After only one month of the police raiding Bamboo center, and careful monitoring of the discipleship and church planting activities by the government, our local missionaries are at it full force yet again. Of course, there is always a hesitancy as you go to a region where government control and persecution is real. “Should I really go?” you reason. “What if I get kicked out?” the foreign missionaries contemplate. “What if I am beaten or thrown in jail?” the locals consider. But then something in your heart rises up and says, “Wait a minute. Regardless of what happens, I am compelled to preach the gospel. Woe is me if I do not preach!”
That’s the story of the boldness of our Within Reach Global local missionaries, returning to train local church leaders when the region is hot.
“Last weekend was a powerful time at Bamboo,” one of our Filipino missionaries shared. “We began the underground Christian meeting in the afternoon. We taught them about Christian leadership and how to manage church affairs. The prayer time that followed was full of tears and freedom. It was exciting to watch!”
Bamboo is in a period of transition after completing the final year of our 5 year plan for church planting. We have discontinued foreign support, and the local Christians are learning how to stand on their own. That’s the whole goal of missions: to raise indigenous ministries ran by the local believers. In essence, to work yourself out of a job.
“While we were training the leaders on qualifications of an elder and how to oversee the needs of the church, two more of our foreign missionaries went to the university to connect with students there. They had some divine appointments, and met young people who will partner together to start an English Corner next time we return to Bamboo region. This is a great opportunity to reach out to unbelievers with the gospel of Jesus.”
Through years of working among unreached people groups in restricted access nations, we have learned the power of pressing on in the midst of persecution. That doesn’t mean you can be stupid. There is still great wisdom in being cautious about how you go about preaching in tight areas, but as we are wise as serpents and innocent as doves, God moves. And God is doing something great in Bamboo region right now. The local Church is becoming a powerful witness, bending under persecution, but not breaking.
“On the Sunday morning following our training,” our local missionary continued to testify, “we had a lot of activities with the children at Bamboo church. The kids loved the games and lessons that we shared with them. I personally had a chance to speak during the service, and there was not a dry eye in the room. The Holy Spirit moved powerfully, and as we prayed for the local Christians, there was such a sense of community and love. It is amazing to be a part of a church plant that is becoming so independent and uniquely cultural.”
Within Reach Global is committed not only to traveling to unreached people groups, but following through until there are powerful, indigenous churches planted in their regions. Please continue to pray that as we break the tough ground, sow seeds of life, and water with the word of God, we will see a great harvest. “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few,” Jesus said. There is much work to be done. We simply want to be a small part of the big things God is doing in Southeast Asia.
