One of the exciting things about our line of work is watching a church develop, not into a building but into
Pahi church leadership
an indigenous body of believers whose Savior is Jesus Christ. Seeing the work of discipleship take roots in the believers is an exhilarating thing to see and watch emerge.
Right now there is a body of believers meeting together to worship the Lord but the acting pastor in the church is also the clinical officer from the health center. Though doing a good job he does not have the time or energy to visit church members, arrange services and organize ministries well. Although he has a passion for serving the Lord, his obligations keep him from focusing on all the needs of the church.
Claudi, however, is finishing his 4 year studies at Nassa Theological College this spring. He has a heart to reach his own people and hopes to be assigned to work back among the Rangi people. Pray for him as he finishes his studies, that he would finish well and be used of the Lord to reach his own people. Claudi is also engaged and he asks for prayer for both himself and his fiancé to do the work the Lord gives them.
Matthew, the evangelist, is continuing the work at Kinyasi Majengo. He has moved into the house on the new church property and he has plans to marry in the near future. Pray for his ministry and his plans to marry.
Another exciting aspect of ministry is seeing the word of God translated into the heart language of the people. The book of Mark has been completed! A dedication service was held and the Bibles were made available right then and there. The Rangi can read for themselves the word of God in their own mother tongue.
As in many of the people groups that are being reached for the Gospel, believers face incredible persecution and are sometimes pressured to withdraw from their faith. The Rangi are no exception and the believers often face pressure to go back to the old ways and as a result some have struggled to maintain their faith and others had drifted away. As you pray for the Rangi remember to pray for those who left the church, but are returning - that they’d have God’s power to leave the past behind for good and to stand strong in the face of ridicule, persecution and other temptations that come their way. Pray for those who are still outside, that the Lord will work in their hearts to return and stand strong.
Pray for the church to have a strong testimony in the community. Often the church grows as the believers stand true to their faith under community and family pressure.
PRAYER POINTS
- Pray for Claudi and Matthew and their fiancées and the plans they have as couples to serve the Lord together among the Rangi.
- Pray for the believers, who through persecution, pressure and temptation had left the church but are now returning. Praise God for their return and ask that he will keep them faithful to him as they understand the worth of the Lamb.
- Pray for those under tremendous pressure to give up their faith in Christ.