A few years ago, Joel* and his team of local disciple-makers entered a Himalayan village. They looked for people with whom they could pray prayers of blessing, and perhaps find someone interested in hearing a story or two from the Bible.

Soon a young man named Gaden* approached them. “Are you guys Christians?” 

“Okay,” Joel thought, “This could be really great, or we could get asked to leave.” 

“I had a friend who was a Christian teacher here,” Gaden continued. “He told me some things, and I have a lot of questions.” 

The team listened to his questions. They answered some, but quickly said, “Can we just tell you a story? We’d love for you to hear directly from Scripture what it means to be a follower of Christ.”

Gaden was excited to hear the Scripture in his own language, not just in the national language. He gathered two other young couples together to study the Bible.

Since this village is a multi-day trek into the mountains, Joel and his team can’t visit often. So they gave the group a Bible app preloaded with Bible stories. After listening to a Scripture passage, the group would answer questions to help them apply the Scripture and obey what they learned. 

Since that first visit, the team has been back multiple times. Some challenges have arisen, but we can be assured God will use this study. He declares that His word “always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” (Isaiah 55:11)

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Our job is to be faithful, obedient disciples of Jesus. God’s job is everything else. We choose faithfulness or unfaithfulness, but our choice doesn’t affect what God does. For, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful — for He cannot deny Himself” (2 Timothy 2:13). What a liberating truth! Our faithfulness enables us to participate in the blessing of God’s work, no matter what fruit we see with our eyes.

About a year ago, *Pema shared a testimony of God’s healing power with his friend *Sonam. Sonam was intrigued, so Pema started taking him through the Bible. 

At first, Sonam was interested. Then one day, he said, “All the older people say your God is a bad God. I can’t talk about these things anymore.” Pema was discouraged, but he knew he had faithfully shared.

Sonam moved away and became unable to pay his rent. So he called Pema’s best friend and fellow church leader, *Tenzin. Tenzin welcomed Sonam into his apartment . . . and into his spiritual life. As with everyone, when you stay with Tenzin, you will pray, praise, and read the Word of God together.

Sonam is hearing more about Jesus and experiencing life-on-life discipleship 24 hours a day! Pema knows this is God’s faithfulness. God is not finished with Sonam. Will you pray that Sonam will confess with his mouth and believe in his heart that Jesus is Lord?

We appreciate our donors who faithfully support opportunities like these for Jesus to be made known.

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Our Tibetan-Himalayan team practices 30-second testimonies. They train and model this tool for the followers they disciple. This simple and reproducible evangelism tool can easily transition into spiritual conversations with lost people. Their teammate *Priscilla shared the following example: I was stuck in India’s very strict lockdown. God had provided temporary housing for my family, but my children were at school in another district, and it was illegal to cross district lines without specific permission. But I found a willing taxi driver and set out to get my kids. 

We passed through checkpoint after checkpoint, arguing our way through each time. As we approached the big district border, I became nervous and began to pray. “God, please help me through the border to pick up my children. Please close the eyes of the policemen.” 

Minutes before we reached the border, the wind began to howl, and a heavy monsoon rain pounded the earth. The policemen ran for shelter and did not stop our taxi again! God had answered my prayer.

After sharing a testimony like this, disciples ask, “Would you like to learn more about the God who answers prayers? Would your family and friends like to hear about this God too?”

What has God done in your life? What story could you share at the grocery store, the ballpark, or in your neighborhood?

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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.

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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.

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