Discovery Bible Study

We Are Becoming Like You!

Jan 23, 2021 | Stories

Our Himalayan team treks for days to share the Good News with mountain-dwelling peoples. In our last story from the region, we shared that the team felt it prudent to leave one village early because some there were afraid of outsiders during this time of Coronavirus.

Leaving early gave them time to visit a small village of 18 homes where a teammate had been discipling a family towards Christ. At the outbreak of the pandemic, Dalha, a follower of Jesus, moved back to this remote village where she had been raised. Many others did likewise, opening opportunities for followers of Jesus to share their faith with unreached family and friends whom they rarely see.

At Dalha’s invitation, the team stayed overnight with her family. They led the family and a few others from the village in a Discovery Bible Study and prayed over them. The next morning, as the team turned to leave, one man stepped forward and said, “Pray for us because we are becoming like you.”

Glory to God! This man recognizes that he and his family are turning toward belief in Christ and away from their traditional religion. Pray for this family as they are being discipled toward Christ.

*pseudonym

Lessons from a Coffee Shop

Jan 8, 2021 | Stories

“It’s just like finding a person of peace,” Delun whispered to Matt.

The two men were visiting the warehouse of a friend to pray over his new business venture. Afterward, they started talking about different marketing strategies.

Their friend’s previous business had been a small coffee shop. For the most part, he had simply waited for customers to come in. But with an online business, he noted, you had to go out and find new customers rather than wait for them to come to you. It was a lot of work — “just like finding a person of peace.”

Matt enjoyed his friend’s observation. Delun “got it.” Disciples must intentionally go out to find people who will be receptive to the Good News. A person of peace hears the Good News, receives it, and opens their oikos (family or relational network) to the gospel messengers.

Later Delun told Matt that he was going to talk with a potential person of peace he knew. “I’m going to talk to her and pass on Jesus’ instructions for making followers like we are studying together in Luke 10.”

Pray that Delun will see much fruit as he learns and follows Jesus’ example.

Answered Prayers, Opened Doors

Jan 2, 2021 | Stories

BEYOND’s Himalayan team treks out to meet and build relationships with families and disciple them toward Jesus. One family they met had relationship problems and asked for prayer. A team member prayed aloud for God to intervene in specific ways.

On the following trip, the family greeted them enthusiastically. “Everything you prayed for happened just like you asked!” One answered prayer had been the marriage of their daughter.

The answered prayers allowed the team to share more about Jesus and becoming his follower.

Before the team left, the family shared that the daughter had miscarried, and the baby had been deformed. They believed they were cursed. Again the team prayed, asking for a healthy baby and blessing on the family.

This year the team found that a beautiful baby had been added to the family. God had answered their prayers again.
A few hours after arriving, however, some villagers told them to leave. Outsiders were not allowed during the pandemic.The family’s grandmother stepped forward: “These are our visitors, and they will stay in our home. If you are worried, don’t come around our family or house for two weeks after they leave.”

The team only stayed one night but are thankful for that time of discipleship.

Do You Go Beyond the Four Walls?

Dec 5, 2020 | Stories

Learning the basics of Disciple Making Movements requires a paradigm shift for pastors of well-established denominational churches. The idea of reaching lost people more effectively by going outside the four walls of the church is daunting. Choosing to go to the lost instead of to invite them into church buildings can be a challenge!

But in the Philippines, Alex* continues to coach twelve traditional church pastors in disciple-making principles via Zoom calls. Says Alex, “It’s as if the Lord has blown down the four walls of many of their churches.”

There are now over 70 house churches among this group of pastors! During this time of pandemic restrictions, they have answered the Lord’s call to go. They report that more people are hearing the gospel and being discipled via house churches than when they invited people to church and followed their normal routines. Two of the pastors have 35 and 15 house churches respectively! Another was called before the community “captain” because one of his groups exceeded the community’s present pandemic restrictions. They have since multiplied to become two house churches!

Praise God for moving His Church into the world — and growing it — during this present crisis.

*pseudonym

“. . . What Would Jesus Want You to Do?”

Nov 28, 2020 | Stories

“I am Lin*; I come from [a large city in Asia]; I am seventeen.”

Lightning fast, Lin rattled off his introduction before the other students. At first, Matt*, the Discovery Bible study facilitator, thought Lin was joking. He soon came to realize that speaking quickly was just one of Lin’s unique characteristics.

That night as the group discussed Jesus’ last supper and the first Communion, Lin was a chatterbox. He made the discussion very challenging with constant interruptions and sarcastic comments. “So, his body is wheat.” “That’s disgusting [to eat Jesus’ body]!” Though later Matt learned that others were able to understand the Scripture passage, Lin’s mocking made it very difficult for everyone to participate fully.

In the end, however, Matt felt Lin made a profound statement in response to the question: “If this is true, what does Jesus want you to do?”

Lin answered: “Jesus wants me to eat his body and drink his blood for the forgiveness of my sins.”

Please pray that God would take the seed sown and produce fruit beyond what we could ask or imagine. Pray that these students would have ears to hear his words and hearts to obey them.

*pseudonym