Dear Supporting Friends and Family,
I realize that some people do not appreciate sports analogies, but what has happened over the last couple days has really been amazing. First, the men’s meeting. I really wanted to write about this four weeks ago after our first meeting but I thought let’s give it some time and see how things pan out. Well, after 4 weeks things remain just as amazing as they did before. This has been the grand slam.
One of the home runs is from a man named Jinongke. He is a leader in this community, but rumor has it that he is not with us because he does not want to leave the traditional religious ways. (We haven’t asked anyone to do this, but people are starting to see that not everything the traditional church teaches here is doctrinally correct, i.e. works for salvation.) I went to him and told him that I wanted to talk with him about some things. And I was a bit concerned because of his position in the community and that the rumors were that he was okay with us being forced to leave by the traditional religious higher ups. However going to him and talking straight with him was the right thing to do as I discovered what was going on in his heart. It was a great talk. The other home run is from my neighbor, Benson (pictured above with his family). Today, for the first time he understood and believed the gospel!
So these things were the grand slam and home runs this week. Let me give more details. First the men’s meeting. Several months ago we tried to have a "reading practice class." We wanted to give the opportunity to improve their reading skills. We made three times available throughout the week hoping that many would come. However, it ended up only being the same 3-5 ladies. This proved to be an awkward time as the ladies would not open up to us. So our wives took the class over and now meet once a week, and we decided to challenge the men that they needed to be better readers. So after church one Sunday we told everyone that we wanted to have a team meeting. (Now the team includes the believers!)
In the meeting we challenged the men specifically that they are responsible to teach their families. We spoke directly to them and said that if they cannot read with comprehension then it will be harder for them to do that. We told them that men are the leaders of the family and community and if the men are not existing well in God’s word then it will reflect in family life and community life. Well, the men really sat up for this talk. We talked about how God created Adam and then told Adam what to do and then Adam told Eve. We basically told them that they needed to "step up to the plate." And for the last four weeks that is exactly what they have done!
This reading for comprehension practice has become a wonderful time of Bible study and application with the men and it has shown us who the men are that taking all this seriously. So far there has been 8 – 18 men present and actively participating in this class. We meet with them every Sunday afternoon. And we can hardly stop the discussion. We are thinking that it is from this group that will come the future bible teachers and leaders!
One of the home runs I already mentioned was concerning Jinongke. I already mentioned our concerns and so when I went to talk with him I was a bit nervous. But Got totally turned the tables! Jinongke was influenced by the government leaders that told the people that they needed to get rid of two families in the village because they are not from this village. He stood up and passionately told everyone that this was the right thing to do. However, as we have been studying Acts, Jinongke learned that the believers shared everything as one and we missionaries specifically challenged them on this issue of forcing two families to leave. These two families have professed Christ and therefore are a part of this church. So why are we telling them they have to go? Well, evidently this convicted Jinongke and he was ashamed of his actions, and was avoiding us. He told me this story today and apologized for what he said. He said to me, "I was wrong. When I told them that they had to go I was wrong and I asked God for forgiveness, and I feel sorry for what I did. And because of what Jesus did God has forgiven my sin!" My heart was leaping with joy and we shook hands and laughed together rejoicing over God’s grace.
The other home run late in the game came from a man named Benson. The believers learned the story of Stephen this week from Acts 6 and 7. Benson came to ask me about it. He said, "I see that Stephen was a righteous man and that even though he did not sin, the religious leaders stoned him. He therefore went to God. Now the question I want to ask you is this. I am a sinful man. I sin from time to time so how is it that a man like me can go to God?"
Well, you know the rest of the story! But what you don’t know is that Benson is one of the few people in the village that did not come to all of the Phase One Evangelistic teaching. He came to about half and he has come to most of the church meetings since. We have always wondered what was going on in his heart and mind because he has stayed kind of distant from us. But today we are confident that he is indeed one of us!
So because of the men’s reading/bible study, a certain man’s confession, and another’s second birth we have witnessed a grand slam and two home runs this week! So cheer with us! What a wonderful Christmas this will be.
Your Coworkers,
GECCNZ Smith
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