Stories | Beyond

Four Women, 1000 House Churches

Oct 14, 2026 | South Asia, Stories

Sadhu* was once a passionate leader in India’s Listening Movement. He began his ministry with great enthusiasm and a deep desire to see God’s Kingdom advance. But over time, his heart grew resistant to correction. He became unwilling to learn, holding tightly to traditional ways instead of empowering and releasing others to make disciples.

The fruit of his leadership began to change. Instead of love, joy, and multiplication, there was frustration, control, and stubbornness. After multiple attempts to reconcile and restore him, Sanjay* and some other leaders made the difficult decision to remove Sadhu as the primary leader in his area and begin looking for someone else to step into that role.

But replacing a leader takes time, and during the waiting, that area experienced a leadership vacuum.

Then something unexpected happened.

Four women who had previously been meeting with Sadhu realized they could no longer wait for someone else to lead. If disciples were going to be made, they needed to obey Jesus’ command themselves. Armed with portable speakers loaded with audio Scripture, they stepped out in faith and began sharing the message of Jesus from village to village.

Their obedience came at a cost.

Navi*, whose husband was still a Hindu, became angry about her faith and reported her to the police. She was arrested and spent three days in jail before her husband eventually requested her release.

When Navi was freed, she immediately met with one of the other women. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong,” she said tearfully.

Her friend reminded her of a difficult truth: “When we obey Jesus, we will face persecution.”

Navi made a decision that changed everything: “If I am going to go to jail for this work, then I had better work hard while I am not in jail.”

She traveled to 28 villages in three months, sharing the gospel. Her husband continued to harass her until he finally forced her out of their home. She moved in with her sister in another village and never stopped obeying.

Over the course of 18 months, the police came hundreds of times trying to intimidate and stop these four women. But they continued to share the Good News.

Today, their obedience has resulted in more than 1,000 house churches being birthed. These churches constitute multiple streams and generations of disciples multiplying throughout the region.

When asked how they continue despite persecution, legal battles, and opposition, their response was simple:

“Even though we face persecution and have court cases against us, we pray and keep going because Jesus told us to.”

These four women remind us that God’s work does not depend on titles, positions, or traditional leadership structures. He uses ordinary people who are willing to say yes, step out in faith, and obey.

Please pray for these four women. Pray that their passion for Jesus never grows cold, that they never become comfortable or complacent, but continue running the race with perseverance—even in the face of intense persecution. Pray that they continue making disciples who make disciples and bear abundant fruit for God’s Kingdom.

*pseudonym

Nothing to Offer But Jesus

Oct 7, 2026 | South East Asia, Stories

A sentence Frank* and Helen* heard in a Buddhist-majority country in Southeast Asia made them stop in their tracks. “Our kids go to church on Fridays, but they come home and worship the idols afterward,” joked the women gathered around a roadside stall.

Frank and Helen were visiting a co-worker and had been asking the Lord each morning, “Where do you want us to go today?” Following the pattern Jesus gave his disciples in Luke 10, they went wherever he led, praying for people, sharing the Good News, and looking for those who would welcome them into their homes.

That day, he led them to these women.

When the women joked about worshiping idols, Frank and Helen responded seriously, reminding them that God calls us to worship him alone. The mood immediately changed. One woman jumped up, ran home, and returned with her Bible.

She proudly showed them verses she had memorized from a local pastor. He rewarded the women with rice and cooking oil whenever they recited the verses correctly.

But the women admitted they didn’t really believe what they had memorized. They had no intention of changing how they lived. They just wanted rice and oil.

Then they asked Frank and Helen, “What will you give us if we convert right now?”

Frank and Helen had nothing to offer but prayer.

“We wanted to give them the gift of eternal life, never-ending joy and peace, and total fulfillment,” Frank said. “But they only wanted money.”

They remembered Jesus’ instructions in Luke 10. His disciples were not to carry money or extra supplies with them. Perhaps one reason was that when we bring material things, people can become more interested in what we give than in the One we proclaim.

So, Frank and Helen prayed for the women, blessed them, and moved on.

Jesus also told His disciples that when people would not welcome them or receive their message, they were to “wipe the dust” from their feet and go on (Luke 10:5–6, 10–12).

Not every encounter ends with someone choosing to follow Jesus. But obedience means going anyway. Frank and Helen kept walking, trusting God to lead them to people who were ready to hear, receive, and obey the Good News.

*pseudonym

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Obedience Despite Obstacles

Oct 2, 2026 | Austronesia, Stories

Look at what God has done in Southeast Asia through one of our teams and partners!

“Of the seven people you prayed for, three have been baptized! Two others are moving closer to surrendering to Jesus. We continue praying for the remaining two, that they will see the faith of those baptized and take that step as well.”

“Let me share the story of two of them—a husband and wife named Ziaad* and Farah*.

Our local partners had been walking with them through the stories of the prophets and of Jesus. But every time they scheduled the final study, something went wrong: their child got sick, then Ziaad became ill, then the local partner fell sick. There was a village project, a neighbor’s death, a sister’s wedding, that same sister’s sudden appendicitis, another hospitalization, a job trip out of town, and finally—believe it or not—their child stuck a peanut up his nose and had to be rushed to the emergency room!

One obstacle after another kept them from hearing the final story of Jesus.

But after we asked you to pray last week, the breakthrough came. Our local partner met with them, shared the final study, and both Ziaad and Farah prayed to receive Jesus. He later told us, “All the hindrances stopped.”

Soon after, a challenge arose. A loan shark came to collect money from Farah. Unknown to Ziaad, she had borrowed a small sum that had multiplied into an enormous debt because of exorbitant interest. In the past, Ziaad admitted, he would have beaten his wife. But now, as a follower of Jesus, he responded differently: “I will not hurt her. Instead, I will take the debt upon myself.”

Not long after came the day they had chosen for their baptism. When they arrived at the beach, strong winds whipped up the waves, making it unsafe to enter the water. Together they prayed, “Lord Jesus, You calmed the storm when You walked this earth. Please calm these waters.”

In an instant, the sea grew calm. They stepped into the water and were baptized in the name of Jesus. As they walked back to shore, the waves rose up again.

God is clearly at work. Please continue praying for those newly baptized—that they would grow strong in their new faith—and for the remaining four, that the Holy Spirit would draw them in with His lovingkindness. Pray that, like Ziaad and Farah, nothing will hinder them from fully surrendering their lives to Jesus.

*pseudonym

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A Simple Act, An Eternal Impact

Oct 1, 2026 | South Asia, Stories

Joel* began serving a movement in India two years ago. Every month, his team receives reports from each state, filled with prayer requests and testimonies of how God is moving in various villages. This month, they received an inspiring story about how God’s Kingdom transformed an entire family through one woman.

A year ago, Aruna* heard about Discovery Bible Study (DBS) gatherings in her village. Encouraged by a friend, she decided to join. Aruna noticed that the group always prayed for various needs, and soon, people were praying for her as well. This made a huge impact on Aruna, as she was accustomed to a religion where individuals only prayed for themselves. Struck by the group’s compassion and sense of community, she shared her experiences with her husband and children, who then also joined the Bible study.

Despite facing significant persecution from other villagers, Aruna’s entire family chose to be baptized. Today, Aruna leads a women’s group in her village, sharing vision for the ministry and training others. Though just a year ago, she and her family did not follow Jesus, they now all not only follow Christ but also lead their own Bible studies. Aruna is dedicated to helping other women reach out to their families and neighbors with the message of Christ.

As Joel read this story, he was deeply moved by how something as simple as praying for one another—so common in the church—could have such a profound impact on someone unfamiliar with a Christian community. Aruna not only heard the Word of God in those meetings but also experienced the love and care of the community, which empowered her to bring the life-giving message of the Bible to her family.

Please pray for Aruna’s family and the many others in South Asia who are exploring who Christ is and what the Word says. May they all find a loving community of disciples that cares for their needs and helps them grow in their faith

*pseudonym

Early Morning Harvest

Sep 21, 2026 | South East Asia, Stories

The day starts early in Isaan villages. By 5 a.m. people are already out tending gardens, handling household chores, or simply gathering outside to talk. For Kome* and his wife, Yen*, this morning window has become their mission field.

Kome and Yen were mentored in how to share their faith, gather seekers, lead a participatory disciple-making group, and train new leaders. Though they are still relatively new disciples themselves, their obedience has never wavered. Each morning, Kome puts his sticky rice on to steam, then heads out for a prayer walk through the village. “I can’t live with myself if I don’t talk to someone about Jesus each day,” he says.

They stop to talk with neighbors along the way as the Spirit leads. When someone shows interest, Kome and Yen return for regular follow-up visits as their neighbors consider the gospel.

None of this is paid work. Kome and Yen receive no foreign salary. They simply love Jesus and take seriously their calling to pass that love on to others.

Their story is one small picture of a much larger movement: pairs of disciples heading out each week across Isaan, sharing the hope that everyone will eventually hear about Christ and that a church will take root in every sub-district.

Join us in giving thanks for Kome and Yen’s daily faithfulness. Pray that the new group Kome leads will grow in obedience and that the seekers still weighing their decision will commit their lives to the Lord. Finally, pray for the wider work across Isaan, that this daily faithfulness will multiply until every village has heard.

pseudonym*