A Shepherd's Priorities: Teen Discussion Questions for Missions Lesson, Day Five, God's Sheep

Friday:	A Shepherd's Priorities
Bible Lesson:	Shepherded Sheep (Leading and Following)
Missions Concepts:	Missionaries must teach the Bible, not cultural norms.
Missions Examples:	Craig and Sara Noyes
Bible Passages:	Acts 20:27-32; 2nd Timothy 2:2; Galatians 1:6-9, 2:1-5; Proverbs 30:5-6; Deuteronomy 12:32

1. Can you think of some things people traditionally think missionaries should do?
   Which of these things are really important?
2. What are some practical things Craig and Sara will need to do at first when they arrive on the mission field?
3. Why is it important for people to have copies of the Bible in their own language?
4. Once the Bible is translated into a people's language, isn't that enough?
   Why can't they figure everything out for themselves from that point on?
5. We tend to take our own cultural background for granted and assume that it's normal. How can missionaries tell the difference between necessary things that the people need to be taught and unnecessary American cultural baggage that would just weigh them down?
6. What would be the harm in having people in other countries do church the way we do it here? Why shouldn't we go ahead and teach them to install stained glass and steeples and pianos?
   If it works for us, wouldn't it work just as well for them?

If you need hints to answer some of the questions, look up the listed scripture passages.