I thank God and RBS for the opportunity to teach hermeneutics to two groups of students during my two weeks in Nepal, Nov. 27–Dec. 9. The first group met in the Nepal Gospel Centre facility in Kathmandu for two days of classes. Seventeen men attended these sessions. They all spoke English, so I was able to teach without an interpreter. I then flew to Bhairahawa and drove thirty minutes to Butwal, for my main assignment, to teach a group of fourteen men and two ladies for five days. I had an excellent translator and we were able to sustain a comfortable cadence throughout the sessions. Dul, my translator, was very helpful in explaining concepts when they were difficult for the students. He really helped bridge the language gap!

My course on hermeneutics is a presentation of the classic Protestant method of grammatical, historical, and theological interpretation, aided by the “hermeneutical triad” set forth by Andreas Kostenberger in his work on hermeneutics. We applied this to the biblical genres of historical narrative, poetry, wisdom, prophecy, apocalyptic, gospel, parable, and epistle. We had profitable class work-sessions on passages in each of these genres. I sought to inspire the students to develop their ability to notice the amazing things that are found in the text of Scripture as the basis for the hermeneutical task. I found the students to be perceptive, and they were certainly eager and grateful for the instruction.

I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Nepal and was encouraged by the work of the Nepal Gospel Centre in Kathmandu, and Heart Cry Missionary Society which has invested in the men in Butwal. I was well cared for throughout my visit, and the Lord sustained me on the long journey and gave me health and strength. I learned much about the country, culture, missions, and the challenges which Christian’s face in this idolatrous country. Only 1.4% of the 30 million population of Nepal is “Christian.”

John Reuther