Obedience Even When It’s Dark

Obedience Even When It’s Dark

A couple of years ago, a young college graduate in Indonesia got connected with *Wes and *Angie’s local team. *Yurba had learned about the unreached people groups in her country and God’s vision to see them all respond to Jesus. She responded in obedience by learning how to make disciples and spending time looking for people God was preparing. 

One night at a prayer event on campus, she heard about the C people.  She heard God speak to her very clearly, “This is the group to whom I am calling you. Bring My light to them.” 

Yurba jumped in. She started a year-long preparation class where she was taught about cross-cultural living, Jesus’s strategy for reaching the lost, and how to cast His vision to others. Her heart grew in its love and burden for these people who have never known who Jesus is.

Then COVID caused lockdowns and mobility issues, so she was not able to launch in her expected timeframe. In that difficult time, she asked, “Lord, what does obedience look like in this season?” She pursued lost people around her and began studying the Bible with a spiritually open family. But God had a surprise in store for her. During this season she met another young woman with a heart for the unreached. *Tashi decided to join Yurba in reaching the C people; they want a disciple-making movement to break out among them.

Please pray for lasting fruit as they serve and obey the Lord among the unreached C people.

*pseudonym

 

Giving Thanks Amid the Rubble

Giving Thanks Amid the Rubble

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, we want to share some stories from the earthquake-ravaged region of Austronesia. If you recall, several strong earthquakes hit the island of Indonesia over the summer. They brought devastation, but also opened doors for workers to bring aid, comfort and hope.

Another team reports of the medical help, temporary housing, toilets and physical needs they were able to provide, but, of much greater importance, the trauma counseling, prayers for healing in the name of Isa Al Masih (Jesus the Messiah) and the Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) they were able to hold with hurting people needing a touch from God. They now report that there are over 30 continuing DBS groups with some already starting a second generation!

Mrs. Harum was caught inside her house when the earthquake hit. Her family was with her but able to run out and away from the house. Roofing, beams and walls crashed onto her.

The next day her neighbors found her alive, but paralyzed. Sadly, most of her family were killed. One of our national partners counseled her, her daughter and one granddaughter who survived. After sharing how Isa Al Masih healed the paralyzed man in Mark 2:1-12, Mrs. Harum said, “I believe that story.” She then welcomed prayer for the healing of her leg. After praying in the name of Isa Al Masih, Mrs. H stood up and was able to move her leg! Crying, she embraced the team, amazed at the power of the Holy Spirit. Since then, Mrs. Harum has participated in her second Discovery Bible Study and all of her neighbors have come to her tent to hear the Good News!

This Thursday, as you gather with your family, give thanks with us for the work God is doing in Indonesia and pray that many more Discovery Bible Studies will take place creating a disciple making movement among this people group that God loves so much.

HOPE IN THE MIDST OF DISASTER
A Kairos moment- a Sovereign God-ordained opportune moment for a window of time which provides crossroads moments  
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LEAN INTO CHAOS
We opened our email and read the notice. The American Consulate in India was advising all American citizens to leave the country.  read more …

IMPACT DURING CRISIS
The devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria has stirred us all as we contemplate … learn more

God Changes Even the Hardest Hearts

God Changes Even the Hardest Hearts

Recently, Wilson, one of our field workers got to meet with Mr. Suni, a local worker. Mr. Suni was born and raised a Muslim with very strong convictions about his faith. Upon graduating high school, he joined a hardcore religious group that trained him to be sent out as a “Muslim missionary.” In his first two-year assignment, he was tasked with converting people to Islam on one of the islands.

One day he heard a radio broadcast story about Jesus. He called into the radio station seeking to know if the things he was hearing about Jesus, so different from what he’d been taught, were true. After months of Mr. Suni pursuing truth and the lady at the radio station faithfully answering his questions, he renounced Islam and put his faith in Jesus!

The lady that answered those calls is now his wife and they now live and serve P-city, aiming to bring the Good News there.

It is amazing that God can change even the hardest of hearts and is now using Mr. Suni to draw others to Himself! Pray that our local partner, Danny, and his team will be able to work together with Mr. Suni in the future to engage this extremely devout Muslim area.

We hope these stories are as encouraging for you as they are us in showing God’s faithfulness to answer prayer.

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MAKING INROADS
Chad has been enjoying getting to know “D” through their mutual work for the last several months. 
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INSIDERS AND OUTSIDERS
As outside catalysts serving in Indonesia, Chad and Tia know that every believer has a vital role to read more …

WHAT WILL THE TEAM DO NOW?
What will the team do now? The newcomers have likely been trained using traditional approaches  read more …

Jesus’ Jihad

Jesus’ Jihad

This story comes from one of our workers in the field: Malik is an Isa (Jesus) follower first and foremost—but he is also known in his community as an Ustad, a Muslim teacher.

He is often asked to teach at the Mosque on Fridays in the surrounding villages. He teaches by using stories from the Kitab (the Bible), and then asks questions so his fellow Muslims in the Mosques can learn for themselves what Allah’s (God’s) plans are for them.

Recently, Malik decided to ask if he could come and speak to the military generals of their people. Understanding the violence and war that has been a part of his people’s history for centuries, He spoke of Isa’s (Jesus’) life.

His message stated, “Isa’s jihad (holy war) is His life’s ministry of bringing PEACE. We must follow Isa’s jihad!”

Pray for the many Muslim Jesus followers around this world who are proclaiming the PEACE that only Jesus can bring. And as Muslims around the world continue to celebrate the end of Ramadan this weekend pray that many will have visions of Isa (Jesus) and be curious about who is and seek after Him.

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A KNOCK ON THE DOOR
Mr. Bee seemed eager to hear about Isa (Jesus) and began reading scripture with Kuts. After a while, Mrs. Bee and their daughter 
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ONE MAN’S PRAYER
It was close to harvest season, and the corn was ripening in the fields. *Asam, a former Muslim who follows Jesus and lives out his faith read more …

DIVISION PRODUCES MULTIPLICATION
The three friends realized that they used to spend a lot of time discussing what each knew about the Bible and what they had learned read more …