Stories | Beyond

Where Two Kingdoms Collide

Mar 28, 2023 | South Asia, Stories

Persecution has been a common trial for many, if not most, of the movement churches in north India for the past ten years, but it has significantly increased these last three months. Ethan* and Nicole* receive almost daily messages from Sanjay* and John* about the persecution the disciples and house churches face. The hardest of these messages was that a lady was martyred. She and her husband (and their two young boys) were active disciple-makers. One day, while meeting with others for a prayer meeting in a home, a mob stormed the house and brutally beat all who were there. She was hospitalized for weeks due to her extensive injuries and passed away on January 11th. They believe this is the movement’s first female martyr.

Ethan and Nicole recently shared: “Jesus said the gates of hell wouldn’t be able to stand against God’s Kingdom. This is what we’re seeing.” As God’s children in India go to their neighbors, relatives, and even their enemies, the gates of hell are falling. Yes, the place where the two kingdoms collide is a battlefield, but we know that eventually, God’s Kingdom will prevail. God’s Kingdom will be established in every tribe, tongue, and every ethnic group on earth. Hallelujah! What a relief to know the outcome! In the interim, though, battles are fought. But, in the middle of what sometimes feels only like chaos and darkness, we receive voice messages like this one:

” ‘…It is true that we are very worried…’ But we all know it is very important to have all this [suffering]. It is necessary to fill up the work of the Lord. For the last few months, we have seen a lot of persecution. But [we’re] also seeing that the number of house churches is filling up every day because when the persecution is going on, many people who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ ask, “Why are these people being killed?” And when [the persecutors] tell those who do not know the Lord that these people are being persecuted because they believe in Jesus Christ, the ones who are [watching], who perhaps used to be neutral, begin to wonder at what they are seeing. They wonder that people can continue to love the Lord even after persecution, even after being badly beaten. They wonder why believing in Jesus should matter so much, and so they ask to know more. And so, in this way, the work is quickly being accomplished… And also, [in addition to this great fruit of growth, we must remember that] we are witnesses of these things. We who are strong should continue to help the weak in these days – during these events, as the Holy Scripture tells us.”

Ethan and Nicole continue, “Our friends in India have such amazing, enduring faith. They continue to press on. We recently received news of more than 500 baptisms! That’s only a sampling of all that God is doing.”

“Please pray with us, as the early church did — … now, Lord, consider their threats, and grant that Your slaves may speak Your message with complete boldness, while You stretch out Your hand for healing, signs, and wonders to be performed through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God’s message with boldness. (Acts 4:29-31).

“There’s no revenge thinking in Acts 4. No hatred toward the persecutors. Only a request for God to move, and that His children would respond with obedient boldness. Amen and amen.”

*pseudonyms

MISSIONS IN A DANGEROUS WORLD
Jesus tells us in Matthew 24 that life will get worse with all kinds of natural and human disasters. People will be handed over to be persecuted, …. read more

WHEN PERSECUTION BECOMES CELEBRATION
In the 2001 persecution, one group of believers received threats that they would be forced to reconvert to Hinduism … read more

LEARN ABOUT OUR WORK IN S.ASIA
South Asia is the most populous affinity bloc with nearly two billion people. While a majority of these …read more

Can Christians Mess Up the Plan?

Mar 22, 2023 | Stories, Turkic World

After Bahar became a disciple, he, Samir*, and Frank* planned to do additional flood relief in Azville,* Bahar’s old village. Most people in Azville are Hindu, but some Muslims live there also. Before the plan was put into action, however, another group of Christians and church leaders arrived in Azville. They went door-to-door, passing out Bibles in foreign languages and offering free meals worth far more than what people in the village could afford. They didn’t know the local culture, local practices, or the local language. Although they most likely had good intentions, their visits caused much division. Eventually, this group was run out of town, and people became very antagonistic toward the Good News and other Christians.

Because of this, Bahar feared returning to his old village, and Samir and his team decided to wait and not go as they had planned. Instead, they committed to pray for Azville. After some time had passed, Frank became discouraged, fearing that the opportunity was lost. He became quite frustrated with the group of Christians who messed up “the plan.”

But God was still working in Azville. Unbeknownst to them, Gia*, a cousin of Bahar and the village chief, heard how Jesus had rescued Bahar from slavery, and she started to pray in the name of Jesus for her sick husband to be healed. Miraculously, he received healing! Gia and her family decided to follow Jesus. Immediately, the entire family felt the presence and love of the Father, and Gia knew that her entire village also needed Jesus.

Gia remembered the group of Christians who had come to her village, “They didn’t know us, our language, or our culture. They gave us expensive food, but not true spiritual food. They wanted to be the leaders and have us rely on them. They wanted to preach at us, not train us. And they caused disunity in our village.” So, without the influence of a Bible, a church, or other Christians, Gia decided through the Spirit’s leading that she should be the one to reach her village for Jesus.

Though she was filled with passion, Gia didn’t know where to start, what to say, or what to do. She had heard, however, about a young man named Samir who trained people on how to be a disciple who makes other disciples who multiply. So, knowing only the name of the city where Samir lives, Gia, along with two cousins and her young son, set out in search of him. Eventually, by the Holy Spirit’s leading and asking people along the way, they arrived at Samir’s house.

*pseudonym

READ RELATED STORIES AND MORE ABOUT OUR WORK IN THIS AREA

THROWN INTO SLAVERY
Bahar and his paternal uncle, Navi, traveled to a faraway province in their South Asian country in search of work. read more …

ONCE FROM PRISON …
Not long after his miraculous escape from slavery, Bahar moved his family to a new town. But catastrophic flooding read more …

YOU SHOULD KNOW VIDEO
We updated the statistics however the reality of a Christless eternity for a third of the world is still … watch now

Journey to Discipleship

Mar 15, 2023 | Stories

Two of Jane’s* young children were watching and hearing about Susi’s* openness to Isa (Jesus). They also wanted to tell Susi how God had made a difference in their lives. So that evening, they each sweetly shared the gospel with her. Susi was amazed at what God had done in their young hearts and lives and saw it as evidence of Jesus.

Jane suggested a way that she and Susi could begin to study God’s word. Before they read stories about the events of Jesus’ life, Jane would start with a quick summary of the people in the Old Testament who offered sacrifices – people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, David, etc. They talked about how “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins” (Hebrews 9:22).

Susi was interested in each of the Old Testament stories and asked, “Are these stories talking about the blood of Jesus?”

“No, these events were before Jesus came,” Jane explained. “We’ll talk more about Jesus when we get into stories of His life.”

“So Jesus was the final sacrifice, then?” Susi asked. “There is no more need for sacrifices now?”

Jane was amazed. They talked for a while about the hope and peace we can have in Jesus because he was the final sacrifice that provided for the forgiveness of our sins and our entrance into heaven.

“I’m sorry,” Susi said, “but can I ask… Is Jesus…God?”

In response, Jane led Susi through some Scripture verses. In fact, throughout the evening, and for each of Susi’s questions, the Holy Spirit led the women — Jane into Scriptures and personal testimonies as answers to Sasa’s questions, and Sasa into ever-deeper truth.

“I’m afraid, because I know I have sinned. I’m afraid of hell,” Susi confessed.

“You know, this is a big deal, Susi,” Jane encouraged. “You are looking for truth and answers. Keep wrestling until you find the Truth. I am glad to be on this journey with you. Can I pray for you?”

Ask God to ready Susi’s heart for salvation and baptism soon. Pray for protection for Susi and Jane’s family as they walk this road to freedom.

Missed last week’s story about Susi? Read it here.

*pseudonym

Susi is Still Searching

Mar 7, 2023 | Stories

Susi* arrived at Jane’s* house right on time. The ladies dished some carrot cake before Jane asked Susi to share her story. Susi had grown up in a difficult home. Her father had died when she was young, and she and her mother had a strained relationship. She felt Islam was not answering her pressing questions and desire for truth.

Many of Susi’s Muslim friends and family were just nominal in their faith. She felt everyone was following Islam because it was what had been passed down to them. She wanted something to hold on to wholeheartedly. She even told her mom that she was searching outside Islam for truth. Her mother was very angry, but Susi is still searching.

She could tell that the Christian friends she knew had a close and deep relationship with Isa (Jesus). “I don’t have that in my religion,” she concluded.

“If you are searching for Truth,” Jane told her, “God is pleased. He will meet you in this process, walk with you, and reveal truth to you. I would love to walk this journey together with you too.”

Jane shared how Jesus had changed her own life and about her personal relationship with Him. She also told Susi about Rani, a friend who was a Muslim-background follower of Jesus. “Would you be interested in seeing if Rani would like to study God’s word with us?” Jane asked.

Susi thought this was a great idea. Before she left, the two ladies set their next meeting time and read from Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Pray for Susi and those like her searching for a genuine connection with God.

*pseudonym

Austronesia: Learn About Our Work

Watch Our Simple Shifts Video

A Bag of Cucumbers: Luke 10 Wages

Mar 1, 2023 | Stories

During a recent outreach in Buddhist SE Asia, two brothers were walking through a village in the afternoon and saw a man sleeping in his hammock under his house. It’s culturally rude to awaken someone sleeping under their house, but these brothers reasoned, “We’ve come a long way. We’ll only be here once, so let’s wake him up.” As they approached the house, multiple dogs in the yard began barking menacingly.

“In the name of Jesus Christ we command you to be silent!” they said. The dogs immediately quieted down.

They called out to the man. He awoke, and they began by saying, “We’ve come to tell you important good news of Jesus, who has come to help people out of their sins.”

As the man really woke up, he interjected, “You know, I was just helping some Christians last week in a nearby village.”

“Did you hear what Jesus has done for people?” they asked.

“No, what did he do?” the man asked.

They told him God’s story from Creation to Judgement. “Don’t you see?” they said, “God was reaching out to you when you worked on a construction project with those Christians. Now God sent us here to talk to you. God is calling you — would you like to respond and relate to him?”

The man did! The two brothers asked about his life. What issues did he have? He sells things in the market and was recently divorced. They prayed that God would help him with his work and finances. The man was overwhelmed by their kindness and the news that Jesus could remove his sins. “I don’t have much to give you,” he said, “but here is a bag of cucumbers I was taking to market. Please receive this as an expression of my thanks for coming to tell me about Jesus.”

In Luke 10:7, Jesus tells the 72 He sent out to eat, drink and receive whatever they are given because “The worker deserves his wages.” We’ve seen many times that when villagers welcome the message of Jesus, they offer something to the messenger, a sack of rice, bags of produce, etc.

The next morning a follow-up team visited the man to find out if he was serious. Did he really want to follow Jesus? “Yes,” he said, “I am serious. I do want to follow Jesus.” As a market seller, he knows many people and has good relationships across his area. He said he would ask others to join the discovery study group they plan to start in his home.

Pray that many friends and neighbors will join this new brother in his home to hear God’s stories and learn to walk as Jesus’ disciples.

Other Stories from this Region

PRAYER WALKING
As she walked, Trisha began to see the people in a new light. She could see the communities in which they belonged: shop owners helping each other … read more

MIRACLES, DEMONIC EXORCISM
After prayer walking with a local partner, sowing gospel seeds with whoever was receptive Scott* asked the Lord … read more

“IT MUST BE JESUS WHO …”
*Uhn was the town drunk and the senior patriarch of his large extended family. Over a year ago, *Scott’s local … read more