ya lugha ya mama (mother-tongue theology) inamaanisha kwamba watu wa lugha fulani hufikiri juu ya Mungu, humwomba, humwimbia na hufundisha juu yake katika lugha ya moyo wao, wakitumia methali zao wenyewe, hadithi na namna za kusema. Haimaanishi kubuni injili mpya. Inamaanisha kwamba Injili moja inakuwa nyumbani kwa kila watu.Mother-tongue theology means that the people of a language think about God, pray to Him, sing to Him and teach about Him in their heart language, using their own proverbs, stories and ways of speaking. It does not mean inventing a new gospel. It means that the one gospel becomes at home in each people.

Kwa nini hili ni muhimu?Why does this matter?

Maombi na ibada. Maombi katika lugha ya moyo ni ya ndani zaidi kuliko maombi katika lugha iliyojifunzwa shuleni. Bibi wa Kighana huomba kwa kawaida kabisa katika lugha yake mwenyewe, iwe Kitwi, Kiewe, Kiga au nyingine. Mkulima wa Kikechua katika Andes anahisi vivyo hivyo. Ibada ya Kipentekoste, pamoja na maombi yake ya papo hapo, ushuhuda na wimbo, inafaa vizuri lugha ya moyo.Prayer and worship. Prayer in the heart language is deeper than prayer in a language learned at school. A Ghanaian grandmother prays most naturally in her own language, whether Twi, Ewe, Ga or another. A Quechua farmer in the Andes feels the same. Pentecostal worship, with its spontaneous prayer, testimony and song, is well suited to the heart language.

Uelewa. Kuhubiri kwa lugha ambayo watu wanaijua nusu tu kunaweza kuwaacha bila kubadilika. Paulo alipoandika juu ya kusema kanisani, alisema kwamba angependelea kunena maneno matano kwa akili zake, apate kuwafundisha wengine, kuliko maneno elfu kumi kwa lugha (1 Wakorintho 14:19). Kanuni hiyohiyo inatumika kwa mahubiri katika lugha ya kigeni.Understanding. Preaching in a language the people only half know can leave them unchanged. When Paul wrote about speaking in the assembly, he said that he would rather speak five words with his understanding, that he might teach others, than ten thousand words in a tongue (1 Corinthians 14:19). The same principle applies to a sermon in a foreign language.

Uongozi. Waumini huongoza vizuri zaidi wanapoweza kusoma na kufundisha katika lugha yao wenyewe. Wachungaji wa mahali wanaoweza kueleza Maandiko katika lugha yao hulinda makanisa yao dhidi ya kosa vizuri kuliko watu wa nje.Leadership. Believers lead better when they can read and teach in their own tongue. Local pastors who can explain Scripture in their own language protect their churches from error better than outsiders can.

Utu. Watu wanaosikia kwamba Mungu anasema lugha yao hujifunza kwamba Mungu hawadharau. Katika sehemu nyingi lugha za wachache zimedharauliwa shuleni na serikalini. Injili inabadilisha hilo.Dignity. A people who hear that God speaks their language learn that God does not despise them. In many places minority languages have been looked down on in schools and in government. The gospel reverses this.

Biblia pia inaweka mipaka. Paulo alisema juu ya kuwa "vitu vyote kwa watu wote, ili kwa njia zote niokoe baadhi yao" (1 Wakorintho 9:22). Huko Athene alianza na kile Waathene walichokijua, na akanukuu washairi wao, lakini bado aliwaita watubu (Matendo 17:22-31). Hicho ndicho kielelezo: tunatumia lugha na mawazo ya watu kama njia ya kwenda kwa Kristo, lakini Kristo huhukumu kila utamaduni, ikiwemo wetu. Wakosoaji wakati mwingine huonya kwamba teolojia ya lugha ya mama inaweza kuchanganya Injili na imani za zamani, jambo linaloitwa mchanganyiko wa imani (syncretism). Hatari ni ya kweli. Jibu si kukataa lugha ya mahali, bali kufundisha Neno kwa kina katika lugha hiyo. Makanisa ya Kipentekoste yanayokutana kwa unyofu na ulimwengu wa roho wa watu lazima pia yafundishe kwamba Yesu ni Bwana juu ya kila nguvu (tazama Kozi ya 3, Kipindi cha 7).The Bible also sets limits. Paul spoke of becoming "all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22). At Athens he began with what the Athenians knew, and quoted their poets, but he still called them to repent (Acts 17:22-31). That is the pattern: we use a people's language and ideas as a way to Christ, but Christ judges every culture, including ours. Critics sometimes warn that mother-tongue theology can blend the gospel with older beliefs, called syncretism. The danger is real. The answer is not to refuse local language, but to teach the Word thoroughly in it. Pentecostal churches that meet the spirit world of a people honestly must also teach that Jesus is Lord over every power (see Course 3, Unit 7).

Baadhi ya serikali na waelimishaji hupendelea kutumia lugha moja ya taifa shuleni, sehemu kwa ajili ya umoja na fursa. Hatupingi hili. Muumini anaweza vizuri kujifunza lugha ya taifa kwa kazi na masomo. Lakini kanisa lina kazi tofauti. Linasema na moyo, na lugha ya moyo ndiyo mahali ambapo kazi ya Roho inaeleweka vizuri zaidi. Makanisa yenye hekima hutumia yote mawili.Some governments and educators prefer to use one national language in schools, partly for unity and for opportunity. We do not oppose this. A believer may well learn the national language for work and study. But the church has a different task. It speaks to the heart, and the heart language is where the Spirit's work is understood best. Wise churches use both.

Mifano ya Afrika kwa UangalifuAfrican Examples with Care

Afrika ni bara lenye mamia mengi ya lugha, na kujumlisha kutoka nchi moja ni hatari. Mambo matatu yanaweza kusemwa kwa usalama.Africa is a continent with many hundreds of languages, and generalizing from one country is dangerous. Three points can safely be made.

Kwanza, Waafrika wameongoza kuenea kwa Ukristo Afrika. Vipindi vya awali vilieleza manabii na makanisa huru (Kozi ya 1, Kipindi cha 7). Church of Pentecost nchini Ghana ni mfano mmoja wa kanisa kubwa la Kipentekoste lililokua kutokana na kazi ya mmisionari Mwayalandi, James McKeown, aliyekuja Gold Coast miaka ya 1930. Sasa linaongozwa na Waghana, na linatuma wafanyakazi katika nchi nyingine. Pentecost University nchini Ghana ni ya kanisa hili. Tunalitaja kama mfano, si kama historia kamili.First, Africans have led the spread of Christianity in Africa. Earlier units described prophets and independent churches (Course 1, Unit 7). The Church of Pentecost in Ghana is one example of a large Pentecostal church that grew from the work of an Irish missionary, James McKeown, who came to the Gold Coast in the 1930s. It is now led by Ghanaians, and it sends workers to other countries. Pentecost University in Ghana belongs to this church. We name this as an example, not as a complete history.

Pili, Wapentekoste wa Afrika sasa wanatuma wamisionari kwa mataifa mengine, ikiwemo Ulaya na Amerika Kaskazini. Wasomi kama J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu wameandika kuhusu makanisa ya Kipentekoste ya Afrika katika nchi nyingine. Wengine huita hii "misheni ya kinyume" (reverse mission), kwa sababu mwelekeo umebadilika, ingawa wengine wanalihoji neno hilo, kwa kuwa misheni huenda kutoka kila mahali hadi kila mahali.Second, African Pentecostals are now sending missionaries to other nations, including to Europe and North America. Scholars such as J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu have written about African Pentecostal churches in other lands. Some call this "reverse mission," because the direction has changed, though others question the term, since mission goes from everywhere to everywhere.

Tatu, lugha ni muhimu Afrika kama kila mahali. Mwanafunzi anapaswa kujifunza jinsi lugha za nchi yake zinavyotumiwa katika ibada na mahali ambapo Maandiko bado hayapo.Third, language matters in Africa as everywhere. A student should learn how his own country's languages are used in worship and where Scripture is still missing.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Kanisa lako katika mji wa nyanda za chini lina washiriki wapatao themanini. Juu milimani, saa mbili kwa miguu, kuna kijiji ambacho watu wake wanasema lugha tofauti na yako. Wanaume wengi huongea lugha yako kidogo kwa biashara. Hakuna kanisa huko. Mwanamke kijana katika kanisa lako, Marta, anasema kwamba amehisi Roho akimwita kwenda kijiji hicho.Your church in a lowland town has about eighty members. Up in the hills, two hours away on foot, is a village whose people speak a different language from yours. Most of the men speak your language a little for trade. There is no church there. A young woman in your church, Marta, says that she has felt the Spirit call her to that village.

Mchungaji mwenye hekima hamtumi tu kwa baraka. Kwanza, anaomba na wazee wake, kama Antiokia ilivyofanya. Pili, anajaribu mwito huo kwa Maandiko na kwa ushauri wa kanisa. Tatu, kanisa linakubaliana jinsi ya kumsaidia, ili asiwe peke yake wala kumtegemea mfadhili mmoja (tazama Kipindi cha 5 juu ya fedha). Nne, anamwomba aanze na lugha na kusikiliza: kuishi na familia, kujifunza maneno kwa subira, na kujifunza jinsi wanakijiji wanavyosema juu ya Mungu na roho. Tano, wanagundua kama sehemu yoyote ya Maandiko ipo katika lugha ya kijiji. Ikiwa haipo, wanaanza na hadithi, nyimbo na vifungu vya kukariri, na wanaalika timu ya watafsiri iliyofunzwa kusaidia kwa maandishi. Sita, wanapanga kwa ajili ya viongozi wa mahali, kwa sababu lengo ni kanisa la kijiji linaloongozwa na watu wake wenyewe, kama Kipindi cha 3 juu ya kanuni za asilia kilivyofundisha. Mwishowe, kanisa linaendelea kumwombea na kutuma habari za kazi kwa kusanyiko lote.A wise pastor does not simply send her away with a blessing. First, he prays with his elders, as Antioch did. Second, he tests the call with Scripture and with the counsel of the church. Third, the church agrees on how to support her, so that she is not alone or dependent on a single donor (see Unit 5 on finances). Fourth, he asks her to begin with language and listening: living with a family, learning words with patience, and learning how the villagers speak of God and spirits. Fifth, they find out whether any portion of Scripture exists in the village language. If not, they begin with stories, songs and memorized passages, and invite a trained translation team to help with a written text. Sixth, they plan for local leaders, because the aim is a village church led by its own people, as Unit 3 on indigenous principles taught. Finally, the church keeps praying for her and sends news of the work to the whole congregation.

MuhtasariSummary

Agizo Kuu linatuita kuwafanya watu wote wanafunzi, na baadhi ya watu bado hawajafikiwa, yaani hawana kanisa lenye nguvu ya kutosha kuwafikia watu wao wenyewe. Neno "kundi la watu" ni chombo cha manufaa, ingawa si kamilifu. Pentekoste inaonyesha upendo wa Mungu kwa kila lugha, kwa kuwa wageni katika Yerusalemu walisikia matendo makuu ya Mungu kwa lugha zao wenyewe. Maneno ya awali ya "lugha za kimisionari" hayakuondoa hitaji la kujifunza lugha. Tafsiri ya Biblia, kama katika kazi ya Townsend miongoni mwa Wakaqchikel na Crowther katika Kiyoruba, inaonyesha jinsi Injili inavyoota mizizi. Teolojia ya lugha ya mama inamaanisha kuomba, kuabudu na kufundisha katika lugha ya moyo. Inaleta kina, uelewa, uongozi na utu, na lazima ilindwe dhidi ya mchanganyiko wa imani kwa mafundisho mazuri. Wapentekoste wa Afrika, kama Church of Pentecost nchini Ghana, sasa wanatuma wamisionari. Kanisa la mahali linaweza kushiriki kwa kuomba, kujaribu mwito, kuwasaidia wafanyakazi, kujifunza lugha, kutumia Maandiko na kuwafundisha viongozi wa mahali.The Great Commission calls us to disciple all peoples, and some peoples are still unreached, meaning they lack a church strong enough to reach their own people. The term "people group" is a useful tool, though imperfect. Pentecost shows God's love for every language, since the visitors in Jerusalem heard the wonderful works of God in their own tongues. Early talk of "missionary tongues" did not remove the need to learn languages. Bible translation, as in the work of Townsend among the Kaqchikel and Crowther in Yoruba, shows how the gospel takes root. Mother-tongue theology means praying, worshiping and teaching in the heart language. It brings depth, understanding, leadership and dignity, and it must be guarded against syncretism by sound teaching. African Pentecostals, such as the Church of Pentecost in Ghana, now send missionaries. A local church can take part by praying, testing the call, supporting workers, learning languages, using Scripture and training local leaders.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity (2013) (Ukristo wa Kipentekoste wa Leo).• J. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, Contemporary Pentecostal Christianity (2013).

• Ogbu U. Kalu, African Pentecostalism (2008) (Upentekoste wa Afrika).• Ogbu U. Kalu, African Pentecostalism (2008).

• Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism (2nd ed., 2014) (Utangulizi wa Upentekoste, toleo la 2).• Allan Anderson, An Introduction to Pentecostalism (2nd ed., 2014).

• Donald E. Miller na Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism (2007) (Upentekoste wa Ulimwengu).• Donald E. Miller and Tetsunao Yamamori, Global Pentecostalism (2007).

• Grant Wacker, Heaven Below (2001) (Mbinguni Chini), kwa tumaini la kimisionari la Wapentekoste wa kwanza.• Grant Wacker, Heaven Below (2001), for the early Pentecostal missionary hope.

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