“Far be it from me to eat another pizza.” “Woe to me for I’m late for church.” “Truly I tell you there’s no better coffee than this.” “May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if I binge-watch a show until 5 AM again.” I’m guessing you don’t talk to your friends, or anyone for that…
Category: Strategy
Baptism
To expand on the interpretation of all the church procedures, let’s dive just a little deeper into baptism. Every once in a while, we hold this joyous ceremony called baptism, which whether we feel it or not, is a crucial and touching moment where a person’s life, future, and destiny transform. The baggage, the sinful ways,…
All God’s Children
Every once in a while, we may hear a Chinese prayer that says something along the lines of “孩子禱告” or “孩子在袮面前” which can confuse some people. Who are these 孩子? Whose 孩子 are they? On that note, is that how you write “孩”? (Sorry, happens when I stare at something for too long.) TL;DR, “孩子” means “I”, and “孩子們”…
Mind Game
In a way, interpretation is a game of the mind. Obviously, the associated tasks, listening, memorizing, translating, organizing, and speaking, all take place in our heads. What isn’t obvious is that the mind plays a bigger role outside the technical aspects to facilitate quality and consistent interpretation. Anyone who tries interpretation for long enough can probably relate. In…
Story Time
If sermon interpretation was all about interpretation, our job would be much simpler, and this training would have been much shorter. Thankfully, it’s not, which is precisely why it’s much more interesting, rewarding, and exhilarating as we endeavor to master this craft. A significant component of our interpretation hinges on our knowledge of the Bible….
1, 2, 3
The Bible’s volume management is rarely a serious consideration for most Christians. We flip from page to page and take the Book titles word-for-word without any second thought. Hey, there’s no problem with that. It’s the content that matters most, right? On the other hand, in the world of interpretation where we are burdened with the task of…
The Whole 9 Yards
To most of the church congregation, Sunday service is one coherent experience that hopefully is one of the highlights of their weeks. Interpreters see it quite differently, though. To us, this single event is conjoined by multiple procedures, each following a distinct format and instilling a different flavor to our task. Most contemporary Protestant churches largely…
倚靠
Continuing the Oddball series, here’s another one, 倚靠 {yi3-kao4}. The word seems harmless enough. Go for “rely/reliance/reliant” or “depend/dependence/dependent” and you won’t be wrong. But the Biblical equivalence for 倚靠 is not that straightforward. Where 倚靠 appears in the Bible, the English version predominantly uses the word “trust“. In the example of Psa 22:4, “In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered…
Mic Up
I can’t imagine how Moses talked to millions of people in the wilderness without a mic. Perhaps the natural terrain offered some acoustic advantage? Or maybe more likely, Moses employed a chain of command. Either way, I’m extremely relieved that we don’t have to worry about that. Do not underestimate this nifty little machine in…
Let’s Talk Logistics
One of my favorite quotes comes from General Omar Bradley, “Amateurs talk strategy; professionals talk logistics.” General Omar Bradley Likewise, it’s not the understanding of movements or human anatomy that keeps someone from drowning, because when your head is underwater, anything you’ve learned seems to go right out the window, or pool. Once you are…