DMM: No Small Disturbance

 

 
“About that time there occurred no small disturbance concerning the Way.”
-The Book of Acts, Chapter 19

No Small Disturbance

 
There came no small disturbance concerning the Way of Isa Al Masih that day in the heart of Ibu (Mrs.) Jawaria. This SaSumBi woman considered the long journey from a past full of unmet longings, as a faithful adherent to Islam. 
 
Then came the day Ibu Jawaria was introduced to another type of SaSumBi woman. A woman who was radically different and quite unlike anyone else she had ever known from an Islamic background. This other woman claimed to be a follower of Isa Al Masih.      
                                                                     
“How could that possibly be so?," Ibu Jawaria marveled.
 
Ati, her new friend, was meeting with Ibu Jawaria and sharing Discovery Bible Stories regarding the Old Testament Prophets and Jesus. Ibu Jawaria was being trained by Ati to take these stories, one at a time, and then facilitate her household to gather and discuss them. 
 
As a patterned response, Ati would facilitate her family in asking the following questions related to the stories they were learning;

►What does this story teach us about the character of God?
►What does this story teach us about man? 
►In what specific ways will you obey God from what you are learning in this passage of Scripture? When do you plan on applying these truths? 
►When and with what other household/friends' group will you personally share this story so that others too can know God and His ways?  

 
Over the several times of discovering God's Word, alongside her family, Ibu Jawaria felt the sweet release of tears that flowed as she began to see the heart of God. 

As a SaSumBi Muslim she had yearned to know if this Allah whom she sought could be known. She had tried to live in a righteous way according to Islam.  She had come to realize, to her frustration, that the many ceremonial outward cleansings required by Islam could not offset the sins she continued to commit against Allah in her heart.  As she reflected honestly, there were numerous times she had and would hurt others. She felt like one who had been invited to know Allah and yet was always separated by a great chasm between she and a holy and just God.  

She felt disturbed and quite undone. 

Ibu Jawaria’s longings met God’s way. After her household reached the part of the New Testament Discovery Bible Study Storying set, her entire family finally understood. They understood that only through Isa Al Masih could forgiveness and true life be found. The reality of Allah’s truth bore deeply into their collective as well as individual understanding. 
 
At that moment, Ibu Jawaria was no longer disturbed. Ibu Jawaria along with her entire household realized the Way to Salvation and life in abundance today and for eternity was found in Isa Al Masih alone. They prayed a simple prayer of commitment to Christ, turning from their own ways, and gave their lives to Isa Al Masih that day.  
 
Ibu Jawaria’s husband told her recently, “you’re really bold in telling others about Isa Al Masih.” To which she replied, “of course I am bold, this is the truth!” 
 
Ibu Jawaria has exclaimed to Ati how she longs to become like the Apostle Paul. Ibu Jawaria’s heart cry is to become one who loves their life not unto death and one who proclaims the glory of Isa Al Masih boldly. She and her husband are presently studying the Word of God on-goingly with their oikos (household) as a reproducing House Fellowship.
 
 Pray with us and local disciple makers to:

• Reproduce Laborers for the harvest. 
• Launch a social media campaign to find and reproduce laborers from among local believers. We are asking God to identify and filter those whom He would raise up, to equip and coach to be Timothys/Timothy-etts.   (2 Timothy 2:2) We are looking for those who are Holy Spirit led dissatisfied believers from both Muslim backgrounds as well as from traditional church backgrounds.
• See more rapid multiplication of Discovery Groups that are meeting throughout the 9 counties of the SaSumBi to come to Christ together.
• See the increased multiplication of house fellowships of baptized disciples.

DMM: Finding Ina

                                         Longing to Be Found

 

 

 "For it is not you who speak, but {it is} the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” - Matthew 10:20

 

                                  Ibu Ina—A Person of Peace 

                                      (Luke 10, Matthew 10) 

 

 

Devastation awaited restoration. Ibu (Mrs.) Ina lingered for a bit as we concluded our art therapy sessions for villagers traumatized by the recent 8.0 earthquake. The exacting lines sculpting her leathery skinned face belied the harshness of life in this rubber-tree rich area of Southeast Asia. I felt led to ask her privately if she was a reader, to which she lit up. I asked her if she had ever read of the beauty and splendor of Isa Al Masih (Jesus) from the Injil (the Gospels)? 

 

Animatedly, Ibu Ina confided her desire to hear more of the life of Isa Al Masih. She shared that, years before, a man with a Muslim background came to their village and declared himself a follower of Isa Al Masih. Ibu Ina recalled having studied a glimpse of the life of Christ through a brief discussion of the Gospels with him. She noted that many others in her village had gathered with this man at the time. However, as Ibu Ina commented, that opportunity to learn more of Isa Al Masih seemed a very long and lonely stretch of lifetime ago.

Reflections to Ponder 

 

►Picture yourself in the same conversation as the above. If desiring to see a Kingdom Movement (CPM/DMM) begun among this Muslim Unreached People Group, what would be your next move?

 

Heavenly Father, cause the SaSumBi laborers to find the Persons of Peace who will lead them to the households of Muslims whom you are bringing into Your Kingdom. Cause each of the laborers to walk in the humility of Christ, while appropriating the power of the Holy Spirit in all endeavors for Your glory. In Jesus name. Amen.

  

 

DMM-A Conduit to God's Heart

 A Conduit 

"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” - Rev. 12:11

 

 

                                                                            Nella (1968-2002)

 

Nella retained few illusions about ministry among Muslims.  Despite multiple efforts to establish a beachhead for Christ among the various villages she befriended through the years, there remained one final act of surrenderedness. 

 

Nella was newly 34 years old at the time of her death. As I think back to the moment my husband and I held her limp body while she extracted her last breath, God’s faithful ways come flooding to my mind. I recall how we met her in 1995 while we were still living in another region of Southeast Asia. At the same time as we were preparing to move to the SaSumBi area, the Lord had also placed the same Unreached People Group upon Nella’s heart.  

 

In preparation for ministering to the SaSumBi, Nella and I began meeting weekly.  Nella desired to learn the finer points of dialoguing with Muslims about Christ in a contextualized way. Resultantly, I began to take her out to engage Muslim women in order to help model this process. My husband and I continued to encourage her to join us in launching a Kingdom Movement (CPM/DMM) among a neighboring UPG in the SaSumBi area. 

 

As we began our efforts in that new area, the Lord graciously provided a way for Nella to enter villages as a kindergarten teacher. She needed a legitimate reason to be in these places as they were, and still are, almost exclusively Muslim. Outsiders are typically frowned upon and suspicions run high toward those outsiders who attempt to share Christ with them.  

 

After seven years and three foiled attempts to open a kindergarten, Nella continued to persevere. That is, until she died of pulmonary edema and other complications. Her lungs filled with fluid and she slowly suffocated to death before our eyes. The minimal medical help available was ineffective in treating her condition. 

 

The Lord had used Nella in my own life. Through the many years of coming alongside, equipping, and loving her, I was the one impacted by her adoration of the Savior.  Is not that often the case? Those whom we disciple, often times, in turn become conduits of God’s blessing in our own lives. 

 

In reflecting upon her death, I was struck by how much the Lord desires us to learn to love through His power alone. Surrender of everything God has blessed us with can be a joy, but ultimately it is the choice to obey Him out of love that matters most.  

 

Your pain has changed me

Your dream inspires

Your face a memory

Your hope, a fire

Your courage asks me, “What I’m afraid of?”

Your courage asks me, “What I am made of ?” 

“And what I know of Love?”

“And what I know of God?”-Sara Groves

Reflections to Ponder

►Pray for workers among the SaSumBi and new house fellowships to increase in the deep abiding love for the worthiness of Jesus, no matter the cost. 

 

Father, thank You that you have promised overcoming faith by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony for those focused upon the SaSumBi. Cause their hearts to move more and more into the lifestyle of loving their lives not unto death, for Your glory. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

DMM: Kairos Moments (Sovereign God-Ordained Crisis)

"...I believe that story!"

Several strong earthquakes hit a large 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 with a Discovery Group in her second Discovery Bible Study and all of her neighbors have come to her tent to hear the Good News!

Give thanks with us for the work God is doing in Indonesia and pray that many more Discovery Bible Studies which form into many more reproducing house fellowships will take place creating a disciple making movement among this people group that God loves so much.

 

 

DMM: From Persecuted to Welcomed

 DMM: Perseverance

Ibu Mun had been a young single woman when she visited her family shortly after becoming a Christian. Her home village is in an area that is nearly 100 percent Muslim, and the whole community was cold to her as she made her way to her uncle’s house. People from this village were born Muslim and were expected to stay that way.

She longed for her mother to know the transforming power of Isa Al Masih, Jesus Christ, but instead, Ibu Mun was cornered by her mother, aunt, and uncle as they interrogated her about her new faith. They told her she would have to marry a Muslim man and return to Islam. It seemed clear that they were going to force her to do just that. (Kidnapping young women and forcing them to marry is quite common here.)

Throughout the altercation, Isa al Masih proved to be her refuge and strength. Before she found an opportunity to slip away to the bus station, Ibu Mun was able to demonstrate the love of Christ to her mother though she received only insults and hatred.

Now, six years later, Ibu Mun is married to a godly man, and they have two young sons together. She has been discipled and trained to be a leader in Disciple Making Movements. Recently, that same village has welcomed her back, inviting her to set up a playgroup for 3 to 4-year-olds along with a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) on the theme of Biblical parenting.

Seeing whole Muslim households interacting with the Word of God and even forming house fellowships is richly satisfying. More than that, Ibu Mun has seen, despite what man threatens, that one can be satisfied with Christ’s sufficiency. God alone is enough.

DMM: Extraordinary Prayer Fruition

DMM: Extraordinary Prayer Fruition

Recently, Brian and Allison*, Beyond movement catalysts in Austronesia, learned of answers to prayers they and their partners began praying back in 2004! They had challenged their team to pray for several critical components of seeing a movement to Christ start among their unreached people group. Among the prayer requests, they asked their partners to pray for dreams and visions of Jesus to be granted to their focus people.

 

Earlier this year, 15 years later, Brian and Allison learned of multiple dreams of Jesus among their group – dreams dating back to 2004! One new believer had three dreams of Jesus in 2004 and 2005…the very same time that everyone began praying! One of Brian and Allison’s local teammates is now meeting with this man and his household to disciple them  face-to-face. The team is confident that there are many other answered prayers like this one that they have yet to know about!

 

Starting any ministry with prayer is vital. It is futile to launch into our work, relying on our efforts alone! How much better it would be to first ask God for His plan, His guidance, and His supernatural power to do what only He can do. We are then free to move in sync with Him as He guides us. To launch a movement of disciples who reproduce and transform their society is a God-sized goal, and only God can accomplish it. 

 

DMM: Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit Increase

DMM: Sensitivity to the Holy Spirit Increase

Evan and Anna, BEYOND’s Austronesian field leaders, recently shared tips on how they purposely go out among the lost to share the love of Christ. One of the ways they do this is by praying for the felt needs of people they meet. Anna shared this recent example from her life.

 

Anna and Tess, another Beyond movement catalyst, were in a sunny Austronesian cafe looking for the person or people they felt the Lord would lead them to talk with. Earlier that morning, they had prayed, “God, give us the sensitivity to know the exact felt need of whomever You will lead us to.”

 

Before long, a couple at the cafe caught their attention. The women started a conversation, sharing upfront that they were followers of Isa (Jesus). They found the couple to be friendly and polite. In the course of talking, Anna and Tess both noticed that the topic of last year’s earthquake sparked something in the couple.

 

Anna mentioned that she and her husband, Evan, had been on the island during the earthquake, and they too had experienced some fear because of it. They stayed, however, because of their love for the SaSumBi people and, more importantly, God’s love for the SaSumBi people. 

 

Right away, this couple teared up, and both of them began talking, expressing their thoughts and feelings on the earthquake in rapid-fire conversation. Anna and Tess looked back and forth between the husband and wife trying to keep up with what each of them was saying. “The flow was just uncorked,” Anna recalls. “Obviously, this was the felt need.”

 

So, Anna transitioned the conversation towards spiritual matters by saying, “You clearly have some intense feelings about the earthquake still. And many people are struggling with trauma. Can I tell you a story that’s been really powerful in my own life?” Eagerly, the couple responded, “Yes!” and Anna shared the story of Jesus calming the storm.

 

The couple agreed that they had heard from the Koran that Isa has the power to heal the sick and raise the dead. When Anna offered to pray for the couple in the name of Isa, therefore, they agreed. With palms up and eyes open, Anna and Tess prayed for them in the matchless name of Jesus.

 

The couple expressed a desire to hear more. Since Tess had to return to her family on another island, Anna suggested they meet with Evan and herself. “We can come here and talk with your family. Gather them, and let’s talk further about how God understands our hearts and knows our needs. He’s committed to pursue us and meet us exactly where we are.”

 

Please be praying as Evan and Anna share more about Isa with this couple and their family.