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On Page 50 there is a case study of Lily Liu’s Baptism. Please read it and post your thoughts on what Reverend Smith should advise her.
This is a very interesting predicament Reverend Smith is faced with. I feel as missionaries we must be sensitive to the surrounding culture while maintaining strong faith in our mission. Lily has a lot at risk with her decision of baptism as a public statement of her faith, but she risks the loss and rejection of her family, ostracism, and persecution.
I believe that Reverend Smith should offer to talk with Lily and her parents together so she can share her testimony with her parents. Lily’s testimony is also the reason for the change in her life and the acknowledgement of Christ and how that has transformed her. I think he should also discuss the impact this may have on her while providing scriptures that support her decision and that support her, her new found faith, and spiritual growth.
Ultimately the decision is Lily but Reverend Smith has to understand the culture and that the parents make most decisions until their children are married.
Week 1
Lily Liu’s BaptismThis is a difficult situation for Lily, for Pastor Smith, and also Lily’s family. If we can try to understand where the family is coming from in regards to their daughter’s conversion then I think we can approach this the correct way. If this were a real life scenario, which I’m most certain happens very often, then I believe that this missionary “Smith” would have a great love for these people and a great desire to not only bring the good news of Christ to Lily, but also her family, community, and even the nation of Taiwan, and a great desire to see them walking in the kingdom of God. At times though, I know that some of us can be so desperate for people to fall in love with Christ, that we’re willing to perhaps bend or distort what it means to be a follower of Christ, so that “Christianity” can seem more appealing.
Chapter 3, pg. 45 speaks about baptism as “The basic thrust to initiate people into the Christian faith.” And it states that Matthew’s intentions, when documenting Jesus’ Great Commission, were to “ground the need for baptism as the appropriate Christian ritual that embodies repentance from sin and entrance into allegiance to Christ.”
The Great Commission given by Jesus was to, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)
I don’t think that baptism is one of those things that some might say are “cultural”, or not really all that important or necessary for christians in Taiwan. I think that it pertains to every culture and every nation, especially since Matthew states that Jesus specifically commands to make disciples of “all nations” and baptize “them”.
But, just as Pastor Smith is in Taiwan for Lily, he is also there for Lily’s family. There seems to be a legitimate fear that Lily’s family is experiencing in regards to offending their ancestors, and it looks to me that their entire life is almost based around this notion that their ancestors are easily offended. And it also seems that damage and harm can be done to the family with the offense of their ancestors! I would do all that I could to get the message across to the family and communities that you no longer need to be afraid or to walk in fear. That when you give your life over to the teaching of Christ and the acceptance that he has died for your sins, then you no longer have to fear offending your ancestors or any harm that they may attempt to bring you. When you are apart of the Kingdom of God, you serve Yahweh who is much stronger than the spiritual attacks of Buddhism.
There is also a difference between “not understanding” the power and truth of Christ and “refusing and rejecting” it. Being a Christian, especially in non-Christian countries, can often split apart families. This is unwanted but very common. After I’ve done all that I could to bring the families on board, and Lily’s family still refusing it, I believe that I would support Lily through all of it regardless. As her pastor I would aid her and help her in anyway I could, I would hold her hand through all of it. I would also continue to fight for good relationships with her family and do what I could to serve them and love them. They are loved by the Lord, just as Lily is, and they were died for as well. The story isn’t over with Lily’s family and she very well may play a role in bringing salvation to her household.
Scott Carson, I agree with you! After reading your post I feel that it would be easy to overstep boundaries by going against the authority of the parents. Once Lily reaches the age where she is no longer under her parents authority or leaves home, then I think it would the proper time for her to choose to get baptized.
Do you guys think that Missionaries adequately consider the cost that someone like Lily has to pay for their faith?
Remember Lily had a “solid decision for Christ” and he testamony was “dynamic”.
Could it be that we as missionaries are more motivate to achieve baptisms or other forms of “proof” of our effectiveness than to protect the “babies” we birth into the kingdom?
@Timothy Vowell, I don’t think that most missionaries do consider it. We as Americans don’t really have to pay much of a cost for professing to be a Christian in our communities or homes, even if the family is against it. I’ve meet some missionaries who do focus only on alter calls and baptisms, even though those things are great, I don’t think that’s all we should focus on.
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