The gospel as a universal language

We’re starting small with our church’s English as a second language (ESL) venture, but a survey of prospective students reveals that the registrants are by no means all Spanish-speaking, which would have been a fairly familiar demographic for us. When the volunteers met to discuss the project, we discovered that we had no idea how to greet people from, say, Egypt.

And once we make it past initial introductions, how do we conduct ourselves in the classroom? Are first names appropriate? Is pointing with the index finger guaranteed to drive off students by the droves?

We all quickly agreed that upon meeting an Arab man, it is best not to launch into a discussion of ISIS. One volunteer among us who has been to Morocco warned about the use of left hands in dining with Moroccans. Also, her husband made the very bad mistake of giving a great big bear hug to an Arab man’s wife when parting after a dinner. When in doubt, do not touch. (The volunteer who had earlier suggested Twister as a possible ESL game withdrew her suggestion at this point.)

Dress was an issue that kept us talking into the evening. What is the proper attire for teaching a mixed group of students? A woman in the know from another ESL church ministry had helpful information: Nix sleeveless tops and shorts. An Arab man may shake hands with a woman but women should not initiate the greeting. Arab women generally greet each other with kisses on the cheek, but in America they may shake your hand. Chinese men and women usually don’t shake hands.

One woman later sent an email to all of us, saying, “I don’t think I am going to remember whose hand not to initiate shaking, so I just won’t at all. That is easy enough for me because after living in Spain and Mexico 16 years, handshaking is not automatic for me; it seems cold and formal, like something you only do in business.”

Someone responded: “How about bowing? You can’t go wrong with a little bow.”

All of which lively discussion is nothing but an application of God’s Word to our current situation:

“For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant of all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law). … To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do all for the sake of the gospel, that I might share with them in its blessings” (1 Corinthians 9:19–23, ESV).

For our modest little group is looking to do more than teach functional English. We are looking to be catchers of men.