Jon & Amy Holsclaw

Jeremiah, Alenna, Sydney, Maddie

Prayer & Financial Support

Contextualizing the Message

• We start by defining contextualization, more generally, as the act of placing something (a word; activity; product; etc.) in a particular context (setting; culture; environment; etc.). 

• Contextualization is also an essential part of effectively sharing the message of Jesus, with the goal being to balance two objectives:
     1) communicating the message in a new way, with new words and ideas, such that it can be understood in a new context;
     2) without losing the intent and meaning of the original message. 

• This work of contextualizing the message is particularly important in cross-cultural settings, when a person’s worldview is so very different than our own. For the good news of Jesus to be heard and received as good news, we must first understand how someone sees the world and then communicate in ways that are meaningful to them. 

• A key part of communicating meaningfully involves overcoming worldview barriers to the message of Jesus. Though this is ultimately the work of the Holy Spirit in a person’s life, we participate in the process as we seek to understand their worldview, invest in a relationship with them, and, out of that understanding and investment, communicate the love of Jesus both verbally and nonverbally. 

Prayer and Praise

• Praise God for a meaningful OMF conference/team retreat in St. Louis in September. It was really encouraging to be together as a Global Neighbors team, share stories of the ways God is working among us, and pray for one another. God is doing an amazing work among the nations right here in the U.S., and it’s so cool to be part of that!  

• Please pray for continued opportunities to share the Global Neighbors sessions with churches. It’s been encouraging to see the positive response we’ve received so far, and we look forward to seeing how God uses this material moving forward. 

• Please continue to pray for our friend Joshua, and the other Zion Church leaders who are detained in China.  It has now been over one year since they were taken into custody, and still, there is much about their situation that is unresolved.  The latest update is that their cases are to be tried in February, though there have been dates given before which have passed without any movement, so it’s anyone’s guess if this date will hold. 

• Pray, too, for the families of those detained.  Cherie (Joshua’s wife) updated us recently to say that her son, John, has enrolled in school in Chiang Mai and is adjusting well to that environment. She also mentioned that she was able to get a teaching job at John’s school, which is helping keep her busy and provide needed funding. Praise God for this!  And we continue to pray for God’s comfort and mercy as they live in these very uncertain days. 

We’re so grateful for your continued prayer and financial partnership with us!  

Much love from us,
The Holsclaws