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. 

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

Every winter, Tazig* herders move their families to lower elevations so their herds of yak, sheep, goats, cows, and horses can pasture for the winter. These months present a golden opportunity to share the gospel with this otherwise mountain-dwelling unreached people group.

Priscilla*, the local partner of a BEYOND catalyst, recently met with a local believer named Dimar* who lives near the Tazig wintering grounds. She wanted to cast this God-sized vision to both him and his missionary brother.

When Priscilla first met with Dimar, he thought only pastors and missionaries were called to disciple others. In his mind, making disciples was his brother’s job, since the church had sent him out as a missionary.

Since November, Priscilla and another teammate have been laying the foundation of movement thinking for Dimar. They showed him the passage from Matthew 28:16-20  where God called every disciple of Jesus to make more disciples.  Understanding and vision are expanding for both Dimar and his brother!

If you are a Beyond donor, you have helped make this training possible. Please pray for these brothers as they contemplate making disciples of all nations.

*pseudonym