Question: Why were Joseph’s brothers pasturing the flocks in Dothan when Jacob sent him to find them in Shechem? (Genesis 37:13-17) Answer: Because they were nomads, and nomads move to the best place to take care of their animals. It is a common practice in greetings among nomads to ask about friends and where they are currently staying. Abraham, Issac, and Jacob were all wealthy in animals. I find it amazing that God chose to reveal Himself in a special way to nomadic pastoralists! In fact, it was through these people that He revealed Himself in a more complete way to all the ethnic groups of the world. Most of the context of the Old Testament is pastoral. The first formal place of worship was a tent, and this didn’t change until many years after the Israelites entered the promised land. (When it did change, it was David’s idea, and God told him, “Whoaa, I’m not going to let you build Me a house. Did I ever say that I was unhappy living in tents and moving from place to place?” (2 Samuel 7:1-7) Since God revealed His truth to and through nomads, why is it so difficult for that truth to touch nomadic groups today? Has the church burdened the gospel with ideas and ideals from sedentary people that hinder nomads from accepting it? Is there a need for a “Nomadic Theology” whereby the gospel is taken back to its cultural roots? Nomads are one of the last unreached megablocs to seriously receive the attention of missions minded Christians. It is time for God’s people to work together to find solutions for the nomads. What will you do?