With whom should we share the Gospel? Jesus told two stories (the parables of the Sower and the Tares) that point out that it is difficult to know where good soil for the Gospel can be found. His metaphor of dogs and hogs underscores the truth that some people do not appreciate the high value of the Gospel, and so trample it and reject those who proclaim it. We are told to broadcast it as widely as possible, without stopping to analyze which soils are good or bad, which will be receptive or not to the Word and which, in the long term, will produce a good harvest? So we asked the Lord of the harvest to lead us to people whose hearts are open to the Gospel.

We prayed and the people came. Wouldn’t you know it? On the next Sunday morning afterwards four new people walked into our meeting place, looking for a church home. Two are Nigerians, (husband Felix and wife Grace) who live in our town! He speaks Italian, but she is fresh from Nigeria and understands only English. He is from a Seventh-Day Adventist background; her upbringing is Pentecostal. Two Italian women came from other parts of Italy. One of them has a family of three children and is an immediate victim of the current economic crisis in which unemployment is growing here. They have begun attending church and Bible Study. Their Pentecostal background presents an interesting backdrop for the cultural adaptation we see necessary.

Prayer needed. The coming of foreign language speakers to our worship requires that we rethink how we do our morning Bible study and worship so as to permit translation of the messages out of Italian into English. Our people are not accustomed to such a constant interruption of thought, so that when the translation is done, some people who understand only Italian get confused and miss the message and consequently go home barely edified. And yet, Paul in 1 Corinthians clearly sets out some ground rules for a church gathering without confusion. Please pray with us that the transition to a multicultural church may occur as smoothly as possible, to the glory of God and his people. Pray that this good beginning might become a blessing to them and to the church.

We really do appreciate your love and help in prayer for us!

Harold and Enid Fowler