The Spiritual Warfare Increased

The Spiritual Warfare Increased

Jul 10, 2021 | Stories

Continued from last week . . . Frank and Helen encouraged Gabriella. They cast a vision for the importance of groups, generational growth, and multiplication. Gabriella’s excitement reignited. She wanted to re-start the meals and add a new group for women. She met right away with another woman from her people group. This woman loved hearing the story of Ruth and wanted to study more with Gabriella!

Then spiritual warfare increased.

Gabriella had a major panic attack. She wasn’t able to breathe or sleep. It seemed as though an inescapable storm had suddenly arisen. It subsided two days later but left Gabriella worried and anxious.
At the same time, police raided her church again. This time the interrogations were much more severe. Police told the elders to leave the city, which they did. Before leaving, they informed Gabriella that the government had her name; they were watching.

*Gabriella emailed Frank and Helen, saying she needed to lay low and not proceed with their coaching sessions or re-starting the groups. She said she would delete her email account. In the future, she would find a different way to connect with them.

Through this tumultuous season, Frank and Helen remain confident in God’s vision for Gabriella. They believe He will bring it to fruition.

Join us in praying for Gabriella’s protection and for the government to overlook her. Pray she would know Jesus is walking with her and she would have peace. Pray Gabriella would be filled with the Spirit and walk courageously toward the Father. Frank and Helen prayed for six years before seeing answers; let’s join them in asking God to bring forth His vision through Gabriella’s obedience to His call.

*pseudonym
Read last week’s story. 

 

What is the Place of Women in World Missions?

What is the Place of Women in World Missions?

Jun 26, 2021 | Stories

by R. Nyman
“What is the place of women in world missions? Jesus said, ‘You [and the word means all of you, male and female] are my witnesses. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.’ And there have been countless thousands who, without reference to where they came from or what they knew or who they were, have believed that Jesus meant exactly what he said and have set themselves to follow. —Elisabeth Elliot

One joy of my life is coaching and mentoring women for effective engagement in launching movements to Christ. Yet often, I discover missed opportunities surrounding the role of women.

Sometimes I hear: “I felt called to the field. I came with a passion to labor alongside my husband. I don’t want to take over. I just want to be involved! Yet my organization only makes CPM training and coaching available to men. Now that we have children, I get the subtle message that my only job is supporting my husband and caring for our kids.”

Single women have shared: Men leave us out of strategy discussions. We don’t have a lot in common with women on the team who have husbands and children, and when we talk about ministry, some moms seem jealous that we have “time” for ministry.
I see this repeatedly: Husbands and wives come to the field to make an impact, yet when the wife doesn’t feel she is contributing, this may become a reason the couple goes home.

And the problem goes deeper. A local colleague told me, “Please tell Western women not to come if they aren’t going to make reproducing disciples. When they don’t, they model disobedience to the Great Commission!”

In many cultures, men can’t interact with women. Often, especially among Muslim UPGs, women are gatekeepers for their households. Who, if not women, will seek out Women of Peace to open their oikos to the gospel? And as new movements emerge, who will equip first-generation women leaders?

Regarding equipping missionary women, I sometimes hear mission leaders say, “We don’t want to burden women or make them feel guilty.” Is the best solution to not equip them for multiplication? Isn’t it better to help women follow Jesus in ministry appropriate to their season of life and prepare them to help launch a [movement]?

Will the global mission community make stewardship of missionary women a priority? Will we equip missionary women with competence and confidence to be and do all He calls us to be, especially as catalysts in launching CPMs?

How can the Body of Christ best steward missionary women? How can we support, inspire and equip them to thrive and bear multiplying fruit in all stages of life?

Why Focus on CPM?
Kent Parks, President of Act Beyond, notes that today there are twice as many people with no access to the gospel as there were in 1980. In 1980 there were “only” one billion unevangelized. Today that figure has risen to 2.1 billion! This unjust trend requires that we do something differently.

And we can! Since the days of Jesus and Paul, the Church has repeatedly grown faster than population growth through movements – with women playing a key role. The 1900s offer extraordinary instances of movements in China and Korea fueled by women missionaries. 

Women as DMM Practitioners
All of us (men and women) are to delight in and declare God’s glory, developing intimacy with God. Out of the overflow of this intimacy, we are to “be” and “do” in Christ and seek to reproduce Jesus in others. For all who follow Jesus, reproducing disciples is a privilege as well as a command.

Essential CPM elements include: extraordinary prayer, searching out persons of peace, discipling groups of new believers, and equipping leaders. We need missionary women as well as men for these tasks.

Being a wife and mother is one of my greatest joys and privileges. In highlighting points of engagement for women in CPMs, I don’t at all mean to suggest that women short-change their God-given roles as wives and mothers. For me, life is integrated: more like a woven tapestry than distinct compartments.

Regardless of their stage of life, the vast majority of female missionaries with whom I have interacted passionately want to have eternal impact. May this article [first published in Mission ] help them do so.

This article was first published in Mission Frontiers, it was edited with permission.

Bible Study in the Mosque

Bible Study in the Mosque

Jun 26, 2021 | Stories

Four ulamas (Islamic theologians) visited a community with a growing number of culturally Muslim Jesus followers. Having heard concerning reports, the ulamas decided to investigate. 

Dowad*, the community’s leader and a new disciple of Jesus, brought them into the mosque where the local followers frequently study the Bible. There, one of the ulamas spotted a copy of the Injil (New Testament) in their language.

The ulama picked it up. “What is this?”

“This is what we study and follow!” Dowad answered. 

“Don’t you study the Qur’an?”  

“We can’t read the Qur’an,” Dowad responded, “but we can read and understand the Injil.” 

The ulama read some verses. “This is different and very concerning!” 

“What is so concerning?” Dowad asked. “Have you seen our community? Have you seen how many people worship, pray, and fast? Do you realize that in our community when one person is sick or dies the family doesn’t worry because everyone helps them? And do you realize that other communities come to us with their conflicts because our community helps make peace? Here. You can each take a copy of the Injil and read it. Then come back and talk to us.”

Praise God! Dowad has a firm foundation in Jesus, and he speaks with the authority Jesus gives his followers. 

*pseudonym

Serving God in Difficult Places

Serving God in Difficult Places

Jun 12, 2021 | Stories

Workers laboring in North Africa and the Middle East must be very careful — and very bold — in their disciple-making activities. They are serving God in very difficult places – places where governments and religious institutions are hostile to the gospel and to those who would spread it.

One couple, who we will call *Bill and *Susan, strive to meet new people with whom they might share their faith. They maintain those precious relationships over cups of tea and deep conversation. They train and coach followers of Jesus to make other disciples in a way that will produce many generations. Bill and Susan want those living in darkness to have the opportunity to choose Jesus’ offer of salvation and hope.
 
This has been especially hard during the COVID pandemic. Bill and Susan have had the virus and know many others who have had it too. Their closest local partner recently recovered after spending many days in the hospital.

Despite the pandemic, the ministry continues. Bill and Susan, together with those they have trained, persevere in their Kingdom work.  They regularly hear of newly formed Bible study groups, and their partners report that thousands have found peace and renewal through becoming disciples of Jesus.

Even in the most difficult places, people are being called out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

*pseudonym

Church Simplified

Church Simplified

Jun 5, 2021 | Stories

During an early morning taxi ride, Amy* struck up a conversation with the driver. It was obvious that Mr. Wu was a Christian from the music playing and the stickers in his cab. 

“Where do you worship?” Amy asked.

“Well,” he answered sheepishly, “not everyone understands, but we have people come into our home. The taxi drivers that I meet would probably never be willing to go into a church, but they like coming to my house and hearing stories about God. My children too!”

“That’s wonderful!”

Mr. Wu was surprised by Amy’s affirmation of his “simplified church.” After he described a typical meeting, Amy noted its similarity to a Discovery Bible Study. She offered two simple suggestions: a question to help the group know God better and a reproducing step where everyone shares what they learn with others.

“Oh, that’s great! I’m going to try those this week!” Mr. Wu declared.

Mr. Wu shared that he had seen Amy before and wanted to meet her. Amy knew the Holy Spirit had orchestrated their meeting. She, too, was greatly encouraged by meeting a local believer willing to take a non-traditional approach to see more people become followers of Jesus.

*pseudonym